2 Corinthians Cross References - WPNT

¹ Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and brother Timothy, to the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia: ² Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ³ All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement, ⁴ who encourages us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in whatever affliction, by means of the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God. ⁵ Because just as the sufferings of the Christ flow over into us, so also our encouragement overflows, through Christ. ⁶ Now then, if we are afflicted, it is for the sake of your encouragement and deliverance, that are effective for enduring the same sufferings that we also are suffering ⁷ (yes, our hope concerning you is steadfast); if we are encouraged, it also is for the sake of your encouragement and deliverance, since we know that you will share in the encouragement just as you do in the sufferings. ⁸ And so, brothers, we don’t want you to be in ignorance concerning the affliction that came upon us in Asia: we were under extreme pressure, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life. ⁹ Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, so that we not place confidence in ourselves, but in the God who raises the dead; ¹⁰ He did deliver us from that deadly peril, and still delivers; in whom we trust that He will keep on delivering, ¹¹ you also adding your cooperation in prayer, on our behalf; that thanks may be given by many persons for the gift bestowed on us by means of many, on your behalf. ¹² Now this is our boast: the testimony of our conscience that we have conducted ourselves in the world with openness and godly sincerity, not by fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and especially toward you. ¹³ For we do not write you any other things than what you can read and understand; and I do hope that you will keep on understanding to the end ¹⁴ (as indeed some of you have acknowledged) that we are your boast, just as you are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁵ It was in this confidence that I was planning to come by you first, ¹⁶ and by you to proceed into Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia (that you might benefit twice), and then to be sent by you on my way to Judea. ¹⁷ Now then, when I was deciding this, I wasn’t acting frivolously, was I? Or the things I decide, do I decide according to the flesh, so that with me there would be both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”? ¹⁸ As God is faithful, our word to you was not “Yes” and “No”, ¹⁹ because the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy —was not “Yes” and “No”. In fact, with Him it has always been “Yes”, ²⁰ because all the promises of God in Him are with the “Yes”; indeed, in Him they are with the “Amen”, that there be glory to God through us. ²¹ Now He who establishes us together with you into Christ, and who anointed us, is God, ²² who also sealed us and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts. ²³ For my part, I call on God as witness, upon my soul, that it was to spare you that I have not yet returned to Corinth. ²⁴ (Not that we have control over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for it is by faith that you stand firm.)

¹⁷ And wow, a Voice from the heavens saying, “This is my Son, the beloved, in whom I am always well pleased!”

¹¹ “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and speak all kinds of evil against you, lying, because of Me. ¹² Rejoice and exult, because your reward in the heavens is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

³⁷ But let your word be ‘yes yes’, ‘no no’; for whatever is more than these is from the malignant one. [!!]

¹³ And do not bring us into testing, but rescue us from the evil one; because Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’

¹⁶ So in answer Simon Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!” ¹⁷ And in answer Jesus said to him: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in the heavens.

⁵ While he was still speaking a brilliant cloud overshadowed them and, double wow, a Voice came out of the cloud saying: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am always well pleased. Hear Him!”

⁸ “But you (pl.), do not be called ‘Rabbi’; because your Teacher is one, the Christ, and you are all brothers. ⁹ And do not call anyone on earth your ‘father’; because your Father is one, He who is in the heavens. ¹⁰ Neither be called leaders/guides; because your Leader is one, the Christ.

³⁵ The heaven and the earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

⁴⁹ and should begin to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards,

⁶³ But Jesus kept silent. So reacting the high priest said to Him, “I put you under oath by the Living God so that you tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God!” ⁶⁴ Jesus says to him: “You said it. Furthermore, I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of the Man sitting at the Power’s right, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

⁴⁰ and saying: “You who destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself!” “If you are ‘Son of God’, come down from the cross!”

⁵⁴ Now when the centurion and those with him guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that happened they were scared stiff and said, “This Man really was the Son of God!”

¹ A beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Son of God!

³⁵ In answer the angel said to her: “Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will hover over you; precisely for this reason the holy One who is to be born will be called ‘Son of God’!

⁶⁸ “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, because He has visited and provided redemption for His people; ⁶⁹ and has raised up a horn of deliverance for us in the house of His servant David ⁷⁰ — just as He spoke through the mouth of His holy prophets from antiquity— ⁷¹ deliverance from our enemies and out of the hand of all who hate us; ⁷² to use mercy with our fathers, even to remember His Holy covenant, ⁷³ the oath that He swore to our father Abraham; ⁷⁴ to grant to us (having been rescued from the hand of our enemies) to serve Him without fear,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward mankind!”

²⁵ Well now, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, expectantly waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and Holy Spirit was upon him.

⁹ Then He told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised the rest:

²⁸ However, you are those who have continued with me in my trials. ²⁹ And I bestow on you a kingdom, just as my Father bestowed one on me, ³⁰ so that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom; also you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel!”

