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Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, "Blessed be the
God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to
deliver the servants that trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal
command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any
god except their own God." [Taken from DAN 3:95]
When this period was over, I, Nebuchadnezzar,
raised my eyes to heaven; my reason was restored to me, and I
blessed the Most High, I praised and glorified him who lives
forever: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and
his kingdom endures through all generations. All who live on the
earth are counted as nothing; he does as he pleases with
the powers of heaven as well as with those who live on the
earth. There is no one who can stay his hand or say to
him, "What have you done?" At the same time my reason
returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and my
splendor returned to me. My nobles and lords sought me out; I was
restored to my kingdom, and became much greater than before.
Therefore, I, Nebuchadnezzar, now praise and exalt and glorify the
King of heaven, because all his works are right and his ways just;
and those who walk in pride he is able to humble. [DAN 4:31-34]
"Blessed is the man who has patience and perseveres
until the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. Go,
take your rest, you shall rise for your reward at the end of
days." [Taken from DAN 12:12-13]
The whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who
saves those that hope in him. They rose up against the two elders,
for by their own words Daniel had convicted them of perjury.
According to the law of Moses, they inflicted on them the penalty
they had plotted to impose on their neighbor [Taken from DAN 13:60-61]
Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me
with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and
mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to
the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is
he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in
punishment. Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him
a blessing [Taken from JOEL 2:12-14]
Indeed, the seed has not sprouted, nor have the
vine, the fig, the pomegranate and the olive tree yet borne. From
this day, I will bless! [Taken from HAG 2:19]
Just as you were a curse among the nations, O
house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you that you
may be a blessing; do not fear, but let your hands be strong.
[ZECH 8:13]
And now, O priests, this commandment is for
you: If you do not listen, And if you do not lay it to
heart, to give glory to my name, says the LORD of
hosts, I will send a curse upon you and of your blessing
I will make a curse. Yes, I have already cursed
it, because you do not lay it to heart. Lo, I will deprive
you of the shoulder and I will strew dung in your
faces, The dung of your feasts, and you will be carried
off with it. Then you will know that I sent you this
commandment because I have a covenant with Levi, says
the LORD of hosts. [MAL 2:1-4]
Dare a man rob God? Yet you are robbing
me! And you say, "How do we rob you?" In
tithes and in offerings! You are indeed accursed, for you,
the whole nation, rob me. Bring the whole tithe into the
storehouse, That there may be food in my house, and try
me in this, says the LORD of hosts: Shall I not open for you
the floodgates of heaven, to pour down blessing upon you
without measure? For your sake I will forbid the locust to destroy
your crops; And the vine in the field will not be
barren, says the LORD of hosts. Then all nations will call
you blessed, for you will be a delightful land, says the
LORD of hosts. You have defied me in word, says the LORD, yet
you ask, "What have we spoken against you?" You have
said, "It is vain to serve God, and what do we profit by
keeping his command, and going about in penitential
dress in awe of the LORD of hosts? Rather must we call the
proud blessed; for indeed evildoers prosper, and even
tempt God with impunity." Then they who fear the LORD spoke
with one another, and the LORD listened attentively; And
a record book was written before him of those who fear the
LORD and trust in his name. And they shall be mine, says the LORD
of hosts, my own special possession, on the day I take
action. And I will have compassion on them, as a man has
compassion on his son who serves him. Then you will again see the
distinction between the just and the wicked; Between him
who serves God, and him who does not serve him. For lo, the
day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and
all evildoers will be stubble, And the day that is coming
will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor
branch, says the LORD of hosts.
[MAL 3:8-19]
When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to
teach them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who
mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the
meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who
hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children
of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake
of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter
every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me. Rejoice
and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they
persecuted the prophets who were before you." [MT 5:1-12]
When John heard in prison of the works of the
Messiah, he sent his disciples to him with this question,
"Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for
another?" Jesus said to them in reply, "Go and tell John
what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame
walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and
the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the
one who takes no offense at me." [MT 11:2-6]
"But blessed are your eyes, because they
see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many
prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."
[Taken from MT 13:16-17]
Looking up to
heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to
the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. [Taken from MT 14:19]
When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea
Philippi he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the
Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the
Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the
prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I
am?" Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Messiah,
the Son of the living God." Jesus said to him in reply,
"Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has
not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to
you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and
the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will
give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on
earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth
shall be loosed in heaven." Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.
