Bible verses about "homecoming" | ERV

¹⁹ For, as for thy waste and thy desolate places and thy land that hath been destroyed, surely now shalt thou be too strait for the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away. ²⁰ The children of thy bereavement shall yet say in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.

⁷ For thus saith the LORD, Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout for the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel. ⁸ Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth, [and] with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall they return hither. ⁹ They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. ¹⁰ Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off; and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.

¹ Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of [our] faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ For consider him that hath endured such gainsaying of sinners against themselves, that ye wax not weary, fainting in your souls. ⁴ Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin: ⁵ and ye have forgotten the exhortation, which reasoneth with you as with sons, My son, regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord, Nor faint when thou art reproved of him; ⁶ For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. ⁷ It is for chastening that ye endure; God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is there whom [his] father chasteneth not? ⁸ But if ye are without chastening, whereof all have been made partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. ⁹ Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? ¹⁰ For they verily for a few days chastened [us] as seemed good to them; but he for [our] profit, that [we] may be partakers of his holiness. ¹¹ All chastening seemeth for the present to be not joyous, but grievous: yet afterward it yieldeth peaceable fruit unto them that have been exercised thereby, [even the fruit] of righteousness. ¹² Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the palsied knees; ¹³ and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed. ¹⁴ Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord: ¹⁵ looking carefully lest [there be] any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby the many be defiled; ¹⁶ lest [there be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright. ¹⁷ For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected (for he found no place of repentance), though he sought it diligently with tears. ¹⁸ For ye are not come unto [a mount] that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, ¹⁹ and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which [voice] they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them: ²⁰ for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned; ²¹ and so fearful was the appearance, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake: ²² but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels, ²³ to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, ²⁴ and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better than [that of] Abel. ²⁵ See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not, when they refused him that warned [them] on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape], who turn away from him that [warneth] from heaven: ²⁶ whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also the heaven. ²⁷ And this [word], Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain. ²⁸ Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe: ²⁹ for our God is a consuming fire.

¹ Let love of the brethren continue. ² Forget not to shew love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. ³ Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; them that are evil entreated, as being yourselves also in the body. ⁴ [Let] marriage [be] had in honour among all, and [let] the bed [be] undefiled: for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. ⁵ Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee. ⁶ So that with good courage we say, The Lord is my helper; I will not fear: What shall man do unto me? ⁷ Remember them that had the rule over you, which spake unto you the word of God; and considering the issue of their life, imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday and today, [yea] and for ever. ⁹ Be not carried away by divers and strange teachings: for it is good that the heart be stablished by grace; not by meats, wherein they that occupied themselves were not profited. ¹⁰ We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. ¹¹ For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest [as an offering] for sin, are burned without the camp. ¹² Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered without the gate. ¹³ Let us therefore go forth unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. ¹⁴ For we have not here an abiding city, but we seek after [the city] which is to come. ¹⁵ Through him then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his name. ¹⁶ But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. ¹⁷ Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit [to them]: for they watch in behalf of your souls, as they that shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief: for this [were] unprofitable for you. ¹⁸ Pray for us: for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honestly in all things. ¹⁹ And I exhort [you] the more exceedingly to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. ²⁰ Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of the eternal covenant, [even] our Lord Jesus, ²¹ make you perfect in every good thing to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] the glory for ever and ever. Amen. ²² But I exhort you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation: for I have written unto you in few words. ²³ Know ye that our brother Timothy hath been set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. ²⁴ Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. ²⁵ Grace be with you all. Amen.

¹ James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are of the Dispersion, greeting. ² Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations; ³ Knowing that the proof of your faith worketh patience. ⁴ And let patience have [its] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. ⁵ But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. ⁷ For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord; ⁸ a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways. ⁹ But let the brother of low degree glory in his high estate: ¹⁰ and the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. ¹¹ For the sun ariseth with the scorching wind, and withereth the grass; and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his goings. ¹² Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which [the Lord] promised to them that love him. ¹³ Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man: ¹⁴ but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. ¹⁵ Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin: and the sin, when it is fullgrown, bringeth forth death. ¹⁶ Be not deceived, my beloved brethren. ¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect boon is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning. ¹⁸ Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. ¹⁹ Ye know [this], my beloved brethren. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: ²⁰ for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. ²¹ Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. ²² But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves. ²³ For if any one is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror: ²⁴ for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. ²⁵ But he that looketh into the perfect law, the [law] of liberty, and [so] continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth, but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing. ²⁶ If any man thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this man’s religion is vain. ²⁷ Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world.

