Bible verses about "homecoming" | MNT

¹ My children, I am writing this to you that you may not continue to sin; but if any one sin, we ever have a Comforter before the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. ² And he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. ³ This is how we may know that we have come to know Him, by always keeping his commandments. ⁴ He who says, "I know Him," but does no continue obeying his commandments, is a liar, ⁵ and the truth is not in him; bit if any man obey his word, in him truly is the love of God made perfect. By this we come to know that we are in him. ⁶ By who says he "remains in him" ought to spend his life as he spent his. ⁷ Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, nay, and old commandment, which you have had from the beginning. That old commandment is the message to which you have listened. ⁸ Yet again it is a new commandment which I am writing to you, which is true in him and is you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. ⁹ He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness even until now. ¹⁰ But he who loves his brother is abiding in the light, and in it there is no cause of stumbling. ¹¹ But he who hates his brother is in the darkness, and is spending his life in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. ¹² I am writing to you, little children, because you sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. ¹³ I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have fully overcome the Evil One. I have written to you, little children, because you have learned to know the father. ¹⁴ I have written to you, fathers, because you have learned to know him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God is abiding in you, and you have fully 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 proud glory of life, is not from the Father, but from the world; ¹⁷ and the world and its lusts are passing away, but he who ever does the will of God abides forever. ¹⁸ My children, this is the last hour, and as you have heard that an antichrist was coming, and now many antichrists are already risen, whence we may know that it is the last hour. ¹⁹ They came forth from us, but they did not belong to us. If they had belonged to us they would certainly have remained with us, but they went out that they might be manifest that they all are not of us. ²⁰ Now you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. ²¹ I am not writing to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and know that no lie is of the truth. ²² Who is the liar if not the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, even he who disowns the Father and the Son. ²³ Whoever denies the Son, the same has not the Father; but he who confesses the Son has the Father also. As for you, let what you have heard from the beginning abide in you. ²⁴ If what you have heard from the beginning is abiding in you, you also will ever abide in the Son and in the Father. ²⁵ And this is the promise which he has promised to us even life eternal. ²⁶ I have written this to you concerning those who would lead you astray. ²⁷ As to you, the unction you received from him remains ever in you, and you need no teaching from any one. But since his unction teaches you concerning all things and is true, and is no lie, abide continually in him, as it has taught you to do. ²⁸ And now continue to abide in him, my children, so that when he shall appear we may have cheerful confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming. ²⁹ If you know that he is righteous you know also that every one who habitually practices righteousness has been born of him.

¹ Seeing then that we are encircled with this great cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and the sin that clings about us. Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured a cross, despising shame, and has now taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Compare yourselves with him who endured such hostility against himself at the hands of sinners, lest you grow weary, fainting in your souls. ⁴ Not yet have you resisted unto blood in your fight against sin; ⁵ and have you forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as sons? My son, do not despise the training of the Lord, Nor faint when he corrects you; ⁶ For it is those whom he loves that he disciplines, And he scourges every son whom he acknowledges. ⁷ It is for discipline that you are enduring these sufferings. God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ If you are left without discipline, in which all children share, then are you bastards and not sons. ⁹ Furthermore, our earthly fathers used to discipline us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? ¹⁰ For they only disciplined us for a few days, as seemed good to them; but he does it for our profit, that we may share his holiness. ¹¹ Now no discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but grievous; but afterward it yields the peaceable fruits of righteousness to those who have been trained under it. ¹² Wherefore lift up your listless hands, strengthen your feeble knees; ¹³ make straight path for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. ¹⁴ Run swiftly after peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. ¹⁵ Look carefully that there be no one who falls back from the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up to trouble you, and by its means many become defiled. ¹⁶ Take care lest there be any fornicator or scorner like Esau among you, who for one meal sold his birthright. ¹⁷ For you know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; he found no room for repentance, though he sought it earnestly, with tears. ¹⁸ For you are not come to a palpable and enkindled fire, ¹⁹ nor to gloom and darkness and tempest and the blare of a trumpet and an audible voice. Those who heard that voice entreated that no word more should be spoken to them. ²⁰ For they could not endure that which was enjoined, Even if a wild beast touches the mountain it shall be stoned to death; ²¹ and so terrible was the scene that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and tremble. ²² On the contrary you are come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to innumerable hosts of angels, ²³ to the festal assemblage and church of the firstborn, registered in heaven, to a Judge who is God of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, ²⁴ to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to his sprinkled Blood whose message cries louder than that of Abel. ²⁵ See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape punishment when they refused to listen to their instructor on earth, much less shall we escape if we turn away from him who is teaching us from heaven; ²⁶ whose voice then shook the earth, but now he has promised, saying, Once again, once for all, I make not only earth, but heaven also to tremble. ²⁷ That phrase, "Once again," signifies the removal of the things which can be shaken, created things, in order that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸ Wherefore since we are receiving a kingdom which is unshakable, let us give thanks, and so offer acceptable worship to God, with holy awe and fear, ²⁹ FOR INDEED OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE.

