Ephesians 5 Cross References - Williams

¹ So you must keep on following God's example, as dearly loved children of His, ² and practice living in love, just as Christ loved you too and gave Himself for you as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. ³ But sexual vice and any form of immorality or sensual greed must not so much as be mentioned among you, as that is the only course becoming in God's people; ⁴ there must be no indecency, silly talk or suggestive jesting, for they are unbecoming. There should be thanksgiving instead. ⁵ For you may be absolutely sure that no one who is sexually impure, immoral or greedy for gain (for that is idolatry) can have a part in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Stop letting anyone deceive you with groundless arguments about these things, for it is because of these very sins that God's anger comes down upon the disobedient. ⁷ So you must stop having anything to do with them. ⁸ For at one time you were darkness itself, but now in union with the Lord you are light itself. You must live like children of light, ⁹ for the product of light consists in practicing everything that is good and right and true; ¹⁰ you must approve what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ Stop having anything to do with the profitless doings of darkness; instead you must continue to expose them. ¹² For it is disgraceful even to mention the vices practiced in secret by them; ¹³ and yet anything that is exposed by the light is made clear to them, for anything that is made clear is light. ¹⁴ So it is said: "Wake up, sleeper; get up from the dead, and Christ will make day dawn on you." ¹⁵ So you must be very careful how you live, not thoughtlessly but thoughtfully, ¹⁶ and continue to make the most of your opportunities, for the times are evil. ¹⁷ So stop becoming senseless, but understand what the Lord's will is. ¹⁸ Stop getting drunk on wine, for that means profligacy, but ever be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ and always be speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Keep on praying and praising the Lord with all your heart; ²⁰ continue giving thanks for everything to God our Father; ²¹ keep on living in subordination to one another out of reverence to Christ. ²² You married women must continue to live in subordination to your husbands, as you do to the Lord, ²³ for a husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the Head of the church, His body, and Saviour of it. ²⁴ Just as the church is subject to Christ, so the married women in everything must be subject to their husbands. ²⁵ You married men must love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, ²⁶ to consecrate her, after cleansing her through His word, as pictured in the water bath, ²⁷ that He might present the church to Himself as a splendid bride without a blot or wrinkle or anything like it, but to be consecrated and faultless. ²⁸ This is the way married men ought to love their wives, as they do their own bodies. The married man who loves his wife is really loving himself, ²⁹ for no one ever hates his own physical person, but he feeds and fosters it, just as Christ does the church; ³⁰ because we are parts of His body. ³¹ Therefore, a man must leave his father and mother and so perfectly unite himself to his wife that the two shall be one. ³² This is a great secret; I mean this about Christ and the church. ³³ But each one of you married men must love his wife as he loves himself, and the married woman, too, must respect her husband.

¹⁶ The people that were living in darkness have seen a great light, and on those that were living in the land of the shadow of death; a light has dawned."

⁴⁵ to prove that you are sons of your Father in heaven, for He makes His sun rise on bad as well as good people, and makes the rain come down on doers of right and of wrong alike.

⁴⁸ So you, my followers, ought to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is."

⁴ Then Jesus said to him, "See that you tell nobody, but go, show yourself to the priest, and, to testify to the people, make the offering that Moses prescribed."

¹⁶ "Listen! I am sending you out as sheep surrounded by wolves. So you must be sensible like serpents and guileless like doves.

³⁴ You brood of vipers! How can you, wicked as you are, say anything that is good? For the mouth talks about the things that fill the heart. ³⁵ The good man out of his good inner storehouse, brings out good things, the bad man, out of his bad one, bad things. ³⁶ So I tell you, for every worthless word that men utter they will have to give account on the day of judgment; ³⁷ for it is by your words that you will be acquitted and by your words that you will be condemned."

⁸ "'This people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far, far away from me;

¹⁹ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, immorality, stealing, false witnessing, irreverent speech.

¹⁵ "Again, if your brother wrongs you, go and while alone with him show him the wrong. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.

⁵ and said, 'For this reason a man must leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two of them must be one!'

²⁸ just as the Son of Man has come, not to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom price to set many free."

²⁵ A curse on you, you hypocritical scribes and Pharisees, for you clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of your greed and self-indulgence.

³⁷ "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! The city that has kept on murdering the prophets, and stoning those who have been sent to her, how often I have yearned to gather your children around me, as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you refused!

⁴ Jesus answered, "Look out that no one misleads you about it,

²⁴ for false Christs and false prophets will announce themselves, and they will show great signs and wonders to mislead, if possible, God's chosen people.

⁴⁹ and begins to beat his fellow-slaves, and keeps on eating and drinking with those who get drunk,

² Now five of them were thoughtless and five were thoughtful,

³⁰ After singing a hymn, they left the city, and went up the Mount of Olives.

⁴ and said, "I did wrong in turning an innocent man over to death." But they said, "What is that to us? You must see to that yourself."

²⁴ So Pilate, since he saw that he was making no headway with them, but that a riot was about to break out instead, took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, and said, "I am not responsible for this man's death; you must see to it yourselves."

²¹ for from the inside, that is, from the hearts of men, designs for doing evil come, sexual immorality, stealing, murder, ²² adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, abusiveness, haughtiness, thoughtlessness.

²² adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, abusiveness, haughtiness, thoughtlessness.

⁷ Therefore, a man must leave his father and mother, ⁸ and he and his wife must become one,' so they are no longer two but one.

⁵ Jesus began to say to them: "Look out that no one misleads you about it.

²² For false Christs and false prophets will announce themselves, and they will do signs and wonders to mislead, if possible, even God's chosen people.

¹⁵ For he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must drink no wine nor strong drink, and so he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his birth.

⁷⁸ Because the heart of our God is merciful. And so the day will dawn upon us from on high, ⁷⁹ to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."

¹⁹ But Herod the governor, because he was repeatedly reproved by him for Herodias his brother's wife, and for all the wicked deeds that Herod had done,

³⁵ But you must practice loving your enemies, doing good to them, and lending to them, despairing of nothing; so that your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶ Continue to be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

¹³ So if you, in spite of your being bad, know how to give your children what is good, how much more surely will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who continue to ask Him?"

¹ Meanwhile as the people had gathered in tens of thousands, so that they were trampling upon one another, He began to say, first of all, to His disciples: "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is, hypocrisy. ² There is nothing covered up that will not be uncovered, nor secret that will not be made known;

¹⁵ And then He said to them, "Be ever on the alert and always on your guard against every form of greed, because a man's life does not consist in his possessions, even though they are abundant."

⁴⁵ But if that slave says to himself, my Master is not coming back for a long time, and begins to beat the men and women slaves, and to eat and drink and get drunk,

⁸ And his master praised the dishonest manager, because he acted with shrewd business sense, for the men of the world act with more business sense toward their fellows than the men who enjoy spiritual light.

¹⁴ Now the Pharisees who were lovers of money had been listening to all this, and they began to ridicule Him.

³⁴ But ever be on your guard, so that your hearts may not be loaded down with self-indulgence, drunkenness, and worldly worries, and that day, like a trap, catch you unawares.

¹⁹ Then He took a loaf, gave thanks, and broke it in pieces, and gave it to them, and said, "This is my body which is to be given for you. Do this as a memorial to me." ²⁰ In like manner after supper He took a cup of wine, and said, "This cup of wine is the new covenant to be ratified by my blood, which is to be poured out for you.

²⁵ Then He said to them, "O men sluggish in mind and slow in heart to believe all that the prophets have said!

⁴ It was by Him that life began to exist, and that life was the light of mankind. ⁵ So the light continues to shine in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it.

⁹ The real light, which sheds light upon everyone, was just coming into the world.