¹⁷ Because the Law was given through Moses; the grace and the truth came through Jesus Christ.

³⁴ So I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

⁴⁹ In answer Nathanael says to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

⁵ Jesus answered: “Most assuredly I say to you, unless someone is begotten by water and Spirit he is not able to enter the kingdom of God.

¹⁶ Because God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes into Him should not be wasted but should have eternal life.

³⁴ For He whom God sent speaks God’s words, because God does not give the Spirit by measure. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. ³⁶ The one believing into the Son has eternal life, but the one disobeying the Son will not see the life, but the wrath of God will remain upon him.”

²² In fact the Father does not judge anyone but has committed all the judging to the Son, ²³ so that all will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

²⁷ Do not work for the food that wastes away but for the food that endures into life eternal, which the Son of Man will give you; because on Him God the Father has set His seal.”

⁶⁹ Further, we have come to believe and to know that you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!”

²⁸ So Jesus called out in the temple, teaching and saying: “You do know me, and you know where I am from. Yet I have not come on my own, but the One who sent me is true, whom you do not know.

¹⁵ You are judging according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone.

²⁶ I have many things to say and to judge about you, but He who sent me is true, and what I myself have heard from Him—these things I say to the world.”

⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM!”

³⁰ I and the Father are one.”

⁶ Jesus says to him: “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one goes to the Father except through me.

¹⁶ Also, I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper, so that He may stay with you throughout the age

¹⁸ I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you [shortly].

²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and remind you of everything I said to you.

⁷ The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to our law he ought to die, because he made himself ‘Son of God’!”

¹⁷ Jesus says to her: “Stop clinging to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father—my God and your God.’”

²⁸ Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

³¹ but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life through His Name.

²⁵ You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘Yes, in your seed all the families of the earth will be blessed’. ²⁶ God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to you first, to bless you by turning each of you away from your iniquities.”

³⁶ Now as they were going down the road they came upon some water, and the eunuch said: “Look, water! What is keeping me from being baptized?”

⁴ and falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

²⁰ Immediately he started proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

³⁸ Jesus of Natsareth, how God anointed Him with Holy Spirit and power, who went about doing good and healing all those being oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him

⁵ Well Peter was being held in the prison all right, but the congregation was making earnest prayer to God on his behalf.

³² “Yes we proclaim to you the good news: the promise that was made to the fathers, ³³ God has fulfilled the same to us, their children, when He raised up Jesus; as also it stands written in the second Psalm: ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you’. ³⁴ And that He raised Him from the dead, no longer to return to corruption, He has spoken thus, ‘I will give you the holy things guaranteed to David’. ³⁵ Further, it is stated elsewhere, ‘You will not allow your Holy One to see decay’. ³⁶ Now David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw decay; ³⁷ but the One whom God raised up did not see decay. ³⁸ Therefore, let it be known to you, men, brothers, that through this One forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you; ³⁹ and by Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the Law of Moses.

²² Then it pleased the apostles and the elders, with the whole congregation, to send chosen men from among them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas (the one called Barsabas) and Silas, leading men among the brothers.

¹ So he came to Derbe and Lystra. Well now, a certain disciple was there named Timothy, son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was a Greek;

¹ Now after these things Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. ² And encountering a certain Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to depart from Rome), he joined them; ³ and because he practiced the same trade, he stayed on with them and worked (their trade was tentmaker). ⁴ Every Sabbath in the synagogue he would reason with both Jews and Greeks, trying to persuade them. ⁵ But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was constrained by the Spirit, solemnly insisting to the Jews: Jesus is the Christ.

⁵ But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was constrained by the Spirit, solemnly insisting to the Jews: Jesus is the Christ. ⁶ But since they kept contradicting and blaspheming, he shook his clothes and said to them: “Your blood be upon your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” ⁷ So he moved from there into the house of a man named Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. ⁸ Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household; and as they were hearing, many of the Corinthians were believing and being baptized. ⁹ Now the Lord said to Paul by a vision at night: “Do not be afraid; rather speak and do not keep silent, ¹⁰ because I am with you and no one will attack you to harm you, because I have many people in this city.” ¹¹ So he stayed on for a year and six months, teaching the Word of God among them. ¹² Now while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat,

²¹ Now after these things were accomplished, Paul resolved in his spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome”. ²² So he sent two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, on to Macedonia, while he himself stayed on in Asia for a time. ²³ Now it was during that time that a serious disturbance concerning the Way occurred. ²⁴ A certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, habitually brought in plenty of business for the artisans; ²⁵ he called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: “Men, you know that our prosperity depends on this trade. ²⁶ And you observe and hear that not only in Ephesus but throughout almost all Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that hand-made things are not gods. ²⁷ So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be discredited, and even her own majesty be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.” ²⁸ Now upon hearing this they were filled with anger and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹ So the whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed into the theater with one accord (they had seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s traveling companions). ³⁰ When Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not let him. ³¹ Even some of the officials of Asia, being his friends, sent word to him and urged him not to venture into the theater. ³² The assembly was in confusion: some were shouting one thing and some another; most of them did not know why they had come together. ³³ Then the Jews pushed Alexander forward, out from the crowd. So Alexander motioned with his hand and would have made a defense to the people. ³⁴ But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ³⁵ When the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said: “Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Artemis and of what fell from Zeus?

