Philippians 3 Cross References - WEB

¹ Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe. ² Beware of the dogs; beware of the evil workers; beware of the false circumcision. ³ For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh; ⁴ though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more: ⁵ circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless. ⁷ However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ. ⁸ Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith, ¹⁰ that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death, ¹¹ if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. ¹² Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus. ¹³ Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do: forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way. If in anything you think otherwise, God will also reveal that to you. ¹⁶ Nevertheless, to the extent that we have already attained, let’s walk by the same rule. Let’s be of the same mind. ¹⁷ Brothers, be imitators together of me, and note those who walk this way, even as you have us for an example. ¹⁸ For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ, ¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things. ²⁰ For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself.

¹⁸ but you shall eat them before Yahweh your God in the place which Yahweh your God shall choose: you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, and the Levite who is within your gates. You shall rejoice before Yahweh your God in all that you put your hand to.

¹¹ You shall rejoice before Yahweh your God: you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite who is within your gates, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who are among you, in the place which Yahweh your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there.

¹ Hannah prayed, and said: “My heart exults in Yahweh! My horn is exalted in Yahweh. My mouth is enlarged over my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.

²⁸ Thus all Israel brought the ark of Yahweh’s covenant up with shouting, with sound of the cornet, with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding aloud with stringed instruments and harps.

¹⁰ Glory in his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek Yahweh rejoice.

³¹ Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice! Let them say among the nations, “Yahweh reigns!” ³² Let the sea roar, and its fullness! Let the field exult, and all that is in it! ³³ Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before Yahweh, for he comes to judge the earth.

²² and ate and drank before Yahweh on that day with great gladness. They made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him before Yahweh to be prince, and Zadok to be priest.

²⁶ So there was great joy in Jerusalem; for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was nothing like this in Jerusalem. ²⁷ Then the Levitical priests arose and blessed the people. Their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy habitation, even to heaven.

¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared, for today is holy to our Lord. Don’t be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength.”

²⁶ For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God.

¹¹ But let all those who take refuge in you rejoice. Let them always shout for joy, because you defend them. Let them also who love your name be joyful in you.

¹¹ Be glad in Yahweh, and rejoice, you righteous! Shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart!

⁴ Also delight yourself in Yahweh, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁴ These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me, how I used to go with the crowd, and led them to God’s house, with the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping a holy day.

¹ Yahweh reigns! Let the earth rejoice! Let the multitude of islands be glad!

¹ A Psalm of thanksgiving. Shout for joy to Yahweh, all you lands! ² Serve Yahweh with gladness. Come before his presence with singing.

² Let Israel rejoice in him who made them. Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

² Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust, and will not be afraid; for Yah, Yahweh, is my strength and song; and he has become my salvation.” ³ Therefore with joy you will draw water out of the wells of salvation.

¹⁶ You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, and the whirlwind will scatter them. You will rejoice in Yahweh. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁰ I will greatly rejoice in Yahweh! My soul will be joyful in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation. He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

¹⁴ Behold, my servants will sing for joy of heart, but you will cry for sorrow of heart, and will wail for anguish of spirit.

¹¹ that you may nurse and be satisfied at the comforting breasts; that you may drink deeply, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.” ¹² For Yahweh says, “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you will nurse. You will be carried on her side, and will be dandled on her knees.

²³ “Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in Yahweh, your God; for he gives you the early rain in just measure, and he causes the rain to come down for you, the early rain and the latter rain, as before.

¹⁷ For though the fig tree doesn’t flourish, nor fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive fails, the fields yield no food; the flocks are cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls: ¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in Yahweh. I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

¹⁴ Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.

¹⁷ Yahweh, your God, is among you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.

⁷ Ephraim will be like a mighty man, and their heart will rejoice as through wine; yes, their children will see it, and rejoice. Their heart will be glad in Yahweh.

¹² Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

⁴⁷ My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,

² through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance;

¹¹ Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

¹¹ Finally, brothers, rejoice! Be perfected. Be comforted. Be of the same mind. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might.

¹⁷ Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all. ¹⁸ In the same way, you also rejoice, and rejoice with me.

³ For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh;

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, “Rejoice!”

⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report: if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think about these things.

¹ Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more and more.

¹⁶ Always rejoice.

² Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations,

⁶ Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved in various trials, ⁷ that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ— ⁸ whom, not having known, you love. In him, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory,

⁸ Finally, all of you be like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous,

¹³ But because you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice, that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy.

¹² Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you of these things, though you know them, and are established in the present truth. ¹³ I think it right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, ¹⁴ knowing that the putting off of my tent comes swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. ¹⁵ Yes, I will make every effort that you may always be able to remember these things even after my departure.

¹ This is now, beloved, the second letter that I have written to you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by reminding you,

¹⁶ For dogs have surrounded me. A company of evildoers have enclosed me. They have pierced my hands and feet.

²⁰ Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog.

¹¹⁵ Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God.

¹¹ As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.

¹⁰ His watchmen are blind. They are all without knowledge. They are all mute dogs. They can’t bark— dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. ¹¹ Yes, the dogs are greedy. They can never have enough. They are shepherds who can’t understand. They have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.