¹² But to all who did accept Him, and trust in His name, He gave the right to become the children of God,

⁴⁷ Jesus saw Nathaniel coming toward Him, and said of him, "Here is a genuine Israelite with no deceit in him!"

⁵ Jesus answered, "I most solemnly say to you, no one can ever get into the kingdom of God, unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

¹⁹ And the ground for the sentence is this, that the light has come into the world, and yet, because their actions were evil, men have loved darkness more than the light. ²⁰ For anyone who is in the habit of doing wrong hates the light, and to keep his actions from being reproved, he does not come out into the daylight. ²¹ But whoever is in the habit of living the truth will come out in the daylight, that his actions may be shown to be performed with God's help."

²⁹ It is the bridegroom who has the bride, but the bridegroom's friend, who stands outside and listens to him, is very happy to hear the bridegroom's voice. So this happiness of mine is running over.

²³ But a time is coming -- indeed, it is already here -- when the real worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and reality, for the Father is looking for just such worshipers. ²⁴ God is a spiritual Being, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and reality."

²⁵ I most solemnly say to you, a time is coming -- indeed, it is already here -- when the dead will listen to the voice of the Son of God, and those who listen to it will live. ²⁶ For just as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted to the Son to have life in Himself. ²⁷ He has also granted to Him authority to act as Judge because He is the Son of Man. ²⁸ Stop being surprised at this, for the time is coming when all that are in the graves will listen to His voice, ²⁹ and those who have done good will come out for a resurrection to life, but those who have done evil for a resurrection to condemnation.

²³ Other boats from Tiberias had landed near the place where the people ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

⁵⁰ But here is the bread that comes down out of heaven, so that anyone may eat it and never die. ⁵¹ I am this living bread that has come down out of heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever, and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my own flesh."

⁵¹ I am this living bread that has come down out of heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever, and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my own flesh." ⁵² But the Jews kept on wrangling with one another and saying, "How can He give us His flesh to eat?" ⁵³ Then Jesus said to them, "I most solemnly say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever continues to eat my flesh and drink my blood already possesses eternal life, and I will raise him to life on the last day. ⁵⁵ For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. ⁵⁶ Whoever continues to eat my flesh and drink my blood continues to live in union with me and I in union with him. ⁵⁷ Just as the living Father has sent me and I live because of the Father, so whoever keeps on eating me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that comes down out of heaven; not as your forefathers ate the manna, and yet died. Whoever continues to eat this bread will live forever."

¹⁷ If anyone is willing to keep on doing God's will, he will know whether my teaching comes from God, or merely expresses my own ideas.

¹² Then Jesus again addressed them and said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever continues to follow me need never walk in darkness, but he will enjoy the light that means life."

⁵ While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

⁴³ On saying this, He shouted aloud, "Lazarus, come out!" ⁴⁴ Then out came the dead man, his feet and hands tied with wrappings, and his face tied up with a handkerchief. Jesus said to them, "Untie him and let him go."

³⁵ Jesus said to them, "Only a little while longer you will have the light. Keep on living by it while you have the light, so that darkness may not overtake you, for whoever walks about in the dark does not know where he is going. ³⁶ While you have the light believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." On saying this Jesus went away and hid Himself.

⁴⁶ I have come as light into the world, so that no one who continues to believe in me can remain in darkness.

³⁴ I give you a new command, to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you too must love one another.

¹³ And anything you ask for as bearers of my name I will do for you, so that the Father may be glorified through the Son. ¹⁴ Yes, I repeat it, anything you ask for as bearers of my name I will do it for you.

³ You are already pruned because of the teaching that I have given you.

⁸ By your continuously bearing abundant fruit and in this way proving yourselves to be real disciples of mine, my Father is glorified.

¹² This is my command to you, to keep on loving one another as I have loved you. ¹³ No one can show greater love than this, the giving of his life for his friends.

¹⁶ You have not chosen me; I have chosen you, and appointed you to go and bear fruit, that your fruit may remain too, so that the Father may grant you, as bearers of my name, whatever you ask Him for.

²³ At that time you will ask me no more questions. I most solemnly say to you, the Father will give you, as bearers of my name, whatever you ask Him for. ²⁴ Up to this time you have not asked for anything as bearers of my name, but now you must keep on asking, and you will receive, that your cup of joy may be full to the brim. ²⁵ "I have told you these things in allegories, but a time is coming when I shall not do so any longer, but will plainly tell you about the Father. ²⁶ At that time you will ask, as bearers of my name, and I do not say that I will ask the Father for you,

⁷ Now they have come to know that everything you have given me really comes from you;

¹⁷ Consecrate them by your truth; your message is truth. ¹⁸ Just as you have sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world, too. ¹⁹ And so for their sake I am consecrating myself, that they too may be consecrated by truth.

¹³ But others in derision were saying, "They are running over with new wine." ¹⁴ Then Peter stood with the Eleven around him, and raising his voice he addressed them, "Men of Judea and all you residents of Jerusalem, let me explain this to you, and give close attention to my words. ¹⁵ These men are not drunk as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. ¹⁶ But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ¹⁷ 'It will occur in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all mankind. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will have visions. Your old men will have dreams. ¹⁸ Even on my slaves, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will become prophets.

⁴¹ So they went out from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer disgrace for Jesus' name;

²⁴ for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and faith. So a large number of people were united to the Lord.

²⁸ and one of them named Agabus got up and, through the Holy Spirit, foretold that there was going to be a great famine all over the world, which occurred in the reign of Claudius. ²⁹ So the disciples decided to send a contribution, each in proportion to his prosperity, to help the brothers who lived in Judea.

⁴⁷ For here are the orders that the Lord has given us: 'I have made you a light to the heathen, To be the means of salvation to the very ends of the earth.'"

²⁰ but we should write them to abstain from everything that is contaminated by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from tasting blood.

²⁵ But about midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

³⁰ Though God overlooked those times of ignorance, He now commands all men everywhere to repent,

²⁸ Take care of yourselves and of the whole flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, so as to continue to be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood.

³³ I have never coveted any man's silver or gold or clothes.

¹⁶ And now, why are you waiting? Get up and be baptized and wash your sins away by calling on His name.'

¹⁸ to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan's power to God, so as to have their sins forgiven and have a possession among those that are consecrated by faith in me.'

¹⁸ For God's anger from heaven is being uncovered against all the impiety and wickedness of the men who in their wickedness are suppressing the truth;

²¹ because, although they once knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give Him thanks, but became silly in their senseless speculations, and so their insensible hearts have been shrouded in darkness. ²² Though claiming to be wise, they made fools of themselves, ²³ and have transformed the splendor of the immortal God into images in the form of mortal man, birds, beasts, and reptiles. ²⁴ So God has given them up to sexual impurity, in the evil trend of their heart's desires, so that they degrade their own bodies with one another,

²⁴ So God has given them up to sexual impurity, in the evil trend of their heart's desires, so that they degrade their own bodies with one another, ²⁵ for they had utterly transformed the reality of God into what was unreal, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

²⁵ for they had utterly transformed the reality of God into what was unreal, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. ²⁶ This is why God has given them up to degrading passions. For their females have exchanged their natural function for one that is unnatural,

²⁶ This is why God has given them up to degrading passions. For their females have exchanged their natural function for one that is unnatural, ²⁷ and males too have forsaken the natural function of females and been consumed by flaming passion for one another, males practicing shameful vice with other males, and continuing to suffer in their persons the inevitable penalty for doing what is improper.