⁵ But when our time was up, as we left to go on our way, they all, including women and children, accompanied us out of the city, and kneeling down on the beach, we prayed.

¹ Then Paul, looking intently at the council, said, “Men, brothers, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day”.

¹⁶ And this is why I apply myself to always have a clear conscience before both God and men.

²¹ That is why the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.

¹ Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, having been set apart to the Gospel of God, ² which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures: ³ concerning His Son, who became a physical descendant of David,

³ concerning His Son, who became a physical descendant of David, ⁴ who was established to be God’s powerful Son (according to His spirit of holiness) by resurrection from the dead —Jesus Christ our Lord—

⁴ who was established to be God’s powerful Son (according to His spirit of holiness) by resurrection from the dead —Jesus Christ our Lord— ⁵ through whom we have received grace and apostleship to promote obedience of faith among all ethnic nations concerning His name

⁷ to all the called saints who are in Rome, beloved of God: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁹ Further, the God whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of His Son is my witness, how without ceasing I always remember you in my prayers,

¹¹ For I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established ¹² —that is, that I may be encouraged among you by our mutual faith, both yours and mine.

¹¹ And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness from his faith while still uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all those who believe while uncircumcised, in order that this righteousness may be credited to them also,

¹⁷ just as it is written: “I have made you a father of many ethnic nations” —in the presence of Him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead and calls the non-existent things as though they did exist. ¹⁸ Contrary to hope, Abraham in hope believed, so as to become a father of many ethnic nations, according to what had been spoken: “So shall your seed be.” ¹⁹ And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (being about a hundred years old), or the deadness of Sarah’s womb. ²⁰ He did not waver at God’s promise in unbelief; rather, he was strengthened by the faith, giving glory to God, ²¹ being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform ²² —that is why it was credited to him as righteousness. ²³ Now it was not only for his sake that it was written that it was credited to him, ²⁴ but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, we who believe on Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, ²⁵ who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.

² through whom also we have had the access, by the Faith, into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we should also rejoice in the sufferings, knowing that the suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ and the perseverance, proven character; and the proven character, hope; ⁵ and the hope does not humiliate, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

²³ Because the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

⁹ You, however, are not ‘in flesh’ but ‘in Spirit’, if indeed God’s Spirit dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

¹⁴ Because as many as are led by God’s Spirit, these are God’s sons ¹⁵ —you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fear all over again, but you did receive the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children ¹⁷ —if children, also heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him). ¹⁸ I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is going to be revealed in us.

²³ Not only that, we ourselves also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we groan within ourselves, eagerly awaiting adoption, the redemption of our body.

²⁸ Further, we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to purpose.

¹ I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience is testifying with me in the Holy Spirit—

²⁰ Granted. Because of unbelief they were broken off, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but fear!

²⁵ Brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant of this ‘mystery’ (so that you not be conceited): hardening has come upon Israel in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.

³⁶ Because from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.

⁵ Now may the God of that fortitude and that encouragement grant you to be of the same mind among yourselves according to Christ Jesus, ⁶ so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one heart and voice. ⁷ Therefore accept one another, just as the Christ also accepted us, to the glory of God. ⁸ Now I say that Christ Jesus has become a minister to the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, in order to confirm the promises to the fathers; ⁹ and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: “For this reason I will give praise to you among the Gentiles, O LORD, and will sing psalms to your name.”

²⁶ Because Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.

²⁹ And I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of the Christ. ³⁰ Now I implore you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in prayers to God on my behalf, ³¹ that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service to Jerusalem may be well received by the saints;

³¹ that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service to Jerusalem may be well received by the saints; ³² so that I may come to you with joy by the will of God and be refreshed together with you.

⁵ And greet the congregation that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the first convert to Christ from Achaia.

¹⁸ Because such people do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. ¹⁹ I rejoice over you because your obedience has become known to all, but I want you to be wise as to what is good, yet innocent as to what is evil.

²¹ Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, as do Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, my countrymen.

²⁵ - - -

¹ Paul, a called apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and brother Sosthenes, ² to the church of God in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, along with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—ours, theirs and yours: ³ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁸ who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ God is faithful, by whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

⁴ Yes, my message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ so that your faith not be in men’s wisdom, but in God’s power.