¹ My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: ² and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. ³ And hereby know we that we know him, if we keep his commandments. ⁴ He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him: ⁵ but whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby know we that we are in him: ⁶ he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. ⁷ Beloved, no new commandment write I unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning: the old commandment is the word which ye heard. ⁸ Again, a new commandment write I unto you, which thing is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shineth. ⁹ He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in the darkness even until now. ¹⁰ He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. ¹¹ But he that hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh in the darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes. ¹² I write unto you, [my] little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. ¹³ I write unto you, fathers, because ye know him which is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the evil one. I have written unto you, little children, because ye know the Father. ¹⁴ I have written unto you, fathers, because ye know him which is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the evil one. ¹⁵ Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the vainglory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. ¹⁸ Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour. ¹⁹ They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but [they went out], that they might be made manifest how that they all are not of us. ²⁰ And ye have an anointing from the Holy One, and ye know all things. ²¹ I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and because no lie is of the truth. ²² Who is the liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, [even] he that denieth the Father and the Son. ²³ Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that confesseth the Son hath the Father also. ²⁴ As for you, let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father. ²⁵ And this is the promise which he promised us, [even] the life eternal. ²⁶ These things have I written unto you concerning them that would lead you astray. ²⁷ And as for you, the anointing which ye received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any one teach you; but as his anointing teacheth you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, ye abide in him. ²⁸ And now, [my] little children, abide in him; that, if he shall be manifested, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. ²⁹ If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one also that doeth righteousness is begotten of him.

²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.

⁹ After these things I saw, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of [all] tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands; ¹⁰ and they cry with a great voice, saying, Salvation unto our God which sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb. ¹¹ And all the angels were standing round about the throne, and [about] the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, ¹² saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, [be] unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

¹¹ And he said, A certain man had two sons: ¹² and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of [thy] substance that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. ¹³ And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country; and there he wasted his substance with riotous living. ¹⁴ And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that country; and he began to be in want. ¹⁵ And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. ¹⁶ And he would fain have been filled with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. ¹⁷ But when he came to himself he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger! ¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: ¹⁹ I am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. ²⁰ And he arose, and came to his father. But while he was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son. ²² But the father said to his servants, Bring forth quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: ²³ and bring the fatted calf, [and] kill it, and let us eat, and make merry: ²⁴ for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. ²⁵ Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ And he called to him one of the servants, and inquired what these things might be. ²⁷ And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. ²⁸ But he was angry, and would not go in: and his father came out, and entreated him. ²⁹ But he answered and said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a commandment of thine: and [yet] thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: ³⁰ but when this thy son came, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him the fatted calf. ³¹ And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine. ³² But it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive [again]; and [was] lost, and is found.

¹⁴ and above all these things [put on] love, which is the bond of perfectness. ¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful.

¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end. ¹² And ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

² In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.

¹ For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens. ² For verily in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven: ³ if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. ⁴ For indeed we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed, but that we would be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of life. ⁵ Now he that wrought us for this very thing is God, who gave unto us the earnest of the Spirit. ⁶ Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord ⁷ (for we walk by faith, not by sight); ⁸ we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. ⁹ Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him. ¹⁰ For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things [done] in the body, according to what he hath done, whether [it be] good or bad. ¹¹ Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest unto God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. ¹² We are not again commending ourselves unto you, but [speak] as giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have wherewith to answer them that glory in appearance, and not in heart. ¹³ For whether we are beside ourselves, it is unto God; or whether we are of sober mind, it is unto you. ¹⁴ For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died; ¹⁵ and he died for all, that they which live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again. ¹⁶ Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know [him so] no more. ¹⁷ Wherefore if any man is in Christ, [he is] a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new. ¹⁸ But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech [you] on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God. ²¹ Him who knew no sin he made [to be] sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

¹⁹ And he suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go to thy house unto thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and [how] he had mercy on thee.

¹⁵ And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee whithersoever thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.