²⁷ and males too have forsaken the natural function of females and been consumed by flaming passion for one another, males practicing shameful vice with other males, and continuing to suffer in their persons the inevitable penalty for doing what is improper. ²⁸ And so, as they did not approve of fully recognizing God any longer, God gave them up to minds that He did not approve, to practices that were improper;

²⁸ And so, as they did not approve of fully recognizing God any longer, God gave them up to minds that He did not approve, to practices that were improper; ²⁹ because they overflow with every sort of evil-doing, wickedness, greed, and malice; they are full of envy, murder, quarreling, deceit, ill-will;

²⁹ because they overflow with every sort of evil-doing, wickedness, greed, and malice; they are full of envy, murder, quarreling, deceit, ill-will; ³⁰ they are secret backbiters, open slanderers, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful; inventors of new forms of evil, undutiful to parents, ³¹ conscienceless, treacherous, with no human love or pity.

³¹ conscienceless, treacherous, with no human love or pity. ³² Although they know full well God's sentence that those who practice such things deserve to die, yet they not only practice them but even applaud others who do them.

⁴ Do you think so little of the riches of God's kindness, forbearance, and patience, not conscious that His kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

¹⁶ on the day when God through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the good news I preach, will judge the secrets people have kept.

¹⁹ and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those in darkness,

²⁵ who was given up to death because of our shortcomings and was raised again to give us right standing with God.

⁴ So through baptism we have been buried with Him in death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father's glorious power, so we too should live an entirely new life. ⁵ For if we have grown into fellowship with Him by sharing a death like His, surely we shall share a resurrection life like His,

¹³ and you must stop offering to sin the parts of your bodies as instruments for wrongdoing, but you must once for all offer yourselves to God as persons raised from the dead to live on perpetually, and once for all offer the parts of your bodies to God as instruments for right-doing.

²¹ What benefit did you then derive from doing the things of which you are now ashamed? None, for they end in death.

³ For though the law could not do it, because it was made helpless through our lower nature, yet God, by sending His own Son in a body similar to that of our lower nature, and as a sacrifice for sin, passed sentence upon sin through His body,

³⁷ And yet in all these things we keep on gloriously conquering through Him who loved us.

¹ I beg you, therefore, brothers, through these mercies God has shown you, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies as a living sacrifice, devoted and well-pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. ² Stop living in accordance with the customs of this world, but by the new ideals that mold your minds continue to transform yourselves, so as to find and follow God's will; that is, what is good, well-pleasing to Him, and perfect.

² Stop living in accordance with the customs of this world, but by the new ideals that mold your minds continue to transform yourselves, so as to find and follow God's will; that is, what is good, well-pleasing to Him, and perfect.

⁵ so we, though many, are united in one body through union with Christ, and we are individually parts of one another.

¹ Everybody must obey the civil authorities that are over him, for no authority exists except by God's permission; the existing authorities have been established by Him, ² so that anyone who resists the authorities sets himself against what God has established, and those who set themselves against Him will get the penalty due them. ³ For civil authorities are not a terror to the man who does right, but they are to the man who does wrong. Do you want to have no dread of the civil authorities? Then practice doing right and you will be commended for it. ⁴ For the civil authorities are God's servants to do you good. But if you practice doing wrong, you should dread them, for they do not wield the sword for nothing. Indeed, they are God's servants to inflict punishment upon people who do wrong. ⁵ Therefore, you must obey them, not only for the sake of escaping punishment, but also for conscience' sake;

¹¹ Do this in particular because you know the present crisis, that it is high time for you to wake up out of your sleep, for our salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed.

¹¹ Do this in particular because you know the present crisis, that it is high time for you to wake up out of your sleep, for our salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed. ¹² The night has almost passed; the day is at hand. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness, and put on the weapons of light.

¹² The night has almost passed; the day is at hand. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness, and put on the weapons of light. ¹³ Let us live becomingly for people who are in the light of day, not in carousing and drunkenness, nor in sexual immorality and licentiousness, nor in quarreling and jealousy.

¹⁵ For if your brother is hurt because of the food you eat, you are not living by the standard of love. Stop ruining, by what you eat, the man for whom Christ died. ¹⁶ Then stop abusing your rights.

¹⁸ whoever in this way continues serving Christ is well-pleasing to God and approved by men.

¹⁴ As far as I am concerned about you, my brothers, I am convinced that you especially are abounding in the highest goodness, richly supplied with perfect knowledge and competent to counsel one another.

² that you may give her a Christian welcome in a manner becoming God's people, and give her whatever help she needs from you, for she herself has given protection to many, including myself.

¹⁷ But I beg you, brothers, to keep on the lookout for those who stir up divisions and put hindrances in your way, in opposition to the instruction that you had, and always avoid them.

⁴ I am always thanking God for you, for the spiritual blessing given you by God through union with Christ Jesus;

³⁰ So you owe it all to Him through union with Christ Jesus, whom God has made our wisdom, our means of right standing, our consecration, and our redemption,

⁵ So you must stop forming any premature judgments, but wait until the Lord shall come again, for He will bring to light the secrets hidden in the dark and will make known the motives of men's hearts, and the proper praise will be awarded each of us.

¹ A case of immorality is reported as actually existing among you, an immorality unheard of even among the heathen that a man cohabits with his father's wife.

⁷ You must clean out the old yeast, that you may be a fresh lump, as you are to be free from the old yeast. For our Passover Lamb, Christ, has already been sacrificed.

⁹ I wrote you in my letter to stop associating with sexually immoral people -- ¹⁰ not that you are to stop all dealings with sexually immoral people of this world, any more than with its greedy graspers, or its idolaters, for then you would have to get clear out of the world. ¹¹ Now what I really meant was for you to stop associating with any so-called brother, if he is sexually immoral, a greedy grasper, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunkard, or a swindler -- with such a person you must even stop eating.

¹¹ Now what I really meant was for you to stop associating with any so-called brother, if he is sexually immoral, a greedy grasper, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunkard, or a swindler -- with such a person you must even stop eating.

⁹ Do you not know that wrongdoers will not have a share in the kingdom of God? Stop being misled; people who are sexually immoral or idolaters or adulterers or sensual or guilty of unnatural sexual vice ¹⁰ or thieves or greedy graspers for more or drunkards or slanderers or swindlers will not have a share in the kingdom of God.

¹⁰ or thieves or greedy graspers for more or drunkards or slanderers or swindlers will not have a share in the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And these are just the characters some of you used to be. But now you have washed yourselves clean, you have been consecrated, you are now in right standing with God, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God.

¹³ Foods are intended for the stomach, and the stomach for foods, but God will finally put a stop to both of them. The body is not intended for sexual immorality but for the service of the Lord, and the Lord is for the body to serve.

¹⁵ Do you not know that your bodies are parts of Christ Himself? Then may I take away parts of Christ and make them parts of a prostitute? Never! Never! ¹⁶ Or, are you not aware that a man who has to do with a prostitute makes his body one with hers? For God says, "The two shall be physically one."

¹⁸ Keep on running from sexual immorality! Any other sin that a man commits is one outside his body, but the man who commits the sexual sin is sinning against his own body.

²⁶ Now this is my opinion in the light of the present distress: That it is a good thing for a man to remain as he is.

²⁹ I mean this, brothers. The time has been cut short. For the future, men who have wives should live as though they had none, ³⁰ and those that mourn as though they did not mourn, and those who are glad as though they were not glad, and those who buy as though they did not own a thing, ³¹ and those who are enjoying the world as though they were not entirely absorbed in it. For the outward order of this world is passing away.

⁸ Let us stop practicing immorality, as some of them did, and on one day twenty-three thousand fell dead.

²⁰ I mean that what the heathen sacrifice they sacrifice to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be in fellowship with demons. ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot eat at the table of the Lord and at the table of demons.