¹ Let brotherly love continue. ² Do not neglect to show hospitality; for by it some have even entertained angels unawares. ³ Remember those who are in prison, as if you were fellow prisoners; remember too, those who are being ill-treated, since you too, are in the body. ⁴ Let marriage be held in honor by all, and the marriage bed be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers will God judge. ⁵ Let your life be untainted by love of money; be content with such things as you have; for God himself has said, I will never leave thee; I will never forsake thee. ⁶ So that we can say with confidence, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? ⁷ Remember your leaders, the men who spoke the message of God to you; consider the issue of their lives, and imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ⁹ Do not allow yourselves to be swept away by various and strange teachings. For it is a beautiful thing to be established in heart by grace, and not by regulations regarding food, from which those that occupied themselves with them have derived no benefit. ¹⁰ We Christians have an altar from which those have no right to eat who minister in the Tabernacle. ¹¹ For the bodies of the animals whose blood is carried by the High Priest into the Holy Place are burned outside the camp, ¹² and so Jesus suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people by his own blood. ¹³ Let us then go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. ¹⁴ For we have not here an abiding city, but we are earnestly seeking the city that is to be. ¹⁵ In his name, then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of lips that confess his name. ¹⁶ And forget not to be kind and liberal; for with that sort of sacrifice God is well pleased. ¹⁷ Obey your leaders and submit to them; for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who must give account; that they may do thus with joy and not with lamentation, for this would be unprofitable to you. ¹⁸ Keep on praying for me. I am persuaded that I have a clear conscience, and I desire in every way to live nobly. ¹⁹ I the more earnestly ask for your prayers, that I may be the more speedily restored to you. ²⁰ Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of an eternal covenant, ²¹ equip you in every good deed for the doing of his will, doing in you what is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory unto the ages of the ages! Amen! ²² But I entreat you, brothers, bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. ²³ You know that our brother Timothy has been set free. If he comes soon, I will see him with you. ²⁴ Salute all your leaders and the saints. The brothers from Italy send you greeting. ²⁵ Grace be with you all, Amen.

¹ James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greeting to the twelve tribes that are scattered abroad. ² My brothers, when you are beset by various temptations, count it all joy, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith is working out endurance. ⁴ But let endurance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and entire, not lacking in anything. ⁵ If any one of you is lacking in wisdom, let him ask it from the God who gives to all men freely and without upbraiding; and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, without wavering; for he who wavers is like a surge of the sea, wind-driven and tossed. ⁷ Such a man need not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, ⁸ double-minded as he is, unstable at every turn. ⁹ Let a brother in humble circumstances glory in his exaltation; ¹⁰ but a rich brother, in his humiliation; because like the flower of the grass the rich man will pass away. ¹¹ For as the sun comes up with a burning heat, it withers the grass, and its flowers fall, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes; so also shall the rich man fade away amid his pursuits. ¹² Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him. ¹³ When he is being tempted, let no one say, "It is God who tempts me," for God cannot be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man. ¹⁴ But each man is tempted by his own lusts that allure and entice him. ¹⁵ Then lust conceives and gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is mature, brings forth death. ¹⁶ Do not be deceived, my brothers! ¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect boon is from above, and is ever coming down to us from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom is no variation nor shadow of eclipse. ¹⁸ Because he willed, he gave us birth through the word of truth, so that we should be a kind of first-fruits among his creatures. ¹⁹ Mark this well, my dear brothers. Let every man be swift in hearing, slow in speaking, slow in growing angry; ²⁰ for a man's anger does not further the righteous purpose of God. ²¹ So strip off all filthiness and superfluity of wickedness, and in meekness receive the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls. ²² And become doers of the Word, and not merely hearers, deceiving yourselves. ²³ Because if any one is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; ²⁴ for after he has looked carefully at himself, he goes away, and at once forgets what he is like. ²⁵ But the man who looks closely into the perfect law—the law of liberty—and continues looking, this man will be blessed in his deed because he is not a hearer who forgets, but a doer who does. ²⁶ If a man thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own religion, ²⁷ and undefiled before our God and Father, to look after orphans and widows in their affliction, and ever to keep himself unspotted from the world.