⁶ “Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

¹⁵ “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

²² Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’ ²³ Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’

¹⁰ Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.

²⁸ For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh;

¹³ For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles.

³ But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. ⁴ This was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage,

¹ Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. ² Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing. ³ Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

¹³ For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.

¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don’t consume one another.

¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things.

¹⁹ holding faith and a good conscience, which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith,

¹ But know this: that in the last days, grievous times will come. ² For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, not lovers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ holding a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also. ⁶ For some of these are people who creep into houses and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,

³ For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts, ⁴ and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn away to fables.

¹⁴ Alexander, the coppersmith, did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds, ¹⁵ of whom you also must beware; for he greatly opposed our words.

¹⁶ They profess that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.

¹⁸ For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error; ¹⁹ promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for a man is brought into bondage by whoever overcomes him. ²⁰ For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

²² But it has happened to them according to the true proverb, “The dog turns to his own vomit again,” and “the sow that has washed to wallowing in the mire.”

⁴ For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ.

¹⁰ But these speak evil of whatever things they don’t know. They are destroyed in these things that they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason. ¹¹ Woe to them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in Korah’s rebellion. ¹² These are hidden rocky reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you, shepherds who without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; ¹³ wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever.

⁹ “I know your works, oppression, and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

⁹ Behold, I give some of the synagogue of Satan, of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but lie—behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.

⁸ But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

¹⁵ Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

⁵ Your name will no more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. ⁶ I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you. ⁷ I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your offspring after you. ⁸ I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God.” ⁹ God said to Abraham, “As for you, you will keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. ¹⁰ This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised. ¹¹ You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between me and you.

¹⁶ Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.

⁶ Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your offspring, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

³ Glory in his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek Yahweh rejoice.

²⁵ All the offspring of Israel will be justified in Yahweh, and will rejoice!

⁴ Circumcise yourselves to Yahweh, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

²³ Yahweh says, “Don’t let the wise man glory in his wisdom. Don’t let the mighty man glory in his might. Don’t let the rich man glory in his riches. ²⁴ But let him who glories glory in this, that he has understanding, and knows me, that I am Yahweh who exercises loving kindness, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for I delight in these things,” says Yahweh.

²⁶ Egypt, Judah, Edom, the children of Ammon, Moab, and all who have the corners of their hair cut off, who dwell in the wilderness, for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.”

¹¹ For from the rising of the sun even to its going down, my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name is great among the nations,” says Yahweh of Armies.

²³ But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshipers. ²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

⁹ For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers,

²⁵ For circumcision indeed profits, if you are a doer of the law, but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. ²⁶ If therefore the uncircumcised keep the ordinances of the law, won’t his uncircumcision be accounted as circumcision? ²⁷ Won’t the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfills the law, judge you, who with the letter and circumcision are a transgressor of the law? ²⁸ For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; ²⁹ but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.

¹¹ He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they might be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be accounted to them. ¹² He is the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision.

⁶ But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

¹⁵ For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered. ²⁷ He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.

¹⁷ I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God.

²⁹ that no flesh should boast before God. ³⁰ Because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption: ³¹ that, as it is written, “He who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”

²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit.

¹³ For even they who receive circumcision don’t keep the law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh. ¹⁴ But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ¹⁵ For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

¹⁸ with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:

⁴ though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more: ⁵ circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless. ⁷ However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ. ⁸ Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith,

¹¹ In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ,

²³ having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever. ²⁴ For, “All flesh is like grass, and all of man’s glory like the flower in the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls; ²⁵ but the Lord’s word endures forever.” This is the word of Good News which was preached to you.

²⁰ But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will also boast. ¹⁹ For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise. ²⁰ For you bear with a man if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, or if he strikes you on the face. ²¹ I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet in whatever way anyone is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also. ²² Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the offspring of Abraham? So am I.

¹³ One who had escaped came and told Abram, the Hebrew. At that time, he lived by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner. They were allies of Abram.

¹² He who is eight days old will be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring.

¹⁵ For indeed, I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.”

¹² There was with us there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard, and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams. He interpreted to each man according to his dream.

⁶ When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” They understood that Yahweh’s ark had come into the camp.

⁹ He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear Yahweh, the God of heaven, who has made the sea and the dry land.”

⁵⁹ On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.

²¹ When eight days were fulfilled for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

²¹ Jesus answered them, “I did one work and you all marvel because of it. ²² Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a boy. ²³ If a boy receives circumcision on the Sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me, because I made a man completely healthy on the Sabbath? ²⁴ Don’t judge according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”

¹ Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service.

³ “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today.

⁶ But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”

⁴ “Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem; ⁵ having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

¹ I ask then, did God reject his people? May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

²² Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the offspring of Abraham? So am I.

² The king called the Gibeonites, and said to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the children of Israel had sworn to them; and Saul sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah);

¹⁶ He said, “Come with me, and see my zeal for Yahweh.” So they made him ride in his chariot.

²⁰ For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

²⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness.