³ But I want you to realize the fact that Christ is the Head of every man, that the husband is the head of the wife, and that God is the Head of Christ. ⁴ Any man who prays or preaches with anything on his head dishonors his head, ⁵ and any woman who prays or prophesies bareheaded dishonors her head, for it is one and the same thing with having her head shaved. ⁶ For if a woman will not wear a veil, let her have her hair cut off too. Now if it is a dishonor for a woman to have her hair cut off, or her head shaved, let her wear a veil. ⁷ For a man ought not to wear anything on his head, because he is the image and reflected glory of God, but woman is man's reflected glory. ⁸ For man did not originate from woman, but woman did from man, ⁹ and man was not created for woman's sake, but woman was for man's sake. ¹⁰ This is why woman ought to wear upon her head a symbol of man's authority, especially out of respect to the angels.

²¹ for each of you is in a rush to eat his own supper, and one goes hungry while another gets drunk.

¹² For just as the human body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, many as they are, constitute but one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For by one Spirit all of us, Jews or Greeks, slaves or freemen, have been baptized into one body, and were all imbued with one Spirit. ¹⁴ For the body does not consist of one part but of many. ¹⁵ If the foot says, "Since I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," that does not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ If the ear says, "Since I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," that does not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If all the body were an eye, how could we hear? If all the body were an ear, how could we smell? ¹⁸ But as it now is, God has placed the parts, every one of them, in the body just as He wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, how could it be a body? ²⁰ But as it now is, there are many parts, but one body. ²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you," or the hand to the feet, "I do not need you." ²² No, on the contrary, even those parts of the body that seem to be most delicate are indispensable, ²³ and the parts of it we deem devoid of honor we dress with special honor, and our ill-shaped parts receive more careful attention, ²⁴ while our well-shaped parts do not want for anything. Yes, God has perfectly adjusted the body, giving great honor to its apparently inferior parts, ²⁵ so that there is no disharmony in the body, but all the parts have a common care for one another. ²⁶ If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it. If one part receives an honor, all the parts can share its joy. ²⁷ So you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it.

²⁰ Brothers, stop being children in intelligence, but as to evil keep on being babies; and yet as to intelligence be men of maturity.

²⁶ Then what is our conclusion, brothers? When you meet together, everybody has a song, something to teach, a revelation, an ecstatic utterance, or an explanation of one. It must all be for the upbuilding of all.

³⁴ Women must keep quiet in the churches, for no permission is given them to speak. On the contrary, they must take a subordinate place, just as the law says.

³⁴ Sober up, as is right, and stop sinning, for some of you -- to your shame I say so -- are without any true knowledge of God.

¹⁴ let everything be done in love.

¹⁶ I beg you to put yourselves under leaders like these, and under anyone who cooperates with you, and labors hard.

¹¹ because you are helping me by your prayers for me, so that thanks to God will be given by many on my behalf for God's gracious gift to me in answer to the prayers of many.

¹⁵ Indeed, I am the fragrance of Christ to God, alike for those who are being saved and for those who are perishing;

¹⁸ And all of us, with faces uncovered, because we continue to reflect like mirrors the splendor of the Lord, are being transformed into likeness to Him, from one degree of splendor to another, since it comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

⁶ For God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in my heart, to give me the light of the knowledge of God's glory, reflected on the face of Christ.

¹⁴ because I know that He who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will raise me too in fellowship with you.

¹⁴ For the love of Christ continuously constrains me, because I am convinced that as One died for all, all have died, ¹⁵ and He died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

¹⁴ Stop forming intimate and inconsistent relations with unbelievers. What partnership can right-doing have with law-breaking, or how can light participate with darkness?

¹⁴ Stop forming intimate and inconsistent relations with unbelievers. What partnership can right-doing have with law-breaking, or how can light participate with darkness? ¹⁵ What harmony exists between Christ and Belial, or what is common between a believer and an unbeliever? ¹⁶ And what agreement can a temple of God make with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said: "I will live in them and walk in them, and I will be their God and they will be my people." ¹⁷ Therefore: "'Come out of company with them, and separate from them,' the Lord has said, 'And stop touching what is unclean; then I will welcome you, ¹⁸ I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters of mine,' The Lord Almighty said."

¹ So, since we have such promises as these, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles our bodies and spirits, and in reverence to God carry on our consecration to completeness.

⁹ For by experience you know the unmerited favor shown by our Lord Jesus Christ; that although He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, in order that by His poverty you might become rich.

¹⁵ Thank God for His unspeakable gift!

² For I feel a divine jealousy for you, as I betrothed you to Christ, to present you as a pure bride to her one husband.

²¹ and that when I come back my God may humiliate me before you, and I may have to mourn over some of those who formerly have committed shocking sins, and have not repented for them -- their impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality, which once they practiced.

⁴ who gave Himself for our sins, to save us from the present wicked world in accordance with the will of our God and Father;

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ, and I myself no longer live, but Christ is living in me; the life I now live as a mortal man I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.

¹ O senseless Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose very eyes Jesus Christ was pictured as the crucified One?

³ Are you so senseless? Did you begin by the Spirit, but are now approaching perfection by fleshly means?

¹³ For you, brothers, were called to freedom; only you must not let your freedom be an excuse for the gratification of your lower nature, but in love be slaves to one another.

¹⁹ Now the practices of the lower nature are clear enough: Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,

¹⁹ Now the practices of the lower nature are clear enough: Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmity, quarreling, jealousy, anger, intrigues, dissensions, party-spirit, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I now warn you, as I have done before, that those who practice such things shall not be heirs of the kingdom of God.

²¹ envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I now warn you, as I have done before, that those who practice such things shall not be heirs of the kingdom of God.

²¹ envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I now warn you, as I have done before, that those who practice such things shall not be heirs of the kingdom of God. ²² But the product of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

²² But the product of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. There is no law against such things.

²³ gentleness, self-control. There is no law against such things. ²⁴ And those who belong to Jesus the Christ have crucified the lower nature with its passions and evil cravings. ²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk where the Spirit leads.

²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk where the Spirit leads.

⁷ Do not be deceived anymore; God is not to be scoffed at. A person will reap just what he sows, whatever it is. ⁸ The person who sows to gratify his lower nature will reap destruction from that lower nature, and the person who sows to gratify his higher nature will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

⁸ The person who sows to gratify his lower nature will reap destruction from that lower nature, and the person who sows to gratify his higher nature will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

¹⁰ So then whenever we have an opportunity, let us practice doing good to everybody, but especially to the members of the family of faith.

⁴ Through Him He picked us out before the creation of the world, to be consecrated and above reproach in His sight in love.

¹⁶ never cease to thank God for you when I mention you in my prayers,

²² And so He has put all things under His feet and made Him the supreme Head of the church, ²³ which is His body, that is being filled by Him who fills everything everywhere.

²³ which is His body, that is being filled by Him who fills everything everywhere.

² in which you once lived in accordance with the spirit of this present world, and the mighty prince of the air, who is always at work in the disobedient, among whom all of us, we Jews as well as you heathen,

² in which you once lived in accordance with the spirit of this present world, and the mighty prince of the air, who is always at work in the disobedient, among whom all of us, we Jews as well as you heathen, ³ once lived while gratifying the cravings of our lower nature, as we continued to carry out the impulses of our lower nature and its thoughts, and by nature we were exposed to God's wrath, as the rest of mankind.

⁵ has made us, though dead because of our shortcomings, live again in fellowship with Christ -- it is by His unmerited favor that you have been saved.

¹¹ So remember that you were once heathen in a physical sense, called the uncircumcised by those who call themselves the circumcised -- though only in a physical sense, by human hands. ¹² At that time you were without any connection with Christ; you were aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the sacred compacts made by God's promise, with no hope, and no God in the world.

