Bible verses about "backsliding" | Haweis

⁶² But Jesus said unto him, No man laying his hand on the plough, and looking to the things left behind, is fit for the kingdom of God.

²⁰ For if having escaped from the defilements of the world by the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again enveloped by them and overcome, their last deeds are worse than the first. ²¹ For it had been better for them never to have been acquainted with the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to have turned aside from the holy commandment delivered unto them. ²² But the true proverb is verified in them, The dog hath returned to his own vomit; and the sow which was washed to its wallowing in the mire.

¹ TO the angel of the Ephesian church write; These things saith he who grasps the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh round in the midst of the seven golden lamps; ² I know thy works, and thy travail, and thy patience, and that thou canst not bear the wicked; and hast tried those who give themselves out as apostles, yet are not, and hast found them liars; ³ and hast borne, and hast exercised patience, and for my name sake hast endured great toil, and hast not fainted. ⁴ Yet have I a charge against thee, that thou art gone back from thy first love. ⁵ Remember then from whence thou hast fallen, and repent, and practise thy first works; but if not, I am coming to thee quickly, and I will remove thy lamp out of its place, except thou repent. ⁶ But this thou holdest, that thou abhorrest the deeds of the Nicolatans, which I also abhor. ⁷ He that hath ears, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches, To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. ⁸ For by grace ye are saved through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: ⁹ not by works, lest any man should boast;

⁸ And to the angel of the church of the Smyrnians write, These things saith the first and the last, who was dead, and is alive: ⁹ I know thy works, and thy tribulation, and thy poverty (though thou art rich), and the calumnies of those who say they are Jews, yet are not, but are Satan's synagogue. ¹⁰ Fear nothing from the things which thou shalt suffer: lo! the devil will cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have a ten day's tribulation: be thou faithful until death, and I will give thee a crown of life. ¹¹ He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. He that overcometh shall receive no injury from the second death. ¹² And to the angel of the church at Pergamos write, These things saith he who holdeth the sharp two-edged sword; ¹³ I know thy works and where thou hast thy abode, even where Satan's throne [is erected]: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days when Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was put to death among you, where Satan dwelleth. ¹⁴ Yet I have a few things against thee, that thou hast there some who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to lay a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat of idol sacrifices, and to commit whoredom. ¹⁵ Thou hast also some who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which I abhor. ¹⁶ Repent! but if not, I am coming to thee quickly, and will war against them with the sword of my mouth. ¹⁷ He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches, To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white pebble, and upon the pebble a new name inscribed, which no man knoweth except the person who receiveth it. ¹⁸ And to the angel of the church which is at Thyatira write, These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes as a flame of fire, and his feet like the molten brass; ¹⁹ I know thy deeds, and thy love, and thy charity to the poor, and thy faith, and thy patience, and thy works, and that the last are more abundant than the first. ²⁰ Yet I have a few things against thee, because thou hast suffered that woman Jezabel, calling herself a prophetess, to teach, and to lead my servants into error, to commit whoredom, and eat the idol sacrifices. ²¹ And I gave her a space that she should repent of her whoredom, and she hath not repented. ²² Behold, I am about to cast her on a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. ²³ And I will slay her children by death; and all the churches shall know that I am he who searcheth the reins and the hearts: and I will give to you, even to every one, according to your works. ²⁴ But to you I say, and to the rest that are at Thyatira, as many as do not hold this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak, I will lay upon them no other burden. ²⁵ Nevertheless that which you have, hold fast till I come. ²⁶ And he who overcometh, and perseveres in my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations; ²⁷ he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as a potter's vessels they shall be broken in pieces, even as I have received authority from my Father: ²⁸ and I will give him the star of the morning. ²⁹ He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

¹ AND to the angel of the church in Sardis write, These things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, and that thou hast a name, as though thou wert alive, yet art dead. ² Be vigilant and strengthen the things which remain, which are ready to die; for I have not found thy works complete before God. ³ Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and observe, and repent. If then thou art not found watching, I will come upon thee as a thief, and thou shalt in no wise know at what hour I will come upon thee. ⁴ Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white robes, for they are worthy. ⁵ He that overcometh, this man shall be clothed in white robes; and I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. ⁶ He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. ⁷ And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, These things saith the Holy One, he that is true, who hath the key of David, who openeth, and none shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth. ⁸ I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it; because thou hast but little strength, yet hast thou kept my word, and hast not denied my name. ⁹ Behold, I give thee out of Satan's synagogue those who say they are Jews, yet they are not, but do lie. Lo! I will make them that they shall come and prostrate themselves at thy feet, and they shall know that I have loved thee. ¹⁰ Because thou hast keep the word of my patience, I also will preserve thee from the hour of temptation, which is coming upon the whole habitable globe to try the dwellers upon earth. ¹¹ Behold, I come quickly: hold fast that thou hast, that no man take thy crown. ¹² He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall never more go out from thence: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name. ¹³ He that hath an ear to hear, let him ear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. ¹⁴ And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin of the creation of God; ¹⁵ I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: ¹⁶ I wish thou wert cold or hot. So because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit thee out of my mouth: ¹⁷ because thou sayest, I am rich, and wallow in wealth, and have no want unsupplied; yet thou knowest not that thou art wretched, and pitiable, and poor, and blind, and naked. ¹⁸ I advise thee to buy of me gold purified by the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white robes, that thou mayest be completely clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness may not appear; and anoint thine eyes with a collyrium, that thou mayest see. ¹⁹ As many as I love, I rebuke and correct: be zealous then, and repent. ²⁰ Lo! I stand at the door, and knock: if any person hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and I will sup with him, and he with me. ²¹ He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit on my throne, as I also have overcome, and have sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

¹ AFTER these things I beheld, and, lo! a door was opened in heaven, and a voice, the first which I heard, as of a trumpet, speaking to me, said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee what things will be after these. ² And immediately I was [rapt] in spirit: and, lo! a throne was placed in heaven, and upon the throne a person sitting. ³ And he that sat was in appearance like a stone of jasper and sardine: and a rainbow encircled the throne, like in hue to an emerald. ⁴ And around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon these thrones I saw twenty-four presbyters seated, clothed in white robes; and they had on their heads golden crowns. ⁵ And out of the throne issued forth lightnings, and thunder, and loud voices; and seven lamps of fire burned before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. ⁶ And before the throne was a sea of glass like crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and within the circle of the throne, were four living beings full of eyes before and behind. ⁷ And the first living being was like a lion, and the second living being was like a calf, and the third living being had a face as a man, and the fourth living being was like an eagle with wings expanded. ⁸ And the four living beings had each for himself six wings encircling him, and within they were full of eyes; and they never cease day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is coming. ⁹ And when these living beings give glory, and honour, and thanksgiving to him that sitteth on the throne, to him who liveth for ever and ever, ¹⁰ the four and twenty presbyters prostrate themselves before him who is Seated on the throne, and worship him who liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ¹¹ Worthy art thou, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; for thou hast created all things, and by thy will they exist, and were created.

⁵ Examine yourselves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your ownselves: know ye not your ownselves, that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobate?

⁹ If we confess our sins, faithful is he and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

⁴ For it is not possible to renew again unto repentance those who have been once illuminated, and have tasted the celestial gift, and have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, ⁵ and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, ⁶ and yet have fallen away: for they crucify again to themselves the Son of God, and expose him to public infamy.