²⁰ He said to him, “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.” ²¹ Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.”

⁶ They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.

³ But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into every house and dragged both men and women off to prison.

¹ But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ² and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ As he traveled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him. ⁴ He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” ⁵ He said, “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ⁶ But rise up and enter into the city, then you will be told what you must do.” ⁷ The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one. ⁸ Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank. ¹⁰ Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” He said, “Behold, it’s me, Lord.” ¹¹ The Lord said to him, “Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying, ¹² and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight.” ¹³ But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem. ¹⁴ Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel. ¹⁶ For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” ¹⁷ Ananias departed and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized. ¹⁹ He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus.

²⁰ They, when they heard it, glorified God. They said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law.

³ “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today. ⁴ I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

⁵ having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

⁹ “I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰ I also did this in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.

⁹ I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

³¹ but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn’t arrive at the law of righteousness. ³² Why? Because they didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;

² For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. ³ For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of God. ⁴ For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. ⁵ For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one who does them will live by them.”

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles, who is not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God.

¹³ For you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of God and ravaged it. ¹⁴ I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith,

¹³ although I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

¹⁷ It came to pass, when they had taken them out, that he said, “Escape for your life! Don’t look behind you, and don’t stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be consumed!”

²⁶ But Lot’s wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

⁴ Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “Skin for skin. Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.

⁸ The ransom of a man’s life is his riches, but the poor hear no threats.

²³ Buy the truth, and don’t sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding.

⁴⁴ “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field. ⁴⁵ “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls, ⁴⁶ who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

²⁶ For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?

²⁶ “If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple.

³³ So therefore whoever of you who doesn’t renounce all that he has, he can’t be my disciple.

⁸ “His lord commended the dishonest manager because he had done wisely, for the children of this world are, in their own generation, wiser than the children of the light.

³¹ In that day, he who will be on the housetop and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away. Let him who is in the field likewise not turn back. ³² Remember Lot’s wife! ³³ Whoever seeks to save his life loses it, but whoever loses his life preserves it.

¹⁸ As we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw things overboard. ¹⁹ On the third day, they threw out the ship’s tackle with their own hands.

³⁸ When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.

¹⁵ “We, being Jews by nature, and not Gentile sinners, ¹⁶ yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law.

² Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing. ³ Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is a debtor to do the whole law. ⁴ You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace. ⁵ For we, through the Spirit, by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.

⁴ though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more: ⁵ circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.

⁸ Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith, ¹⁰ that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death,

³⁰ surely you shall not come into the land concerning which I swore that I would make you dwell therein, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

¹⁰ therefore, behold, I will bring evil on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam everyone who urinates on a wall, he who is shut up and he who is left at large in Israel, and will utterly sweep away the house of Jeroboam, as a man sweeps away dung, until it is all gone.

³⁷ and the body of Jezebel will be as dung on the face of the field on Jezreel’s land, so that they won’t say, “This is Jezebel.”’”

⁷ yet he will perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

⁶ He who goes out weeping, carrying seed for sowing, will certainly come again with joy, carrying his sheaves.

¹¹ After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light and be satisfied. My righteous servant will justify many by the knowledge of himself; and he will bear their iniquities.

³ Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and will spread dung on your faces, even the dung of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it.

²⁵ At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants. ²⁶ Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight. ²⁷ All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷ Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

²⁷ Then Peter answered, “Behold, we have left everything, and followed you. What then will we have?” ²⁸ Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that you who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of his glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive one hundred times, and will inherit eternal life.

⁴³ Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

²¹ In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.” ²² Turning to the disciples, he said, “All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and he to whomever the Son desires to reveal him.”

²⁰ But if I by God’s finger cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come to you.

⁴² David himself says in the book of Psalms, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, ⁴³ until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”’ ⁴⁴ “David therefore calls him Lord, so how is he his son?”

⁷ If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on, you know him, and have seen him.”

²⁰ In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

³ They will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.

³ This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.

⁸ for the words which you have given me I have given to them, and they received them, and knew for sure that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me.

¹³ They asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.”

²⁸ Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁴ But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.

¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.

² For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

⁹ For, I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last of all, like men sentenced to death. For we are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men. ¹⁰ We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor. ¹¹ Even to this present hour we hunger, thirst, are naked, are beaten, and have no certain dwelling place. ¹² We toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure. ¹³ Being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now.

¹⁰ or does he say it assuredly for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should partake of his hope.

⁴ in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.

⁶ seeing it is God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

²³ Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself.) I am more so: in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, and in deaths often. ²⁴ Five times I received forty stripes minus one from the Jews. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep. ²⁶ I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers; ²⁷ in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.

¹⁶ to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood, ¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, ¹⁸ having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

⁸ To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ⁹ and to make all men see what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ,

¹⁸ may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

⁷ However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ.

¹⁰ that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death,

² that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, ³ in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.

⁶ For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come.

¹⁴ For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence firm to the end,

⁷ For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,”

³ seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue,

¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

³ that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

¹⁹ They went out from us, but they didn’t belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us.