⁶ that the heathen through union with Christ Jesus are fellow-heirs with the Jews, are members with them of the same body, and sharers with them of the promise through the good news,

¹⁷ and that Christ in His love, through your faith, may make His permanent home in your hearts. You must be deeply rooted, your foundations must be strong,

¹⁹ yes, to come at last to know the love of Christ, although it far surpasses human understanding, so that you may be filled with the perfect fullness of God.

² with perfect humility and gentleness, with patience, lovingly bearing with one another,

¹⁵ But, on the other hand, we shall go on holding to the truth and in love growing up into perfect union with Him, that is, Christ Himself who is the Head.

¹⁸ with darkened understanding, estranged from the life of God because of the ignorance that exists among them and because of the stubbornness of their hearts; ¹⁹ for in their recklessness they have abandoned themselves to sensuality which leads to excessive practices of all sorts of immorality. ²⁰ But this is not the way you have learned what Christ means,

²² to lay aside, with your former way of living, your old self which is on the way to destruction in accordance with its deceptive impulses;

²⁵ So you must lay aside falsehood and each of you practice telling the truth to his neighbor, for we are parts of one another.

²⁹ You must stop letting any bad word pass your lips, but only words that are good for building up as the occasion demands, so that they will result in spiritual blessing to the hearers.

³² You must practice being kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has graciously forgiven you.

² and practice living in love, just as Christ loved you too and gave Himself for you as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. ³ But sexual vice and any form of immorality or sensual greed must not so much as be mentioned among you, as that is the only course becoming in God's people; ⁴ there must be no indecency, silly talk or suggestive jesting, for they are unbecoming. There should be thanksgiving instead. ⁵ For you may be absolutely sure that no one who is sexually impure, immoral or greedy for gain (for that is idolatry) can have a part in the kingdom of Christ and God.

⁷ So you must stop having anything to do with them.

¹¹ Stop having anything to do with the profitless doings of darkness; instead you must continue to expose them. ¹² For it is disgraceful even to mention the vices practiced in secret by them;

¹⁵ So you must be very careful how you live, not thoughtlessly but thoughtfully,

¹⁹ and always be speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Keep on praying and praising the Lord with all your heart; ²⁰ continue giving thanks for everything to God our Father;

²² You married women must continue to live in subordination to your husbands, as you do to the Lord,

²² You married women must continue to live in subordination to your husbands, as you do to the Lord,

²⁴ Just as the church is subject to Christ, so the married women in everything must be subject to their husbands. ²⁵ You married men must love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her,

²⁵ You married men must love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, ²⁶ to consecrate her, after cleansing her through His word, as pictured in the water bath,

²⁸ This is the way married men ought to love their wives, as they do their own bodies. The married man who loves his wife is really loving himself,

²⁸ This is the way married men ought to love their wives, as they do their own bodies. The married man who loves his wife is really loving himself, ²⁹ for no one ever hates his own physical person, but he feeds and fosters it, just as Christ does the church;

³¹ Therefore, a man must leave his father and mother and so perfectly unite himself to his wife that the two shall be one.

³³ But each one of you married men must love his wife as he loves himself, and the married woman, too, must respect her husband.

¹² For our contest is not with human foes alone, but with the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark world; that is, with the spirit-forces of evil challenging us in the heavenly contest. ¹³ So you must take on God's full armor, so as to be able to take a stand in the day when evil attacks you, and, after having completely finished the contest, to hold your own. ¹⁴ Hold your position, then, with your waist encircled with the belt of truth, put on right-doing as a coat of mail, ¹⁵ and put on your feet the preparation the good news of peace supplies.

¹⁷ take the helmet salvation provides, and take the sword the Spirit wields, which is the word of God.

¹⁹ and for me that a message may be given me when I open my lips, so that I may boldly make known the open secret of the good news,

³ Every time I remember you I thank my God,

¹⁰ so that you may always approve the better things, and be men of transparent character and blameless life, ¹¹ men that are abounding in the fruits of right-doing with the help of Jesus Christ, to the honor and praise of God.

²⁷ Only you must practice living lives that are worthy of the good news, so that whether I come and see you or stay away, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, and that with one purpose you are continuing to cooperate in the fight for faith in the good news.

³ Stop acting from motives of selfish strife or petty ambition, but in humility practice treating one another as your superiors.

⁶ Stop being worried about anything, but always, in prayer and entreaty, and with thanksgiving, keep on making your wants known to God.

¹⁸ I have received your payment in full, and more too. I am amply supplied after getting the things you sent by Epaphroditus; they are like sweet incense, the kind of sacrifice that God accepts and approves.

⁹ This is why, ever since I heard of it, I have never ceased praying for you and asking God to fill you, through full wisdom and spiritual insight, with a clear knowledge of His will,

¹¹ then you will be perfectly empowered by His glorious might for every sort of joyous endurance and forbearance, ¹² and you will always be thanking the Father who has qualified you to share the lot of His people in the realm of light. ¹³ It is God who has delivered us out of the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of His dearly loved Son,

¹⁸ Yes, He is the Head of the church as His body. For He is the beginning, the first-born among the dead, so that He alone should stand first in everything.

²² by His death in His human body, so as to present you consecrated, faultless, and blameless in His presence,

²⁸ We are proclaiming Him, warning everyone and teaching everyone with ample wisdom, in order to present to God everyone mature through union with Christ.

² that their hearts may be encouraged, by having been knit together in love and by having atoned to the full assurance of understanding, so that they may finally reach the fullest knowledge of the open secret, Christ Himself,

⁴ I am saying this to keep anyone from misleading you by persuasive arguments.

⁸ Take care that nobody captures you by the idle fancies of his so-called philosophy, following human tradition and the world's crude notions instead of Christ.

¹⁸ Stop letting anyone, in gratuitous humility and worship of angels, defraud you as an umpire, for such a one is taking his stand on the mere visions he has seen, and is groundlessly conceited over his sensuous mind. ¹⁹ Such a person is not continuing in connection with the Head, from which the whole body, when supplied and united through its joints and sinews, grows with a growth that God produces.

¹ So if you have been raised to life in fellowship with Christ, keep on seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

⁵ So once for all put to death your lower, earthly nature with respect to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is real idolatry. ⁶ It is on account of these very sins that God's anger is coming.

⁸ But now you too must once for all put them all aside -- anger, rage, malice, and abusive, filthy talk from your lips.

¹² So as God's own chosen people, consecrated and dearly loved, you must once for all clothe yourselves with tenderheartedness, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience; you must keep on

¹⁴ And over all these qualities put on love, which is the tie of perfection that binds us together. ¹⁵ Let the peace that Christ can give keep on acting as umpire in your hearts, for you were called to this state as members of one body. And practice being thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ continue to live in you in all its wealth of wisdom; keep on teaching it to one another and training one another in it with thankfulness, in your hearts singing praise to God with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

¹⁶ Let the message of Christ continue to live in you in all its wealth of wisdom; keep on teaching it to one another and training one another in it with thankfulness, in your hearts singing praise to God with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. ¹⁷ And whatever you say or do, let it all be done with reference to the Lord Jesus, and through Him continue to give thanks to God the Father.

¹⁷ And whatever you say or do, let it all be done with reference to the Lord Jesus, and through Him continue to give thanks to God the Father. ¹⁸ You married women must continue to live in subordination to your husbands, for this is your Christian duty. ¹⁹ You husbands must continue to love your wives and stop being harsh with them. ²⁰ Children, practice obedience to your parents in everything, for this is acceptable in Christians.

²² Slaves, practice obedience to your earthly masters in everything, not as though they were watching you and as though you were merely pleasing men, but with sincerity of heart, because you fear the Lord.

⁵ Practice living prudently in your relations with outsiders, making the most of your opportunities.