¹³ which things we also expound, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Holy Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to spiritual people.

⁵ Who then is Paul, who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord has given to each one?

²¹ So then, let no one boast in men, for all things are yours: ²² whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, whether the world or life or death, whether things present or things to come—all are yours, ²³ and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

⁴ For I am conscious of nothing against myself, although I am not justified by this; it is the Lord who judges me.

⁸ You are already stuffed! You are already rich! You have become ‘kings’ without us! I could wish that you really did reign, so that we might be kings with you too!

¹⁰ We are fools for Christ while you are wise! We are weak but you are strong! You are esteemed, we are despised! ¹¹ To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty; we are poorly dressed, brutally treated, and wander homeless; ¹² yes, we labor, working with our own hands. Upon being reviled, we bless; upon being persecuted, we endure it; ¹³ upon being slandered, we exhort. We have been made as the refuse of the world, the off-scouring of whatever, to this moment.

¹⁹ But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who have been puffed up, but the power.

²¹ What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a gentle spirit?

⁵ we must hand such a one over to Satan for a destruction of the ‘flesh’, that the spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus.

⁸ So then let us observe the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened loaves of sincerity and truth.

¹¹ And that is what some of you were; but you were bathed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

¹³ No testing has overtaken you except what is common to man, and God is competent, who will not allow you to be tested beyond what you can stand, but with the testing will also provide the way out, that you may be able to endure it.

³² Give no offense, either to Jews or to Greeks or to the Church of God

¹⁸ Because, to begin, I hear that when you come together in an assembly there are divisions among you, and I partly believe it.

³⁴ But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together into judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.

¹⁶ Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the outsider say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he doesn’t know what you are saying?

¹ Now, brothers, I want to add information to the Gospel that I proclaimed to you, that you also received, and in which you stand;

¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me has not been in vain; in fact, I have worked harder than all of them—well, not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

³¹ I die every day —so I affirm by the boasting about you that I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. ³² If I fought human ‘animals’ in Ephesus, what did I gain? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

⁵ Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia (for I am coming through Macedonia). ⁶ And perhaps I will stay with you awhile, or even winter, that you may send me on my way, wherever I go. ⁷ I do not wish to see you now just in passing, since I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.

⁹ because a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. ¹⁰ Now if Timothy should come, see to it that he may be with you without fear, because he does the Lord’s work just as I do.

¹⁵ Now brothers, you know that the household of Stephanas is the firstfruits of Achaia and that they have really devoted themselves to ministering to the saints,

⁴ who encourages us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in whatever affliction, by means of the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God. ⁵ Because just as the sufferings of the Christ flow over into us, so also our encouragement overflows, through Christ. ⁶ Now then, if we are afflicted, it is for the sake of your encouragement and deliverance, that are effective for enduring the same sufferings that we also are suffering

¹² Now this is our boast: the testimony of our conscience that we have conducted ourselves in the world with openness and godly sincerity, not by fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and especially toward you.

¹⁴ (as indeed some of you have acknowledged) that we are your boast, just as you are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.

¹⁷ Now then, when I was deciding this, I wasn’t acting frivolously, was I? Or the things I decide, do I decide according to the flesh, so that with me there would be both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”? ¹⁸ As God is faithful, our word to you was not “Yes” and “No”,

¹⁸ As God is faithful, our word to you was not “Yes” and “No”, ¹⁹ because the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy —was not “Yes” and “No”. In fact, with Him it has always been “Yes”, ²⁰ because all the promises of God in Him are with the “Yes”; indeed, in Him they are with the “Amen”, that there be glory to God through us.

²³ For my part, I call on God as witness, upon my soul, that it was to spare you that I have not yet returned to Corinth.

¹ Actually, I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. ² For if I make you sorrowful, then who will make me glad, besides the one whom I made sorrowful? ³ And I wrote this very thing to you so as not to have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice, when I come, having confidence in you all that my joy is also yours.

⁵ So, if anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has all of you, to some extent—not to be too ‘heavy’.

¹⁷ However, we are not like the rest who retail the word of God; rather, we speak in Christ, out of sincerity, as of God in His very presence.

⁵ not that we are competent of ourselves to reckon anything as being from ourselves, but our competence is from God —

² Rather, we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in deception nor falsifying the Word of God, but by the open proclamation of the Truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience, in the sight of God.

⁵ Now we do not proclaim ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake; ⁶ because the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness is He who shined in our hearts to give the light that comes from the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ⁷ Further, we have this treasure in jars of clay, so that this all-surpassing power may be of God and not from ourselves

⁷ Further, we have this treasure in jars of clay, so that this all-surpassing power may be of God and not from ourselves ⁸ —we are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, yet not abandoned; knocked down, but not out; ¹⁰ always carrying about in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, so that also the life of Jesus may be manifested in our body.