[MT 16:13-20]
The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered
them. They brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over
them, and he sat upon them. The very large crowd spread their
cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and
strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding him and those
following kept crying out and saying: "Hosanna to
the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord; hosanna in the highest." And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, "Who is
this?" And the crowds replied, "This is Jesus the
prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee." [MT 21:6-11]
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the
prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to
gather your children together, as a hen gathers her young under
her wings, but you were unwilling! Behold, your house will be
abandoned, desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until
you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'" [MT
23:37-39]
"Who, then, is the faithful and prudent
servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to
distribute to them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that
servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so. Amen, I say
to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. But if that
wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is long delayed,' and
begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with
drunkards, the servant's master will come on an unexpected day and
at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a
place with the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and
grinding of teeth." [MT 24:45-51]
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will
separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep
from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats
on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come,
you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for
you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you
gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and
you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for
me, in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer
him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or
thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and
welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or
in prison, and visit you?' And the king will say to them in reply,
'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least
brothers of mine, you did for me.' Then he will say to those on
his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire
prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you
gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a
stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no
clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.' Then
they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or
thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not
minister to your needs?' He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do
for me.' And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the
righteous to eternal life." [MT 25:31-46]
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said
the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said,
"Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took a cup,
gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all
of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed
on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from
now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when
I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father." Then,
after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. [MT
26:26-30]
Looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves,
and gave them to (his) disciples to set before the people [Taken
from MK 6:41]
And people were bringing children to him that he
might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw
this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children
come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to
such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the
kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." Then he
embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them. [MK
10:13-16]
So they brought the colt to Jesus and put their
cloaks over it. And he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks
on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut
from the fields. Those preceding him as well as those following
kept crying out: "Hosanna! Blessed is he who
comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our
father David that is to come! Hosanna in the
highest!" He entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area.
He looked around at everything and, since it was already late,
went out to Bethany with the Twelve. [MK 11:7-11]
While they were eating, he took bread, said the
blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, "Take it;
this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave
it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them,
"This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for
many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the
vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of
God." Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount
of Olives. [MK 14:22-26]
The high priest rose before the assembly and
questioned Jesus, saying, "Have you no answer? What are these
men testifying against you?" But he was silent and answered
nothing. Again the high priest asked him and said to him,
"Are you the Messiah, the son of the Blessed One?" Then
Jesus answered, "I am; and 'you will see the Son of
Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming
with the clouds of heaven.'" [Taken from MK 14:60-62]
During those days Mary set out and traveled to
the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered
the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard
Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth,
filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit
of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of
my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your
greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the
Lord would be fulfilled."
[LK 1:39-45]
And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the
greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he
has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on
will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great
things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to
age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his
arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown
down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has
sent away empty. He has helped Israel his
servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to
our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever." [LK
1:46-55]
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her
child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard
that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they
rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise
the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,
but his mother said in reply, "No. He will be called
John." But they answered her, "There is no one among your relatives who has this name." So they made signs, asking
his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name," and all were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke
blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all
these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea.
All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, "What,
then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord
was with him. [LK 1:57-66]
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of
Israel, for he has visited and brought redemption to his
people. He has raised up a horn for our salvation within the
house of David his servant, even as he promised through the mouth
of his holy prophets from of old: salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us, to show mercy to our
fathers and to be mindful of his holy covenant and of the
oath he swore to Abraham our father, and to grant us that,
rescued from the hand of enemies, without fear we might
worship him in holiness and righteousness before him all our
days." [Taken from LK 1:68-75]
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was
Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the
consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had
been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see
death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the
Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child
Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took
him into his arms and blessed God, saying: "Now, Master, you
may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for
my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of
all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and
glory for your people Israel." The child's father and mother
were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them
and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that
will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so
that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." [Taken from LK
2:25-35]
And raising his eyes toward his disciples he
said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for the
kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now
hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who
are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when
people hate you, and when they exclude and insult
you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the
Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your
reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated
the prophets in the same way. But woe to you who are
rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you
who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you
who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when
all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the
false prophets in this way." [LK 6:20-26]
"But to you who hear I say, love your
enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you." [LK 6:27-28]
The disciples of John told him about all these
things. John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the
Lord to ask, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we
look for another?" When the men came to him, they said,
"John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one
who is to come, or should we look for another?'" At that time
he cured many of their diseases, sufferings, and evil spirits; he
also granted sight to many who were blind. And he said to them in
reply, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the
blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the
deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news
proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at
me." [LK 7:18-23]
Turning to the disciples in private he said,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to
you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did
not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it." [LK
10:23-24]
While he was speaking, a woman from the crowd
called out and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that carried
you and the breasts at which you nursed." He replied,
"Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and
observe it." [LK 11:27-28] [Note: The above stresses that
observance of God's word is more important that a biological
relationship with Jesus and should not be considered a reproof of
his mother. Of course Jesus faithfully kept all God's
commandments, including that of honoring thy mother and father.]