²⁰ We know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

²³ Every living thing was destroyed that was on the surface of the ground, including man, livestock, creeping things, and birds of the sky. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ship.

³ You shall prepare the way, and divide the borders of your land which Yahweh your God causes you to inherit into three parts, that every man slayer may flee there. ⁴ This is the case of the man slayer who shall flee there and live: Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, and didn’t hate him in time past—

²⁶ ‘Cursed is he who doesn’t uphold the words of this law by doing them.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’”

⁴⁶ If they sin against you (for there is no man who doesn’t sin), and you are angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near;

²⁵ But Hezekiah didn’t reciprocate appropriate to the benefit done for him, because his heart was lifted up. Therefore there was wrath on him, and on Judah and Jerusalem.

³¹ However concerning the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.

²⁸ I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that you will not hold me innocent. ²⁹ I will be condemned. Why then do I labor in vain? ³⁰ If I wash myself with snow, and cleanse my hands with lye, ³¹ yet you will plunge me in the ditch. My own clothes will abhor me.

¹⁴ if I sin, then you mark me. You will not acquit me from my iniquity. ¹⁵ If I am wicked, woe to me. If I am righteous, I still will not lift up my head, being filled with disgrace, and conscious of my affliction.

¹⁴ What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? ¹⁵ Behold, he puts no trust in his holy ones. Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight; ¹⁶ how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!

⁵ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you. ⁶ Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

³ They have all gone aside. They have together become corrupt. There is no one who does good, no, not one.

¹² Who can discern his errors? Forgive me from hidden errors.

¹⁵ My mouth will tell about your righteousness, and of your salvation all day, though I don’t know its full measure. ¹⁶ I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord Yahweh. I will make mention of your righteousness, even of yours alone.

³ If you, Yah, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? ⁴ But there is forgiveness with you, therefore you are feared.

² Don’t enter into judgment with your servant, for in your sight no man living is righteous.

²⁰ Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and doesn’t sin.

⁵ Then I said, “Woe is me! For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, Yahweh of Armies!”

²⁴ They will say of me, ‘There is righteousness and strength only in Yahweh.’” Even to him will men come. All those who raged against him will be disappointed. ²⁵ All the offspring of Israel will be justified in Yahweh, and will rejoice!

¹³ I bring my righteousness near. It is not far off, and my salvation will not wait. I will grant salvation to Zion, my glory to Israel.

⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

⁵ You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned. We have been in sin for a long time. Shall we be saved? ⁶ For we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteousness is like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

⁶ In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely. This is his name by which he will be called: Yahweh our righteousness.

¹⁶ In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell safely. This is the name by which she will be called: Yahweh our righteousness.”

²⁴ “Seventy weeks are decreed on your people and on your holy city, to finish disobedience, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.

¹³ But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

²⁵ Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” ²⁶ He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” ²⁷ He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” ²⁸ He said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.” ²⁹ But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”

⁸ When he has come, he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment; ⁹ about sin, because they don’t believe in me; ¹⁰ about righteousness, because I am going to my Father, and you won’t see me any more; ¹¹ about judgment, because the prince of this world has been judged.

¹⁷ For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God. ²⁰ Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. ²¹ But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets; ²² even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction,

⁵ But to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. ⁶ Even as David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works,

¹³ For the promise to Abraham and to his offspring that he should be heir of the world wasn’t through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴ For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect. ¹⁵ For the law produces wrath, for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience.

²¹ that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

⁵ For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law worked in our members to bring out fruit to death. ⁶ But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter. ⁷ What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn’t have known sin, except through the law. For I wouldn’t have known coveting, unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” ⁸ But sin, finding occasion through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of coveting. For apart from the law, sin is dead. ⁹ I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. ¹⁰ The commandment which was for life, this I found to be for death; ¹¹ for sin, finding occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me. ¹² Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good. ¹³ Did then that which is good become death to me? May it never be! But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, was producing death in me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceedingly sinful.

¹ There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

³ For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh;

³⁰ What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who didn’t follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith;

¹ Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved. ² For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. ³ For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of God. ⁴ For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. ⁵ For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one who does them will live by them.” ⁶ But the righteousness which is of faith says this, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down);

¹⁰ For with the heart, one believes resulting in righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made resulting in salvation.

⁷ Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and my fellow prisoners, who are notable among the apostles, who were also in Christ before me.

³⁰ Because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption:

¹⁷ Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.

²¹ For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

¹⁶ yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law.

¹⁰ For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.” ¹¹ Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, “The righteous will live by faith.” ¹² The law is not of faith, but, “The man who does them will live by them.” ¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,”

²¹ Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the law. ²² But the Scripture imprisoned all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

⁶ concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.

⁹ who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,

⁵ not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

¹⁸ that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us.

⁹ But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. ¹¹ For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

² For we all stumble in many things. Anyone who doesn’t stumble in word is a perfect person, able to bridle the whole body also.

¹⁹ in whom he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ who before were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

¹ Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

⁴ Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.