²⁷ "Peace I leave with you. My own peace I give to you. It is not the world's 'Peace' I give you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

⁹ After this I looked, and behold a great multitude, whom no man could number, out of every nation and tribe and 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 with a loud voice, saying "Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb!" ¹¹ And all the angels stood encircling the throne, and the Elders and the Living Creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne, worshiping God, ¹² and crying, "Even so! The blessing and the glory and the wisdom And the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the might Be to our God forever and ever. Amen."

¹¹ And he said: "There was a man who had two sons. ¹² "The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of your property which is coming to me.' So he divided his means among them. ¹³ "Not many days after that the younger son gathered everything together and took his journey into a distant country; and there he wasted his money on living unsavingly. ¹⁴ "After he had spent everything there came a terrible famine in the land, and he began to be in want. ¹⁵ "So he went and hired to one of the citizens of that land, who sent him out into the fields to feed swine. ¹⁶ "And he was longing to be filled with the husks which the swine were eating, but no one gave him any. ¹⁷ "When he came to himself he said: "'How many of my father's hired men have bread enough and to spare, while I am perishing of hunger! ¹⁸ "'I will rise and go to my father, and say to him. "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and in your sight, ¹⁹ "'"I am no more worthy to be called your son; only make me like one of your hired men."' ²⁰ "So he arose and went to his father; but while he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. ²¹ "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and am no more worthy to be called your son.' ²² "'Fetch the best robe, quick,' said the father to his slaves, 'and put it on him, and give him a ring on his finger, and shoes on his feet. ²³ "'Bring that fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry, ²⁴ "'for this son of mine was dead and is alive again—he was lost and is found.' ²⁵ "So they began to make merry. But his elder son was in the field, and as he drew near to the house he heard music and dancing, ²⁶ "and he summoned one of the slaves, and began to inquire of him what all this meant. ²⁷ "'Your brother is come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has him safe and sound.' ²⁸ "But he was angry and would not go in; so his father came out, and attempted to plead with him; but he said to his father. ²⁹ "'All these years I have been slaving for you and never disobeyed a command of yours. Yet you never gave me even a kid so that I might make merry with my friends. ³⁰ "'But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with harlots, you have killed him the fatted calf.' ³¹ "'My dear son,' answered his father, 'you are always with me and all that is mine is yours. ³² "'But it was fitting that we should make merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive; he was lost and is found.'"

¹⁴ Over them all bind on love, which is the girdle of completeness. ¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ, to which also you were called in one body, rule in your hearts, and show yourselves thankful.

² In my Father's house there are many rooms If it were not so, would I have told you that I went to prepare a place for you?

¹ For I know, if this earthly tent of mine were struck, I have a mansion built by God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For in this tent I am groaning, earnestly longing to be under the cover of my heavenly habitation; if so be that being so covered, ³ I shall not be found naked. ⁴ For in this tent of mine I am groaning in deep trouble; not that I wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up in life. ⁵ And He who has wrought me out for this very end is God, who has given me his Spirit as pledge. ⁶ Therefore I am always of good courage, because I well know that while I am at home in the body, I am in banishment from the Lord, ⁷ for I am walking by faith, not by sight. ⁸ So I have good courage, and am well pleased rather, to be in banishment from the body and to be at home with the Lord. ⁹ And for this reason I also make it home with the Lord. ¹⁰ For we must all be made manifest, in our true characters, before the Judgment-seat of Christ; so that each one may receive according to that which he has done in his body, whether good or evil. ¹¹ So, because I know the fear of God, I "persuade men." What I am is manifest to God, and I hope manifest also to your conscience. ¹² I am not "commending myself to you again," but I am giving you an occasion of boasting on my behalf, so that you may have an answer ready for those who boast in externals, and not in the heart. ¹³ For if I was "beside myself," it was to God; of if I am now "of sound mind," it is for you. ¹⁴ For the love of Christ overmasters me; because I thus judge that if One has died for all, then all have died; ¹⁵ and that he died for all in order that the living may live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again for them. ¹⁶ Therefore henceforth I know no one simply as a man—even if I have known Christ as a man, yet now I do so no longer. ¹⁷ So there is a new creation when any man is in Christ. The old life has passed away, behold, the new is come. ¹⁸ And all this is from God, who through Christ reconciled me to himself, and gave me the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ how that God was in Christ reconciling a world to himself, not reckoning to men their trespasses; and that to me he has entrusted the message of that reconciliation. ²⁰ On Christ's behalf, then, I come as ambassador. It is as though God was entreating you, through me, on Christ's behalf I beg you to be reconciled to God. ²¹ Him who knew no sin, in our behalf he has made to be sin; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

¹⁹ "Go home to your own people, and tell them what great things God has done for you, and has had mercy upon you."