¹⁰ always carrying about in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, so that also the life of Jesus may be manifested in our body. ¹¹ For we, the living, are always being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that also the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

¹¹ For we, the living, are always being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that also the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life in you. ¹³ Now since we have the same spirit of faith, just like it is written, “I believed; therefore I spoke”, we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us through Jesus and present us together with you. ¹⁵ So all this is for your benefit, so that the grace that has spread through the many may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

¹⁵ So all this is for your benefit, so that the grace that has spread through the many may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. ¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart—even though our outer man is wasting away, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day— ¹⁷ because our light, momentary affliction is working out for us an eternal and limitless measure of glory, ¹⁸ as we do not focus on the seen, but on the not seen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.

⁵ Now it is God who has prepared us for this very purpose, who also has given us the down payment of the Spirit.

⁷ —we walk by faith, not by sight—

¹¹ Therefore, since we know the Lord’s intimidation, we try to convince people. We are well known to God, and I hope in your consciences as well. ¹² We are not commending ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity of boasting on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.

¹ So working together we really urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain,

⁶ But the God who encourages the lowly encouraged us by the coming of Titus; ⁷ and not only by his coming, but also by how much he was encouraged over you as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal in my stead, so that I rejoiced even more.

⁹ Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry as God intended, so as not to be harmed by us in any way.

¹³ We have been encouraged by all this. Because of your encouragement, we rejoiced all the more over the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.

⁸ I am not giving a command, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others.

² for I know your readiness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia has been ready since last year, and your zeal has stirred up the majority.

¹¹ as you are being enriched in everything so as to always be generous, which passing through us produces thanksgiving to God. ¹² Because the administration of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God

¹⁴ and in their prayer for you, longing for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.

² Yes, I beg you, that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence that I will ‘dare’ to visit upon some who think that we are walking in a fleshly manner.

² Yes, I beg you, that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence that I will ‘dare’ to visit upon some who think that we are walking in a fleshly manner.

² Yes, I beg you, that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence that I will ‘dare’ to visit upon some who think that we are walking in a fleshly manner. ³ Well, we do walk about in flesh, but we do not wage war that way,

³ Well, we do walk about in flesh, but we do not wage war that way, ⁴ because the weapons of our warfare are not physical, but are powerful in God for demolishing strongholds:

⁶ being ready to punish every act of disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. ⁷ Do you only look at the ‘face’ of things? If anyone has persuaded himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again with himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also we are Christ’s. ⁸ Now even if I boast a little to excess about our authority (which the Lord gave us for building up, not to tear you down), I will not act ashamed, ⁹ so as not to appear to agree that it is only with letters that I ‘terrify’ you. ¹⁰ Because some say, “His letters are ‘heavy’ and forceful, but his physical presence is weak, and his speech can be disdained.” ¹¹ Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters while absent is just what we will be in action when present.

³ But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve with his cunning, so your minds may be corrupted from the integrity that is in Christ.

¹⁰ The truth of Christ is in me: this boasting will not be silenced in me in the regions of Achaia. ¹¹ Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows!

²³ Are they ministers of Christ? (I’m being irrational) I am more: in labors more abundantly, in beatings beyond count, in prison more frequently, in ‘deaths’ often — ²⁴ five times from the Jews I received the ‘forty lashes minus one’; ²⁵ three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked (I spent twenty-four hours in the open sea)— ²⁶ in frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, in danger from robbers, in danger from my countrymen, in danger from Gentiles, in danger in cities, in danger in wildernesses, in danger in the sea, in danger among false brothers; ²⁷ in toil and hardship, in many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, in frequent fastings, in cold and nakedness — ²⁸ quite apart from the other things, my daily disturbances, my concern for all the congregations. ²⁹ Who is weak, and I do not feel it? Who is caused to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation ? ³⁰ Well, if I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness. ³¹ The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.

⁷ Because of the incredible importance of the revelations, to keep me from feeling too important, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to beat on me—to keep me from feeling too important. ⁸ Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹ But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more cheerfully about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may take up residence upon me. ¹⁰ So then, I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

¹⁵ So I will gladly spend and be spent for the sake of your souls, even if the more I love you the less I am loved.

¹⁵ So I will gladly spend and be spent for the sake of your souls, even if the more I love you the less I am loved. ¹⁶ ‘Ok, ok, I didn’t burden you, but being crafty I took you by deception.’ ¹⁷ Come now, did I actually take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? ¹⁸ I urged Titus and sent the brother along—did Titus take any advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit, in the same footprints? ¹⁹ Do you still think that we are defending ourselves to you? It is before God we speak, in Christ; but all of it, dear ones, is with a view to your edification. ²⁰ Yes, I am afraid that when I come I may not find you such as I wish, and you not find me such as you wish—may there be no strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, factions, slanders, gossipings, conceits, disorders—

² As I already said while with you the second time I now repeat in writing while absent, to those who sinned before and to all the rest: If I come again I will not spare,

⁶ Well I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.