²³ He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with, but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it is for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

²¹ For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he desires. ²² For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son, ²³ that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who doesn’t honor the Son doesn’t honor the Father who sent him. ²⁴ “Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. ²⁵ Most certainly I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice; and those who hear will live. ²⁶ For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself. ²⁷ He also gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man. ²⁸ Don’t marvel at this, for the hour comes in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice, ²⁹ and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.

¹⁸ No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. I received this commandment from my Father.”

²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies. ²⁶ Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

³¹ he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that his soul wasn’t left in Hades, and his flesh didn’t see decay. ³² This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses. ³³ Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear. ³⁴ For David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand ³⁵ until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ ³⁶ “Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” ³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” ³⁸ Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

³ Or don’t you know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection; ⁶ knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin. ⁷ For he who has died has been freed from sin. ⁸ But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him; ⁹ knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over him! ¹⁰ For the death that he died, he died to sin one time; but the life that he lives, he lives to God. ¹¹ Thus consider yourselves also to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

¹⁰ If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. ¹¹ But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

¹⁷ and if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.

²⁹ For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

²¹ For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man. ²² For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. ²³ But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s, at his coming.

⁵ For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ.

¹⁰ who delivered us out of so great a death, and does deliver; on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us;

¹⁰ always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh. ¹² So then death works in us, but life in you. ¹³ But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, “I believed, and therefore I spoke.” We also believe, and therefore we also speak;

⁴ For he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives through the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live with him through the power of God toward you.

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

¹⁹ and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might ²⁰ which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.

⁸ Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ

²⁴ Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly,

¹³ You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

¹ If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.

¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. ¹⁵ For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep.

¹¹ This saying is trustworthy: “For if we died with him, we will also live with him. ¹² If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us.

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

¹ Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ² that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

¹³ But because you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice, that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy. ¹⁴ If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed; because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified.

³ This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments.

⁵ But God’s love has most certainly been perfected in whoever keeps his word. This is how we know that we are in him:

¹⁸ and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.

⁷ none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.

¹⁴ and you will be blessed, because they don’t have the resources to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous.”

³⁵ But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. ³⁶ For they can’t die any more, for they are like the angels, and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.

²⁴ Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

⁷ which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa!

¹² Because the haven was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised going to sea from there, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there, which is a port of Crete, looking southwest and northwest.

¹⁴ if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them.

²² To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.

²⁷ but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.

³ But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

⁵ For this cause I also, when I couldn’t stand it any longer, sent that I might know your faith, for fear that by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor would have been in vain.

³ Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction,

³⁵ Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

⁵ The rest of the dead didn’t live until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

⁹ Yet the righteous will hold to his way. He who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.

¹ For the Chief Musician. A contemplation by the sons of Korah. As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God.

¹ A Psalm by David, when he was in the desert of Judah. God, you are my God. I will earnestly seek you. My soul thirsts for you. My flesh longs for you, in a dry and weary land, where there is no water. ² So I have seen you in the sanctuary, watching your power and your glory. ³ Because your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you.

⁸ My soul stays close to you. Your right hand holds me up.

² My soul longs, and even faints for the courts of Yahweh. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

¹⁵ For judgment will return to righteousness. All the upright in heart shall follow it.

² Yahweh will send out the rod of your strength out of Zion. Rule among your enemies. ³ Your people offer themselves willingly in the day of your power, in holy array. Out of the womb of the morning, you have the dew of your youth.

⁵ Oh that my ways were steadfast to obey your statutes!

¹⁷³ Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. ¹⁷⁴ I have longed for your salvation, Yahweh. Your law is my delight. ¹⁷⁵ Let my soul live, that I may praise you. Let your ordinances help me. ¹⁷⁶ I have gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I don’t forget your commandments.

⁸ Yahweh will fulfill that which concerns me. Your loving kindness, Yahweh, endures forever. Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.

¹⁸ But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.

¹ “Listen to me, you who follow after righteousness, you who seek Yahweh. Look to the rock you were cut from, and to the quarry you were dug from.

³ Let’s acknowledge Yahweh. Let’s press on to know Yahweh. As surely as the sun rises, Yahweh will appear. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain that waters the earth.”

³ As he traveled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him. ⁴ He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” ⁵ He said, “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ⁶ But rise up and enter into the city, then you will be told what you must do.”

¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel.

¹⁹ For the good which I desire, I don’t do; but the evil which I don’t desire, that I practice. ²⁰ But if what I don’t desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me. ²¹ I find then the law that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present. ²² For I delight in God’s law after the inward man, ²³ but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?

¹⁰ but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with.

¹ Having therefore these promises, beloved, let’s cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

⁹ For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. We also pray for this: your becoming perfect.

¹⁷ For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire.

⁴ even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love,

¹² for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ,

¹³ Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do: forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶ Nevertheless, to the extent that we have already attained, let’s walk by the same rule. Let’s be of the same mind.

¹⁵ See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good for one another and for all.

¹³ But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth,

¹⁰ being approved by good works, if she has brought up children, if she has been hospitable to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, and if she has diligently followed every good work.

¹¹ But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.

¹⁹ laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.

