Bible verses about "strongholds" | AUV

¹⁴ For if you forgive the wrongs people have done [to you], your heavenly Father will also forgive the wrongs you have done [to Him]. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive the wrongs people have done [to you], neither will your Father forgive the wrongs you have done [to Him].

⁶ Jesus answered him, “I am the way [to God], and the truth [to believe], and the life [to live]. No one can go to the Father, except through [believing in] me.

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.

¹⁹ Or, do you not know that your [physical] body is a temple [i.e., sanctuary] for the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves, ²⁰ for you were bought [by God] for a price. So, honor God with your [physical] body.

¹⁶ So, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another to be healed [from sin sickness]. The special request of a righteous person is empowered with [great] effectiveness.

¹ Now, [having] faith is being sure of [receiving] what is hoped for, and certain [of the existence] of what is not visible.

⁹ [But] if we confess our sins [to God], He is faithful [to His promise] and righteous [in His judgment], and will forgive us of those sins and cleanse us from all of our wrongdoing.

⁵ [It is also] from Jesus Christ, who is the Faithful Witness [to the truth], the Firstborn from the dead [i.e., the first One raised never to die again], the Ruler of the kings of the world. May there be honor and power forever and ever to Christ, who loved us and released us from our sins by His blood [Note: Some manuscripts say “washed us” since the two words are spelled almost alike].

¹² For our struggle is not [actually] against human beings, but against rulers and authorities and leaders of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. [Note: “Heavenly realms” here refers to the struggle against Satanic powers which permeates life around us].

¹ Loved ones, do not believe [the message of] every spirit [i.e., every person claiming to be a teacher], but test the spirits [i.e., require proof that they and their message are genuine] to see whether they represent God [or not], because many false prophets have begun circulating throughout the world.

¹ Finally then, brothers, we request and urge you, in [the fellowship of] the Lord, that you should live [dedicated lives] and please God. Just as you people received direction from us [on doing this], see that you [continue to] do it more and more. ² For you know [i.e., are aware of] the instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. ³ For it is God’s will that you should be dedicated to Him, [that is], you should avoid sexual immorality. ⁴ Each of you should know how to control his own body in a dedicated and honorable way, ⁵ not in passionate lust, as the [unconverted] Gentiles, who do not know God, do. ⁶ And none of you should violate and exploit his brother [or sister] in such a matter. For the Lord will punish people for all these things, just as we told you before and warned you. ⁷ For God did not call us to be morally impure, but to be dedicated to Him. ⁸ So, the person who rejects [this exhortation] is not [merely] rejecting what man says but God [Himself], who gives His Holy Spirit to you. ⁹ Now you people do not need anyone to write to you about loving [your] brothers, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another. ¹⁰ For you certainly do practice it toward all the brothers [and sisters] throughout Macedonia. [Note: This was the province in which Thessalonica was located]. Yet we urge you, brothers, to continue doing it more and more. ¹¹ [We also urge you to] make it your aim to live a quiet life, and to attend to your own business matters, and to work with your hands, as we urged you. [Note: Possibly this exhortation was directed toward the tendency of some people there to neglect ordinary responsibilities in view of an imminent return of Christ]. ¹² [Do these things] so that you will live in a proper way in front of outsiders [i.e., non-Christians], and not have [to depend on people for] any needs. ¹³ But we want you to be informed, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep [in death] so that you do not grieve, as other people do [i.e., the unsaved], who have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again [from the dead], [we also believe] that God will bring [back to life], along with Jesus, those in [fellowship with] Him who have fallen asleep [in death]. ¹⁵ For we say this to you by [the authority of] the word of the Lord [Note: Paul was either quoting what Jesus had previously said, or was giving a revelation he had received from the Lord. See I Cor. 14:37], that we [Christians] who are [still] alive, who are left [on earth] when the Lord returns, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. [Note: The point Paul is making is that the living will not be “changed” (I Cor. 15:51-52) and taken to heaven before the dead are raised]. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself [i.e., Jesus] will come down from heaven with a commanding shout [Note: This probably refers to Jesus’ voice. See John 5:25, 28], [and] with the archangel’s voice [i.e., Michael. See Jude 9] and with the sound of God’s trumpet; [at this] the dead in [fellowship with] Christ will rise [from the dead] first. ¹⁷ Then, we who [will still] be alive, that are left, will be caught up together with them into the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so [from then on] we will always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ So, encourage one another with these words.

² And you people must not be conformed to [the values and standards of] this age, but you should become transformed [i.e., changed in attitude and action] by having your mind renewed [i.e., to think in a totally different way]. Then you will be able to determine [and practice] God’s will, the thing that is good, and acceptable and perfect.

¹³ Every temptation that you have experienced is one that commonly happens to people. But God is dependable and will not allow you to be tempted beyond your ability [to cope with it]; [instead] He will provide, along with the temptation, also a way of escaping [it], so you people will be able to endure it.

¹³ Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that you can withstand [the devil, See verse 11] when the evil day comes. And, after you have done everything you can, still remain standing firm [in the faith]. ¹⁴ So, you people should stand firm [in the faith], with the belt of truth firmly buckled around you, and with the “flack jacket” of righteousness on your chest. ¹⁵ And put on your shoes, ready to [go and] spread the Gospel of peace. ¹⁶ And along with everything else, take up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the fire-tipped arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Holy Spirit, which is God’s word. ¹⁸ [Then] offer all kinds of prayers and requests in [harmony with] the Holy Spirit at all times, and be alert constantly in making requests for all the saints [i.e., God’s holy people].

⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not like the world’s [i.e., which rely on human ingenuity and unspiritual principles], but they are empowered by God to overthrow [Satanic] fortifications.

³ For although we live in the world [i.e., in a human body], we do not wage war [i.e., for God and against evil] on a worldly level [i.e., by using the tactics of unsaved people]. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not like the world’s [i.e., which rely on human ingenuity and unspiritual principles], but they are empowered by God to overthrow [Satanic] fortifications. ⁵ We overthrow [vain] reasonings and every lofty idea raised against the knowledge of God [i.e., as revealed through the Gospel], and take captive [our] every thought to [make it] obey Christ.