¹⁰ and to wait for the coming from heaven of His Son, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

⁹ For how can I render God enough thanks for you, for all the joy I have on account of you in the presence of our God,

¹ Now, brothers, we ask and beg you, in the face of our union with the Lord Jesus, as you once received from us how you ought to live so as to please God -- as indeed you are living -- to continue to live this life better and better. ² For you are aware of the instructions which we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. ³ For it is God's will that you should keep pure in person, that you should practice abstinence from sexual immorality,

³ For it is God's will that you should keep pure in person, that you should practice abstinence from sexual immorality,

⁷ For God did not call us to a life of immorality, but to one of personal purity.

⁹ Now as to brotherly love, you have no need of anyone's writing you, for you have yourselves been taught by God to love one another,

⁴ But you, brothers, are not in darkness, so that that day, like a thief, should take you by surprise; ⁵ for you are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness. ⁶ So let us stop sleeping as others do, but let us stay awake and keep sober.

⁶ So let us stop sleeping as others do, but let us stay awake and keep sober. ⁷ For those who sleep at night and those who get drunk are drunken at night,

⁷ For those who sleep at night and those who get drunk are drunken at night, ⁸ but let us who belong to the day keep sober, clothed with faith and love for a coat of mail and with the hope of salvation for a helmet.

¹⁵ Take care that none of you ever pays back evil for evil, but always keep looking for ways to show kindness to one another and everybody.

¹⁸ Make it a habit to give thanks for everything, for this is God's will for you through Christ Jesus.

²¹ but continue to prove all things until you can approve them, and then hold on to what is good.

²³ May God Himself, who gave you peace, consecrate your whole being. May you be safely kept, spirit, soul, and body, so as to be blameless when our Lord Jesus Christ comes back.

³ We always ought to be thanking God for you, brothers, as it is right to do so, because your faith is growing so much and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing

³ Do not let anybody at all deceive you about this, because that cannot take place until the great revolt occurs and the representative of lawlessness is uncovered, the one who is doomed to destruction,

¹⁰ and with a completely wicked deception for men who are on the way to destruction, because they refused to love the truth so as to be saved. ¹¹ This is why God sends them a misleading influence till they actually believe what is false, ¹² so that all who have refused to believe the truth but have chosen unrighteousness instead might be condemned. ¹³ We ought always to be thanking God for you, brothers dearly loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through the Spirit's consecration of you and through your faith in the truth,

⁶ Now we charge you, brothers, on the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, to hold yourselves aloof from any brother who is living as a shirker instead of following the teachings you received from us.

¹⁴ If anyone refuses to obey what we have said in this letter, mark that person and stop having anything to do with him, so that he will feel ashamed of it.

³ This is the right thing to do and it pleases God our Saviour,

⁶ who gave Himself as a ransom for all, a fact that was testified to at the proper time,

¹⁰ but with good deeds; for this is appropriate for women who profess to be pious. ¹¹ A married woman must learn in quiet and in perfect submission.

¹¹ A married woman must learn in quiet and in perfect submission. ¹² I do not permit a married woman to practice teaching or domineering over a husband; she must keep quiet.

³ not addicted to strong drink, not pugnacious, gentle and not contentious, not avaricious, ⁴ managing his own house well, with perfect seriousness keeping his children under control

⁸ Deacons, too, must be serious, sincere in their talk, not addicted to strong drink or dishonest gain,

¹⁶ Undoubtedly the mystery of our religion is a great wonder: "He was made visible in human form; He was vindicated by the Spirit; He was seen by angels; He was proclaimed among the heathen; He was trusted in throughout the world; He was taken up to glory."

¹² Let no one think little of you because you are young, but always set an example for believers, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.

⁴ But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in the treatment of their own families, and to pay the debt they owe their parents or grandparents, for this is acceptable to God.

²⁰ Those who are guilty reprove in public, so that others may be warned.

²² Make it a rule not to ordain anyone in haste, and not to be responsible for the sins of others; keep yourself pure.

⁵ and perpetual friction between people who are depraved in mind and deprived of truth, who imagine that religion is only a means of gain.

⁹ But men who keep planning to get rich fall into temptations and snares and many foolish, hurtful desires which plunge people into destruction and ruin. ¹⁰ For the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil, and some men in reaching after riches have wandered from the faith and pierced their hearts with many a pang. ¹¹ But you, as a man of God, must be fleeing always from these things; you must constantly strive for uprightness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

¹⁷ Continue charging the rich of this world to stop being haughty and not to fix their hope on a thing so uncertain as riches, but on God who richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for our enjoyment;

¹⁰ but has only recently been made known through the appearance of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who through the good news has put a stop to the power of death, and brought life and immortality to light.

²⁶ and they might recover their senses and escape from the devil's trap in which they have been caught by him to do his will.

² For people will be selfish, avaricious, boastful, haughty, abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, irreverent,

⁵ keeping up the forms of religion but not giving expression to its power. Avoid such people.

² preach the message, stay at it in season and out of season; convince, reprove, exhort people with perfect patience as a teacher.

⁶ each elder must be above reproach, have only one wife, and his children must not be liable to the charge of profligacy or disobedience. ⁷ For as God's trustee a pastor must be above reproach, not stubborn or quick-tempered or addicted to strong drink or pugnacious or addicted to dishonest gain,

¹¹ whose mouths must be stopped, for they upset whole families by teaching things they ought not to think, for the sake of dishonest gain.

³ the older women, too, to be reverent in their deportment, and not to be slanderers or slaves to heavy drinking, but to be teachers of what is right,

⁵ to be serious, pure, home keepers, kind, and subordinate to their husbands, so as not to cause God's message to suffer reproach.

⁷ In everything you yourself continue to set them a worthy example of doing good; be sincere and serious in your teaching,

⁹ Continue urging slaves to practice perfect submission to their masters and to give them perfect satisfaction,

¹⁴ who gave Himself for us to ransom us from all iniquity and purify for Himself a people to be His very own, zealous of good works. ¹⁵ You must continue teaching this, and continue exhorting and reproving people, with full authority. Let no one belittle you.

³ For once we too were without understanding, disobedient, misled, habitual slaves to all sorts of passions and pleasures, spending our lives in malice and envy.

⁵ He saved us, not for upright deeds that we had done, but in accordance with His mercy, through the bath of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, ⁶ which He abundantly poured out upon us through Jesus Christ our Saviour, ⁷ so that we might come into right standing with God through His unmerited favor and become heirs of eternal life in accordance with our hope.

⁸ So, although through union with Christ I have full freedom to order you to do your duty,

⁸ But regarding the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, will stand forever and ever; a righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom.

¹³ But to what angel did He ever say: "Just keep your seat at my right hand, until I make your foes a footstool for your feet"?

¹⁹ So we see that it was because of their unbelief that they could not be admitted to it.

²⁵ Therefore, because He Himself lives always to intercede for them always, He is able to save completely any and all who come to God through Him. ²⁶ For we needed such a High Priest, holy, innocent, unstained, far removed from sinful men, and elevated far above the very heavens, ²⁷ who does not need, as did the Levitical priests, to offer sacrifices, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; this latter is just what He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

¹⁴ how much more surely will the blood of Christ, who with an eternal Spirit gave Himself a spotless offering to God, purify your consciences from works that mean mere death, to serve the ever living God?

²³ So, on the one hand, the copies of the original things in heaven had to be purified with such sacrifices; but on the other hand, the original things themselves in heaven with better sacrifices than these.

²⁶ for, if that had been the case, He would have had to suffer over and over again, ever since the creation of the world. But, as it is, once at the close of the ages He has appeared, to put away sin by His sacrifice.