¹⁴ Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord,

²³ to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,

²¹ make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹¹ Let him turn away from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it. ¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears open to their prayer; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” ¹³ Now who will harm you if you become imitators of that which is good?

¹⁰ But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

⁵ Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge; ⁶ and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control perseverance; and in perseverance godliness; ⁷ and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love. ⁸ For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to not be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴ One thing I have asked of Yahweh, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in Yahweh’s house all the days of my life, to see Yahweh’s beauty, and to inquire in his temple.

¹⁰ Listen, daughter, consider, and turn your ear. Forget your own people, and also your father’s house.

⁶² But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for God’s Kingdom.”

⁴² but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

²³ but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you, ²⁴ whenever I travel to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while. ²⁵ But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints. ²⁶ For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem. ²⁷ Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to serve them in fleshly things. ²⁸ When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to Spain. ²⁹ I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of Christ.

²⁴ Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win. ²⁵ Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. ²⁶ I therefore run like that, not aimlessly. I fight like that, not beating the air, ²⁷ but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.

¹⁶ Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

¹⁸ What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice. ¹⁹ For I know that this will turn out to my salvation, through your prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, ²⁰ according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹ For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

¹² So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

¹² Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.

¹¹ Not that I speak because of lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it. ¹² I know how to be humbled, and I also know how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need. ¹³ I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

¹ Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Christ, let’s press on to perfection—not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God,

¹ Therefore let’s also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with perseverance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

⁸ But don’t forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

¹⁶ The law and the prophets were until John. From that time the Good News of God’s Kingdom is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

²⁸ We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰ Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified.

²³ and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory, ²⁴ us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?

²⁴ Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win.

¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory,

¹² to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory. ¹³ But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth, ¹⁴ to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷ I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. ⁸ From now on, the crown of righteousness is stored up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.

¹ Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession: Jesus,

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn’t fade away, reserved in Heaven for you,

¹³ Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober, and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ—

²¹ He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne.

⁸ Good and upright is Yahweh, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way. ⁹ He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.

³ yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; ⁴ if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures: ⁵ then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God. ⁶ For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.

⁵ Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

⁸ A highway will be there, a road, and it will be called “The Holy Way”. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it will be for those who walk in the Way. Wicked fools shall not go there.

⁴⁸ Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

¹³ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

¹⁷ If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is from God, or if I am speaking from myself.

¹ Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

⁶ We speak wisdom, however, among those who are full grown, yet a wisdom not of this world nor of the rulers of this world who are coming to nothing.

²⁰ Brothers, don’t be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature.

¹⁰ I have confidence toward you in the Lord that you will think no other way. But he who troubles you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.

¹² Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.

²⁸ We proclaim him, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;

¹² Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

¹⁷ that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

¹⁴ But solid food is for those who are full grown, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

⁴ Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. ⁵ But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

¹⁶ Be of the same mind one toward another. Don’t set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don’t be wise in your own conceits.

⁵ Now the God of perseverance and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,

⁷ You were running well! Who interfered with you that you should not obey the truth?

¹⁶ As many as walk by this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on God’s Israel.

² Walk in love, even as Christ also loved us and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance. ³ But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints; ⁴ nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate, but rather giving of thanks. ⁵ Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore don’t be partakers with them. ⁸ For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,

²⁷ Only let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ, that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the Good News;

² make my joy full by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;

² I exhort Euodia, and I exhort Syntyche, to think the same way in the Lord.

⁶ As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him,

³⁸ But the righteous will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” ³⁹ But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul.

¹⁰ but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries; ¹¹ whereas angels, though greater in might and power, don’t bring a railing judgment against them before the Lord. ¹² But these, as unreasoning creatures, born natural animals to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil in matters about which they are ignorant, will in their destroying surely be destroyed, ¹³ receiving the wages of unrighteousness; people who count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and defects, reveling in their deceit while they feast with you; ¹⁴ having eyes full of adultery, and who can’t cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in greed; children of cursing; ¹⁵ forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing; ¹⁶ but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A mute donkey spoke with a man’s voice and stopped the madness of the prophet. ¹⁷ These are wells without water, clouds driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever.

⁴ But I have this against you, that you left your first love. ⁵ Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I am coming to you swiftly, and will move your lamp stand out of its place, unless you repent.

³ Remember therefore how you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If therefore you won’t watch, I will come as a thief, and you won’t know what hour I will come upon you.

³⁷ Mark the perfect man, and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.

¹⁷ Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them.

¹⁶ I beg you therefore, be imitators of me.

³² Give no occasion for stumbling, whether to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the assembly of God;

⁹ The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

⁶ You became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,

¹⁰ You are witnesses with God how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe. ¹¹ As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children, ¹² to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory. ¹³ For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe. ¹⁴ For you, brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews

⁷ For you know how you ought to imitate us. For we didn’t behave ourselves rebelliously among you,

⁹ not because we don’t have the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, that you should imitate us.

¹⁴ If any man doesn’t obey our word in this letter, note that man, that you have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed.

¹² Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your way of life, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.

⁷ Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.

³ not as lording it over those entrusted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock.

¹³⁶ Streams of tears run down my eyes, because they don’t observe your law.