¹⁰ This is why I write these things while absent, so that when present I may not have to deal harshly, according to the authority that the Lord gave me, for building up and not for tearing down.

¹ Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through a man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead —

¹⁶ to reveal His Son in me so that I might proclaim Him among the nations/Gentiles, I did not start by consulting with flesh and blood,

²⁰ Really, before God, I am not lying in what I write to you.)

² I went on the basis of a revelation and set before them [the main apostles] the Gospel that I proclaim among the nations/Gentiles.—Now I did this privately to those with influence, lest somehow I might run, or had run, in vain.

¹⁶ But to Abraham were spoken the promises, and to his Seed. He doesn’t say “and to seeds”, as about many, but “and to your seed”, as about one, who is Christ. ¹⁷ Further, I say this: a covenant confirmed beforehand by God in Christ cannot be annulled by the law that came four hundred and thirty years later, so as to make the promise of no effect. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance were of the law, it would no longer be of promise, but God granted it to Abraham by promise.

²² But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

⁴ Let each one test his own work, and then do his ‘boasting’ only within himself, never to someone else.

¹⁶ Now as for those who conform to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

¹ Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, that is, the faithful in Christ Jesus:

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ;

⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He graced us in the Beloved;

¹² so that we should be to the praise of His glory, we who first trusted in the Christ; ¹³ about whom, to be sure, we had heard the true Word —the Gospel of your salvation; by whom, since you also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is the down payment on our inheritance until the release of the possession, to the praise of His glory.

¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the real knowledge of Himself,

⁷ in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, through His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

⁸ To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ⁹ and to enlighten all as to the program of the secret that from the beginning of the ages has been hidden by the God who created all things through Jesus Christ; ¹⁰ to the intent that now, through the Church, the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms,

¹³ Therefore I ask that you not lose heart at my afflictions on your behalf, which is your glory.

³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

¹⁴ So stand firm, having belted your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

¹⁴ So stand firm, having belted your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the readiness of the Gospel of the peace; ¹⁶ above all, having taken up the shield of the faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the malignant one;

¹⁸ praying at all times in the Spirit, using every prayer and petition, yes being watchful to this end with all perseverance and petition for all the saints ¹⁹ —on my behalf too, that when I open my mouth utterance may be given to me with boldness, to make known the mystery of the Gospel,

²³ Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

¹ Paul and Timothy, slaves of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: ² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁶ being certain of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

⁶ being certain of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; ⁷ just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel you all are partakers with me of grace. ⁸ God is my witness how I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.

¹⁰ for you to identify the things that really matter; that you may be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ,

¹⁴ also, most of the brothers in the Lord have been influenced by my chains to be much bolder, to speak the Word fearlessly.

¹⁹ You see, I know that this will turn out for my deliverance (through your supplication and the support of the Spirit of Jesus Christ) ²⁰ according to my earnest expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in anything but be truly bold, so that now as always Christ will be glorified in my person, whether by life or by death

²⁵ So having been persuaded of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶ so that your rejoicing over me may be more abundant in Christ Jesus, through my coming to you again.

²⁶ so that your rejoicing over me may be more abundant in Christ Jesus, through my coming to you again.

¹ Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship from the Spirit, if any tenderness and acts of compassion,

¹¹ and every tongue will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the father.

¹⁶ holding fast the Word of Life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I did not run in vain nor labor for nothing.

¹⁹ Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be encouraged when I know how you are doing. ²⁰ For I have no one else like-minded, who will be genuinely concerned about your welfare ²¹ (for all seek their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus). ²² But you know the proof of him, that as a son with his father he slaved with me for the Gospel.

¹⁰ so that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death,

¹ So then, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, do stand fast in the Lord in this way, dear ones.

¹ Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and brother Timothy, ² to the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

² to the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

²⁴ Now I rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf and supplement in my flesh the things lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the Church,

²⁷ to whom God resolved to make known who is the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the nations, namely Christ in you, the hope of glory;

⁷ having been rooted and being built up in Him and being established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

³ at the same time praying for us, that God may open to us a door for the Word, to speak the mystery of Christ (for which I am also in chains),

¹ Paul, Silvanus and Timothy, to the congregation of Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ continually remembering before our God and Father your work for the Faith and your labor coming from the Love and your perseverance based on the Hope, our Lord Jesus Christ being their source, ⁴ knowing as we do, brothers loved by God, that you are chosen.

⁷ so that you became examples to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. ⁸ That’s because the Word of the Lord sounded out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia but also in every place—your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we do not need to say anything.