¹⁰ It is by this will of God that we are consecrated through the offering of Jesus' body once for all.

¹⁰ It is by this will of God that we are consecrated through the offering of Jesus' body once for all. ¹¹ Every other priest stands officiating day after day and over and over again offering the same sacrifices, although they are unable to take away our sins. ¹² But this One offered up once for all and for all time one sacrifice for sins, and once for all took His seat at God's right hand,

²² let us continue to draw near to God with sincere hearts and perfect faith; with our hearts cleansed from the sense of sin, and our bodies bathed in clean water;

³³ who by their faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, received new promises, shut the mouths of lions,

⁹ Furthermore, we had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we used to treat them with respect; how much more cheerfully should we submit to the Father of our spirits, and live!

¹⁶ some immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.

²² But you have come to Mount Zion, even to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless hosts of angels, ²³ to the festal gathering and assembly of God's firstborn sons enrolled as citizens in heaven, to a Judge who is the God of all, to the spirits of upright men who have attained perfection, ²⁴ to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood which speaks a better message than even Abel's did. ²⁵ See to it that you do not refuse to listen to Him who is speaking to you. For if they did not escape, because they refused to listen to him who warned them here on earth, how much less can we, if we reject Him who is from heaven?

²⁸ Let us, therefore, be thankful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and in this way continue to serve God acceptably in reverence and fear;

⁴ Marriage must be held in honor by all, and the marriage relations kept sacred. Persons who are sexually vicious and immoral God will punish.

⁴ Marriage must be held in honor by all, and the marriage relations kept sacred. Persons who are sexually vicious and immoral God will punish. ⁵ You must have a turn of mind that is free from avarice; you must be content with what you have, for God Himself has said, "I will never fail you, I will never forsake you."

¹⁵ So then, through Christ, let us always offer God the sacrifice of praise; that is, the speech of lips that glorify the name of God.

¹⁷ Continue to obey and to be submissive to your leaders, for they are ever watching in defense of your souls, as men who will have to give account of their trust. Treat them in this way, so that they may work with joy and not with grief.

¹⁸ In accordance with His will He made us His children by the message of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

⁴ Look at ships, too; though great and driven by violent winds, they are steered with a tiny rudder wherever the pilot pleases. ⁵ So the tongue, too, is a little organ but can boast of great achievements. See how a spark, ever so tiny, can set a vast forest on fire! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, and takes its place among the parts of our bodies as a world of evil; it soils the whole body and sets on fire the circle of man's nature, and itself is set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every kind of beasts and birds, of reptiles and sea animals, can be, or have been, tamed by man; ⁸ but the tongue no human being can tame. It is an evil incapable of being quieted, full of deadly poison.

¹³ Who among you is wise and intelligent? Let him show by his noble living that his good deeds are done in humility, which wisdom prompts.

¹³ Is any one of you suffering ill-treatment? He should keep on praying. Is anyone in a happy mood? He should keep on singing praise to God.

² the people chosen in accordance with the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the consecration of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with His blood: spiritual blessing and peace to you in increasing abundance.

¹⁵ but in accordance with the Holy Being who has called you, you must prove to be holy too, ¹⁶ for the Scripture says: "You ought to be holy, because I am holy."

¹⁸ because you know that you have not been ransomed with things that perish as silver or gold, from the futile way of living taught by your fathers, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without a blemish or a blot,

¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without a blemish or a blot, ²⁰ who was foreordained for it before the foundation of the world but was brought out to public view at the end of the ages, for the sake of you ²¹ who through Him trust in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory; so that your faith and hope may rest in God. ²² Since you have purified your souls by obeying the truth, in sincere love for the brotherhood you must love one another heartily and fervently,

²² Since you have purified your souls by obeying the truth, in sincere love for the brotherhood you must love one another heartily and fervently, ²³ because you have been born anew, not from a germ that perishes but from one that does not perish, by the word of the living and everlasting God.

⁵ and keep on building yourselves up, as living stones, into a spiritual house for a consecrated priesthood, to offer up, through Jesus Christ, spiritual sacrifices that will be acceptable to God.

⁸ and: "A stone for them to stumble over and a rock to trip them up." They keep on stumbling over the message, because they are disobedient to it, and this is their appointed doom. ⁹ But you are the chosen race, the royal priesthood, the consecrated nation, the people to be His very own, to proclaim the perfections of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. ¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once His mercy had not been shown you, but now it has. ¹¹ Dearly beloved, I beg you as aliens and exiles to keep on abstaining from the evil desires of your lower nature, because they are always at war with the soul.

¹³ For the Lord's sake submit to all human authority; to the emperor as supreme,

¹⁷ Show honor to everyone. Practice love for the brotherhood; practice reverence to God and honor to the Emperor.

²⁰ For what credit is it to bear it patiently, if you do wrong and are beaten for it? But if you do right and patiently suffer for it, it is pleasing in the sight of God. ²¹ Indeed, it was to this kind of living that you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you might follow His footsteps. ²² He never committed a sin, and deceit was never found on His lips. ²³ Although He was abused, He never retorted; although He continued to suffer, He never threatened, but committed His case to Him who judges justly. ²⁴ He bore our sins in His own body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to uprightness. By His wounds you have been healed,

²⁴ He bore our sins in His own body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to uprightness. By His wounds you have been healed, ²⁵ for once you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of Your souls.

¹ You married women, in the same way, must be submissive to your husbands, so that, if any of them do not believe the message, they may be won over without a word through the living of the wives, ² when they see how chaste and respectful you are.

² when they see how chaste and respectful you are. ³ Your adornments must be not of an external nature, with braids of hair or ornaments of gold, or changes of dress,

³ Your adornments must be not of an external nature, with braids of hair or ornaments of gold, or changes of dress, ⁴ but they must be of an internal nature, the character concealed in the heart, in the imperishable quality of a quiet and gentle spirit, which is of great value in the sight of God.

⁴ but they must be of an internal nature, the character concealed in the heart, in the imperishable quality of a quiet and gentle spirit, which is of great value in the sight of God. ⁵ For this is the way the pious women of olden times, who set their hope on God, used to adorn themselves.

⁵ For this is the way the pious women of olden times, who set their hope on God, used to adorn themselves. ⁶ They were submissive to their husbands, as Sarah, for example, obeyed Abraham and called him master. You have become true daughters of hers, if you practice doing right and cease from every fear.

⁶ They were submissive to their husbands, as Sarah, for example, obeyed Abraham and called him master. You have become true daughters of hers, if you practice doing right and cease from every fear. ⁷ You married men, in the same way, must live with your wives in an intelligent consideration of them; you must show them deference, too, as the weaker sex, as they share with you the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

⁷ You married men, in the same way, must live with your wives in an intelligent consideration of them; you must show them deference, too, as the weaker sex, as they share with you the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

²¹ Baptism, which corresponds to this figure, now saves you, too -- I do not mean the mere removal of physical stains, but the craving for a clear conscience toward God -- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

² so that he no longer can spend the rest of his earthly life in harmony with human desires but in accordance with God's will. ³ For the time that is past is enough for you to have accomplished what the heathen like to do, leading lives that are steeped in sensuality, lustful desires, drunkenness, carousing, revelry, dissipation, and idolatry that leads to lawlessness,

³ For the time that is past is enough for you to have accomplished what the heathen like to do, leading lives that are steeped in sensuality, lustful desires, drunkenness, carousing, revelry, dissipation, and idolatry that leads to lawlessness, ⁴ They are astonished that you are not still rushing hand in hand with them into the same excesses of profligate living, and they abuse you for it;

⁸ Above everything else keep your love for one another fervent, because love covers up a multitude of sins.