¹¹ For Yahweh spoke this to me with a strong hand, and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,

¹ Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a spring of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

¹⁷ But if you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your pride. My eye will weep bitterly, and run down with tears, because Yahweh’s flock has been taken captive.

³⁷ Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those who walk in pride he is able to abase.

⁴¹ When he came near, he saw the city and wept over it,

¹⁹ serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews;

³⁰ Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. ³¹ Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn’t cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears.

² that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.

¹⁸ For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

⁹ Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals,

⁴ For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be made to grieve, but that you might know the love that I have so abundantly for you.

²⁹ Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don’t burn with indignation?

⁷ but there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Good News of Christ.

¹⁴ But when I saw that they didn’t walk uprightly according to the truth of the Good News, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live as the Gentiles do, and not as the Jews do, why do you compel the Gentiles to live as the Jews do?

²¹ I don’t reject the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!”

²¹ envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.

¹² As many as desire to make a good impression in the flesh compel you to be circumcised; just so they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

¹⁷ This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,

⁵ Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.

⁴ always in every request of mine on behalf of you all, making my requests with joy,

¹⁵ Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will. ¹⁶ The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;

⁶ that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.

¹¹ For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who don’t work at all, but are busybodies.

¹⁰ but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries;

¹³ wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever.

¹¹ Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. The child served Yahweh before Eli the priest. ¹² Now the sons of Eli were wicked men. They didn’t know Yahweh. ¹³ The custom of the priests with the people was that when anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant came while the meat was boiling, with a fork of three teeth in his hand; ¹⁴ and he stabbed it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot. The priest took all that the fork brought up for himself. They did this to all the Israelites who came there to Shiloh. ¹⁵ Yes, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed, “Give meat to roast for the priest; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but raw.” ¹⁶ If the man said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take as much as your soul desires;” then he would say, “No, but you shall give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force.”

²⁹ Why do you kick at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded in my habitation, and honor your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel my people?’

⁶ Many say, “Who will show us any good?” Yahweh, let the light of your face shine on us. ⁷ You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and their new wine are increased.

¹⁴ from men by your hand, Yahweh, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life. You fill the belly of your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children.

¹ For the Chief Musician. A contemplation by David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, “David has come to Ahimelech’s house.” Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man? God’s loving kindness endures continually.

¹⁰ His watchmen are blind. They are all without knowledge. They are all mute dogs. They can’t bark— dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. ¹¹ Yes, the dogs are greedy. They can never have enough. They are shepherds who can’t understand. They have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter. ¹² “Come,” they say, “I will get wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow will be as today, great beyond measure.”

¹⁹ You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to kill the souls who should not die, and to save the souls alive who should not live, by your lying to my people who listen to lies.’

³ You eat the fat. You clothe yourself with the wool. You kill the fatlings, but you don’t feed the sheep.

⁷ As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me. I will change their glory into shame.

⁵ Yahweh says concerning the prophets who lead my people astray; for those who feed their teeth, they proclaim, “Peace!” and whoever doesn’t provide for their mouths, they prepare war against him:

¹¹ Her leaders judge for bribes, and her priests teach for a price, and her prophets of it tell fortunes for money: yet they lean on Yahweh, and say, “Isn’t Yahweh among us? No disaster will come on us.”

¹⁵ “Woe to him who gives his neighbor drink, pouring your inflaming wine until they are drunk, so that you may gaze at their naked bodies! ¹⁶ You are filled with shame, and not glory. You will also drink, and be exposed! The cup of Yahweh’s right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.

¹² “But you profane it, in that you say, ‘Yahweh’s table is polluted, and its fruit, even its food, is contemptible.’

²³ But he turned, and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men.”

⁴¹ Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;

¹⁹ I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”’

⁴⁵ But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My lord delays his coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken, ⁴⁶ then the lord of that servant will come in a day when he isn’t expecting him, and in an hour that he doesn’t know, and will cut him in two, and place his portion with the unfaithful.

¹⁹ “Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day.

⁴ He wouldn’t for a while, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God, nor respect man,

²¹ What fruit then did you have at that time in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

⁵ For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace; ⁷ because the mind of the flesh is hostile toward God; for it is not subject to God’s law, neither indeed can it be.

¹⁸ For those who are such don’t serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent.

³ for you are still fleshly. For insofar as there is jealousy, strife, and factions among you, aren’t you fleshly, and don’t you walk in the ways of men?

² You are arrogant, and didn’t mourn instead, that he who had done this deed might be removed from among you.

⁶ Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole lump?

¹² But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from those who desire an occasion, that in which they boast, they may be found even as we.

¹⁵ It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

¹³ For even they who receive circumcision don’t keep the law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh.

²¹ For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.

² Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth.

⁸ Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming;

¹² that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

⁵ constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. Withdraw yourself from such.

⁴ traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

¹¹ whose mouths must be stopped: men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake. ¹² One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons.”

⁶ and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame. ⁷ For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it and produces a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from God; ⁸ but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

¹⁶ But now you glory in your boasting. All such boasting is evil.

¹ But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction.