⁵ Further, you well know that we never used words to flatter, or to disguise greed (God is witness),

¹⁰ You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe;

¹⁸ (We actually tried to come to you—I, Paul, time and again—but Satan thwarted us.) ¹⁹ For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Is it not precisely you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? ²⁰ Indeed, you are our glory and our joy.

¹³ so as to establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His holy ones.

¹⁸ So then, comfort one another with these words.

¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, as in fact you do.

²³ Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

²⁵ Brothers, pray for us.

¹ Paul, Silvanus and Timothy, to the congregation of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: ² Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴ so that we ourselves boast about you among God’s congregations, referring to your steadfastness and faith in the midst of all your persecutions, and the tribulations that you are enduring ⁵ —the above is evidence that God’s judgment is right, to the end that you be considered worthy of the Kingdom of God, on behalf of which you are actually suffering; ⁶ since to God it is right to pay back affliction to those who are afflicting you ⁷ and rest (along with us) to you who are being afflicted, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with His powerful angels in blazing fire,

¹⁰ whenever He comes to be glorified by His saints, yes to be marveled at by all who have believed (because our testimony to you was believed); in that Day.

⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and abolish by the splendor of His coming;

¹⁶ Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope, by grace, ¹⁷ encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good word and work.

¹⁷ encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good word and work.

¹ Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, as also with you,

³ But the Lord is faithful, who will strengthen you and guard you from the wicked one.

¹ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the command of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope,

⁵ Now the goal of that command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith;

¹⁹ holding on to faith and a good conscience (which some having rejected have suffered shipwreck concerning the faith; ²⁰ of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander—whom I have handed over to Satan that they may be taught not to blaspheme).

²⁰ of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander—whom I have handed over to Satan that they may be taught not to blaspheme).

¹⁰ (which is also why we labor and suffer reproach): We have set our hope on the living God, who is ‘Savior of all men’, especially of those who believe.

¹ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

¹⁰ This is why I endure it all: for the sake of the chosen ones, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

¹² if we endure, we will also reign together; if we deny, He will also deny us;

¹⁹ Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands firm, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His” and “Let everyone who claims the name of the Lord keep away from unrighteousness.”

²⁴ Now a slave of the Lord should not quarrel but be gentle towards all, skillful at teaching, forbearing, ²⁵ correcting courteously those who oppose him, in hopes that God may grant them repentance leading to a real knowledge of Truth ²⁶ and that they may retrieve their senses out of the devil’s snare (having been taken captive by him to do his will).

¹⁷ But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the nations might hear. Also, I was delivered out of a lion’s mouth;

¹ Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God’s elect and a real knowledge of the truth that accords with godliness,

⁷ in all things presenting yourself as an example of good works: showing integrity, dignity and incorruptibility in your teaching

³ Grace to you (pl) and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁶ so that the sharing of your (sg) faith may become powerful through a full understanding of every good thing that is among you (pl) who are in Christ Jesus;

²² But meanwhile, do prepare a guest room for me, because I hope that through your (pl) prayers I will be graciously bestowed on you (pl).

¹¹ they will perish but You continue on—they will all grow old like a garment;

¹² so that you not become lazy, but rather imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. ¹³ Now when God made a promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself ¹⁴ saying, “Indeed, blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” ¹⁵ And so, after he had been patient, he obtained the promise. ¹⁶ Because since men swear by the greater, and for them the confirming oath puts an end to every dispute, ¹⁷ similarly God, being determined to show even more clearly to the heirs of the promise the unchanging nature of His purpose, guaranteed it by an oath, ¹⁸ so that by two unalterable things in which it is impossible for God to lie we should have a strong encouragement, we who have taken refuge by grasping the hope set before us; ¹⁹ which hope we have as an anchor for the soul, both certain and secure, actually entering the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,

⁶ but he whose descent is not counted among them collected a tithe from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

¹⁰ they were only about foods and drinks and various ceremonial washings and physical regulations, things imposed until the time of restructuring. ¹¹ But Christ entered once for all into the real Holy Places, having obtained eternal redemption—He had come as High Priest of the good things that are about to be, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, ¹² and with His own blood, not that of goats and calves. ¹³ For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who had been ceremonially defiled, restored ceremonial purity to the body, ¹⁴ how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the Holy Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? ¹⁵ For this reason He is mediator of a new covenant, so that those who have been called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant.

¹³ These all died believing—not having received the promises, but having seen and welcomed them from a distance, thus confessing that they were aliens and sojourners on the earth.

¹⁹ calculating that God was indeed able to raise him from the dead; from whence in fact he did receive him, figuratively speaking.

³⁹ Now all these did not receive the promise, though having been approved through faith, ⁴⁰ God having planned something better for us, so that they should not be perfected without us.