¹¹ If anyone is preaching, let him do it as one who utters the oracles of God; if anyone is rendering any service to others, let him do it with all the strength that God supplies, so that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

² be shepherds of the flock of God that is among you, not as though you had to but of your own free will, not from the motive of personal profit but freely,

⁵ You younger men, on your part, must be submissive to the elders. And you must all put on the servant's apron of humility to one another, because God opposes the haughty but bestows His unmerited favor on the humble.

³ In their greed they will exploit you with messages manufactured by themselves. From of old their condemnation has not been idle and their destruction has not been slumbering.

⁷ and saved the upright Lot who was constantly distressed by the immoral conduct of lawless men --

¹⁰ especially those who satisfy their lower nature by indulging in its evil passions which defile them, and who despise authority. Daring, headstrong men! They do not tremble when they abuse persons of majesty,

¹⁴ They have eyes full of adultery and insatiable by sin. They practice enticing unsteady souls. They have trained their hearts in greed. They are doomed to a curse!

¹⁸ For by uttering arrogant nonsense, through base desires of the lower nature, they entice into immorality men who are just escaping from those who live in error,

¹⁴ Therefore, dearly beloved, since you are expecting this, be in earnest to be found by Him without a blot, without reproach, and at peace.

⁷ But if we continue to live in the light, just as He is in the light, we have unbroken fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son continues to cleanse us from every sin.

⁸ Yet it is a new command that I am writing you; it is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. ⁹ Whoever claims to be in the light, and yet continues to hate his brother is still in darkness. ¹⁰ Whoever continues to love his brother is always in the light, and he is no hindrance to others. ¹¹ But whoever continues to hate his brother is in darkness and is living in darkness, and he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

²⁹ If you know that He is upright, you must know that everyone who practices uprightness is born of Him.

¹ See what wonderful love the Father has bestowed on us in letting us be called God's children, and that is what we are! This is why the world does not know what we are, because it has never come to know Him. ² Dearly beloved, we are now God's children, but what we are going to be has not been unveiled. We know that if it is unveiled, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.

⁹ No one who is born of God makes a practice of sinning, because the God-given life-principle continues to live in him, and so he cannot practice sinning, because he is born of God. ¹⁰ This is the way to distinguish God's children from the devil's children. No one who fails to do right is God's child, and no one who fails to love his brother. ¹¹ it is so because the message that you have heard from the beginning is this: We should love one another. ¹² We must not be like Cain who belonged to the evil one and butchered his brother. And why did he butcher him? Because his own actions were wicked and his brother's upright.

¹⁶ We know what love is from the fact that He laid down His life for us; and so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

²³ His command is this, that we should believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and practice loving one another, just as He commanded us to do.

¹ Dearly beloved, stop believing every so-called spiritual utterance, but keep testing them to see whether they come from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

¹¹ Dearly beloved, if God has loved us so, we ought to love one another too.

²⁰ If anyone says, "I love God," and yet habitually hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. ²¹ This is the command that we get from Him, that whoever loves God loves his brother too.

⁶ He is the One who came through water and blood -- Jesus Christ; not through water only but through water and blood. The Spirit also testifies to this, because the Spirit is truth.

¹⁰ If anyone continuously comes to see you without bringing this teaching, you must stop welcoming him to your house and stop bidding him good morning, ¹¹ For whoever keeps on bidding him good morning is sharing in his wicked works.

¹¹ Dearly beloved, do not follow bad examples but good ones. Whoever practices doing right is God's child; whoever practices doing wrong has never seen God.

¹ Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ, and a brother of James, to those who have been called, who are beloved by God the Father and have been kept through union with Jesus Christ:

¹⁰ But these persons abuse everything they do not understand, and they are going to be destroyed by the very things they know by instinct, like the irrational animals.

¹³ wild waves of the sea foaming up their own shame; wandering stars that are forever doomed to utter darkness.

²¹ you must keep yourselves in the love of God and continue to wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to bring you to eternal life.

²⁴ Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in His glorious presence faultless and full of triumphant joy,

⁵ and from Jesus Christ the trustworthy witness, the First-born of the dead, and the Sovereign of the kings of the earth. To Him who ever loves us and once for all released us from our sins by His blood,

¹⁴ Yet I hold it somewhat against you that you have among you some who are clinging to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to set a trap for the children of Israel, to entice them to eat the meat that had been sacrificed to idols and to commit immoral practices.

²¹ I have given her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her immorality.

⁹ Then they sang a new song: "You deserve to take the book and break its seals, because you have been slaughtered, and with your blood have bought men from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation,

⁹ After this I looked, and there was a vast throng that no one could count from every nation, tribe, people, and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, ¹⁰ and they cried in a loud voice: "Our salvation is due to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb." ¹¹ Then all the angels stood around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² saying: "Amen! Blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen!" ¹³ Then one of the elders addressed me and said, "Who are these people clothed in white robes, and where did they come from?" ¹⁴ I answered him, "You know, my lord." He said to me: "These are the people who are coming through the great persecution, who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ This is why they are before the throne of God, and day and night serve Him in His temple, and He who is seated on His throne will shelter them in His tent. ¹⁶ They will never again be hungry or thirsty, and never again will the sun strike them, or any scorching heat, ¹⁷ because the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will be their Shepherd, and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."

²¹ and they never did repent of their murders, their practices in magic, their immorality, or their thefts.

⁴ Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "Come out of her, my people, so that you may not share in her sins and suffer from her plagues.

⁷ Let us be glad and shout for joy and give Him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. ⁸ Permission has been granted her to dress in clean, brilliant linen, for linen signifies the upright deeds of God's people."

¹⁰ Then I fell before his feet to worship him, but he said to me, "You must take care not to do that. I am only a fellow-slave of yours and of your brothers who hold to the testimony borne by Jesus. Worship God. For the testimony borne by Jesus is the inspiring spirit of prophecy."

¹² I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened; it was the book of life, And the dead were judged by what was written in the books in accordance with what they had done.

² And I saw the new Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride to join her husband.

⁸ But the cowards, the unfaithful, the polluted, the murderers, the sexually immoral, the practicers of magic, the worshipers of idols, and all liars will have their portion in the lake that keeps on burning with fire and brimstone. This is the second death."

¹⁰ So he carried me off under the power of the Spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down out of heaven from God; ¹¹ and it continued to retain the glory of God. The luster of it was like a very precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal. ¹² It had a great, high wall, with twelve huge gates, and twelve angels in charge of the gates, which had inscribed upon them the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. ¹³ There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. ¹⁴ The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the Lamb's twelve apostles. ¹⁵ The angel who was talking with me had a measuring rod of gold, to measure the city, its gates and wall. ¹⁶ The city lies in a square, its length the same as its breadth. He measured the city with his rod, and it was one thousand, five hundred miles. Its length, breadth, and height were the same. ¹⁷ He measured its wall, two hundred and sixteen feet as a man measures, which is the way the angel measured. ¹⁸ The material of its wall was jasper, but the city itself was pure gold, as transparent as glass. ¹⁹ The foundation stones of the city's wall were ornamented with all sorts of precious stones. The first foundation stone 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, the twelfth amethyst. ²¹ The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate built of a single pearl. The Broadway of the city was pure gold, as transparent as glass. ²² I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty Himself and the Lamb Himself are its temple. ²³ The city does not need the sun or moon to shine in it, for the glory of God has lighted it, and the Lamb is its lamp. ²⁴ The nations will walk by its light; the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. ²⁵ Its gates will never be closed by day -- for there will be no night there -- ²⁶ and they will bring the splendor and honor of the nations into it. ²⁷ Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices abominable living and lying, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

¹⁵ The dogs, that is, those who practice magic and immorality, murderers, idolaters, and those who love and practice lying, are on the outside.