³ In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn’t linger, and their destruction will not slumber.

¹³ receiving the wages of unrighteousness; people who count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and defects, reveling in their deceit while they feast with you;

¹⁷ These are wells without water, clouds driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever. ¹⁸ For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error; ¹⁹ promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for a man is brought into bondage by whoever overcomes him.

¹⁶ These are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts—and their mouth speaks proud things—showing respect of persons to gain advantage.

⁷ However much she glorified herself, and grew wanton, so much give her of torment and mourning. For she says in her heart, ‘I sit a queen, and am no widow, and will in no way see mourning.’

²⁰ The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked the signs in his sight, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

⁹ They went up over the width of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God and devoured them. ¹⁰ The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

¹¹ You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.

¹⁵ As for me, I shall see your face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with seeing your form.

²⁴ You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. ²⁵ Whom do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth whom I desire besides you. ²⁶ My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

²⁴ The path of life leads upward for the wise, to keep him from going downward to Sheol.

¹ In that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city. God appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks. ² Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter: the one which keeps faith.

¹⁹ “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; ²¹ for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

²¹ Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

²¹ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

³² Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. ³³ Sell that which you have, and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don’t grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn’t fail, where no thief approaches, neither moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

¹¹ who also said, “You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky, will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky.”

⁷ so that you come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ;

¹⁸ while we don’t look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

⁸ We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

²⁶ But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

⁶ and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

¹⁹ So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God,

¹⁰ so that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ,

⁵ because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the Good News

¹ If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth. ³ For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

¹⁰ and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead: Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

¹⁶ For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first,

⁷ and to give relief to you who are afflicted with us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, ⁸ punishing those who don’t know God, and to those who don’t obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus,

⁸ From now on, the crown of righteousness is stored up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.

¹³ looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

²⁸ so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, without sin, to those who are eagerly waiting for him for salvation.

³⁴ For you both had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one in the heavens. ³⁵ Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great reward.

²² But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels,

¹² looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, which will cause the burning heavens to be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? ¹³ But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. ¹⁴ Therefore, beloved, seeing that you look for these things, be diligent to be found in peace, without defect and blameless in his sight.

⁷ Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.

¹⁰ He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, ¹¹ having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, as if it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal; ¹² having a great and high wall; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. ¹³ On the east were three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. ¹⁴ The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. ¹⁵ He who spoke with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, its gates, and its walls. ¹⁶ The city is square, and its length is as great as its width. He measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand twelve stadia. Its length, width, and height are equal. ¹⁷ Its wall is one hundred forty-four cubits, by the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. ¹⁸ The construction of its wall was jasper. The city was pure gold, like pure glass. ¹⁹ The foundations of the city’s wall were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; ²⁰ the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; and the twelfth, amethyst. ²¹ The twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each one of the gates was made of one pearl. The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. ²² I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb, are its temple. ²³ The city has no need for the sun or moon to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb. ²⁴ The nations will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. ²⁵ Its gates will in no way be shut by day (for there will be no night there), ²⁶ and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it so that they may enter. ²⁷ There will in no way enter into it anything profane, or one who causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

⁸ He has swallowed up death forever! The Lord Yahweh will wipe away tears from off all faces. He will take the reproach of his people away from off all the earth, for Yahweh has spoken it.

¹⁹ Your dead shall live. My dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth will cast out the departed spirits.

¹⁴ I will ransom them from the power of Sheol. I will redeem them from death! Death, where are your plagues? Sheol, where is your destruction? “Compassion will be hidden from my eyes.

² He was changed before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.

²⁹ But Jesus answered them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.

¹⁸ Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.

²⁴ Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy that will be abolished is death. ²⁷ For, “He put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when he says, “All things are put in subjection”, it is evident that he is excepted who subjected all things to him. ²⁸ When all things have been subjected to him, then the Son will also himself be subjected to him who subjected all things to him, that God may be all in all.

⁴² So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown perishable; it is raised imperishable. ⁴³ It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. ⁴⁴ It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵ So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶ However that which is spiritual isn’t first, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual. ⁴⁷ The first man is of the earth, made of dust. The second man is the Lord from heaven. ⁴⁸ As is the one made of dust, such are those who are also made of dust; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. ⁴⁹ As we have borne the image of those made of dust, let’s also bear the image of the heavenly. ⁵⁰ Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood can’t inherit God’s Kingdom; neither does the perishable inherit imperishable. ⁵¹ Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For this perishable body must become imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ But when this perishable body will have become imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” ⁵⁵ “Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?” ⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

¹⁹ and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might ²⁰ which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,

⁴ When Christ, our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory.

² Beloved, now we are children of God. It is not yet revealed what we will be; but we know that when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is.

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

¹³ And among the lamp stands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest. ¹⁴ His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. ¹⁵ His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters. ¹⁶ He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest. ¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last, ¹⁸ and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades. ¹⁹ Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will happen hereafter. ²⁰ The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven assemblies. The seven lamp stands are seven assemblies.

¹¹ I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them. ¹² I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works. ¹⁴ Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵ If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.