¹⁰ Now they indeed disciplined us during a short period as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, so that we may partake of His holiness. ¹¹ Now no discipline seems to be pleasant at the time, but painful; yet afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised by it. ¹² Therefore strengthen the listless hands and weakened knees,

⁸ Jesus Christ is Himself, yesterday and today and into the ages.

¹⁸ Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, desiring to live commendably in all things;

²³ Know that brother Timothy has been released, with whom I will see you, if he comes quickly.

² Count it all joy, my brothers, whenever you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance; ⁴ but let that endurance have a complete work, so that you may be perfect and complete, falling short in nothing.

¹² A man who endures testing is blessed, because upon becoming approved he will receive the crown of the life that the Lord has promised to those loving Him.

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him exhibit his works in the meekness of wisdom, by his good way of life. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not boast and lie against the truth— ¹⁵ such ‘wisdom’ is not coming down from Above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ¹⁶ Because where envy and selfish ambition exist, there is unruliness and every foul practice. ¹⁷ In contrast, the wisdom from Above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ Now the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those making peace.

⁶ But He gives greater grace; therefore He says: “God resists proud ones, but gives grace to humble ones.”

¹² But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or any other oath. Let your “Yes” be “Yes”, and your “No”, “No”, lest you fall into pretense.

¹⁶ Confess your transgressions to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous one, being operative, is very powerful. ¹⁷ Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain; and it didn’t rain on the land for three years and six months. ¹⁸ And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth produced its fruit.

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has given us another birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from among the dead,

¹² It was revealed to them that they were not ministering these things to themselves, but to you; which things have now been announced to you by those who proclaimed the gospel to you, with the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things that angels really desire to look into.

¹⁶ keeping a good conscience, so that wherein they speak against you as evildoers, those who revile your good way of life in Christ may be put to shame.

²¹ This is an antitype of baptism, that now saves us also (not the removal of physical filth, but the appeal into God from a good conscience) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

³ neither as lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

⁸ Be sober, stay alert! Because your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is circling you, looking for someone to devour; ⁹ withstand him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. ¹⁰ Now may the God of all grace, who called you into His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, Himself perfect, establish, strengthen and ground you—after you have suffered a while.

¹⁷ —because He received from God the Father honor and glory when that voice was directed to Him by the Magnificent Glory, “This is my Son, the beloved, in whom I am always well pleased”—

⁹ —then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,

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

²⁰ You have an Anointing from the Holy One and understand all.

²⁴ So you, let what you have heard from the beginning abide in you; if what you have heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Father and in the Son. ²⁵ This is the promise that He Himself promised us—the eternal life.

²⁷ but really, you don’t need anyone to teach you because the Anointing that you received from Him abides in you; further, as the same Anointing teaches you concerning all things, and it is true and no lie—well just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

¹⁹ —yes, by this we know that we are of the Truth and may put our hearts at ease in His presence, ²⁰ and that, if our heart should condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knows all. ²¹ Dear ones, if our heart doesn’t condemn us, we have confidence toward God, ²² and whatever we may ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

⁹ If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for this is God’s testimony which He has testified concerning His Son. ¹⁰ He who believes into the Son of God has the witness within himself; he who doesn’t believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has testified concerning His Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

¹¹ And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. ¹³ I have written these things to you who believe into the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life, really believing into the name of God’s Son.

²⁰ We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the genuine God, and the Life eternal.

⁴ It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we received commandment from the Father.

⁹ Anyone who turns aside and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; but whoever continues in Christ’s teaching does have both the Father and the Son.

⁶ —indeed, He made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “He who is and who was and who is coming, The Almighty.”

¹¹ saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

¹⁷ And when I saw Him I fell at His feet as if dead. And He placed His right hand upon me saying, “Do not fear. I am the First and the Last,

¹⁷ ‘He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To the one who overcomes I will grant to eat from the hidden manna. And I will give him a white pebble, and on the pebble a new name written, which no one knows except the receiver.’ ¹⁸ “And to the messenger of the church in Thyatira write: These things says the Son of God, He who has the eyes like a flame of fire and the feet like fine brass:

⁷ “And to the messenger of the church in Philadelphia write: These things says the Holy, the True, He who has the key of David, who opens and no one can shut it, except He who opens, and no one can open:

¹⁴ “And to the messenger of the church in Laodicea write: These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the Originator of God’s creation:

¹⁸ I counsel you to buy gold from me, refined by fire, so that you may become rich; and white garments, so that you may be clothed, and your nakedness not be shamefully exposed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see.

³ saying: “Do not harm the earth nor the sea nor the trees, until we have sealed the slaves of our God on their foreheads.”

¹² saying: “Amen! The blessing and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength to our God for ever and ever! Amen.”

⁴ And they were told not to harm the grass of the earth, nor any green plant, nor any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.