"Gird your loins and light your lamps and
be like servants who await their master's return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are
those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at
table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the
second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed
are those servants. Be sure of this: if the master of the house
had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have
let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an
hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come." Then Peter
said, "Lord, is this parable meant for us or for
everyone?" And the Lord replied, "Who, then, is the
faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of
his servants to distribute (the) food allowance at the proper
time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds
doing so. Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all
his property. But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is
delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the
maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant's
master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and
will punish him severely and assign him a place with the
unfaithful." [Taken from LK 12:35-46]
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the
prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to
gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her
wings, but you were unwilling! Behold, your house will be
abandoned. (But) I tell you, you will not see me until (the time
comes when) you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord.'" [LK 13:34-35]
Then he said to the host who invited him,
"When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your
friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy
neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have
repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the
crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because
of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
[LK 14:12-14]
One of his fellow guests on hearing this said to
him, "Blessed is the one who will dine in the kingdom of
God." He replied to him, "A man gave a great dinner to
which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he
dispatched his servant to say to those invited, 'Come, everything
is now ready.' But one by one, they all began to excuse
themselves. The first said to him, 'I have purchased a field and
must go to examine it; I ask you, consider me excused.' And
another said, 'I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way
to evaluate them; I ask you, consider me excused.' And another
said, 'I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come.'
The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master
of the house in a rage commanded his servant, 'Go out quickly into
the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and
the crippled, the blind and the lame.' The servant reported, 'Sir,
your orders have been carried out and still there is room.' The
master then ordered the servant, 'Go out to the highways and
hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. For,
I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my
dinner.'" [LK 14:15-24]
So they brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks
over the colt, and helped Jesus to mount. As he rode along, the
people were spreading their cloaks on the road; and now as he was
approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude
of his disciples began to praise God aloud with joy for all the
mighty deeds they had seen. They proclaimed: "Blessed is
the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and
glory in the highest." Some of the Pharisees in the crowd
said to him, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples." He said
in reply, "I tell you, if they keep silent, the stones will
cry out!" [LK 19:35-40]
When the hour came, he took his place at table
with the apostles. He said to them, "I have eagerly desired
to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for, I tell you, I
shall not eat it (again) until there is fulfillment in the kingdom
of God." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said,
"Take this and share it among yourselves; for I tell you
(that) from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the
vine until the kingdom of God comes." Then he took the bread,
said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying,
"This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in
memory of me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten,
saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will
be shed for you." [Taken from LK 22:14-20]
As they led him away they took hold of a certain
Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country; and after
laying the cross on him, they made him carry it behind Jesus. A
large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who
mourned and lamented him. Jesus turned to them and said,
"Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for
yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming
when people will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that
never bore and the breasts that never nursed.' At that time people
will say to the mountains, 'Fall upon us!' and to the hills,
'Cover us!' for if these things are done when the wood is green
what will happen when it is dry?" [LK 23:26-31]
And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you
are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was
it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and
enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the
prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the
scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were
going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But
they urged him, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and
the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. And
it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread,
said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their
eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from
their sight. Then they said to each other, "Were not our
hearts burning (within us) while he spoke to us on the way and
opened the scriptures to us?" So they set out at once and
returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the
eleven and those with them who were saying, "The Lord has
truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!" Then the two
recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made
known to them in the breaking of the bread. [Taken from LK 24:25-35]
Then he led them (out) as far as Bethany, raised
his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from
them and was taken up to heaven. They did him homage and then
returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in
the temple praising God. [LK 24:50-53]
On the next day, when the great crowd that had
come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they
took palm branches and went out to meet him, and cried
out: "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name
of the Lord, (even) the king of Israel." Jesus found an
ass and sat upon it, as is written: "Fear no more, O daughter
Zion; see, your king comes, seated upon an ass's colt." [JN
12:12-15]
So when he had washed their feet (and) put his
garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them,
"Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me
'teacher' and 'master,' and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I,
therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you
ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to
follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do. Amen,
amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any
messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it." [Taken from JN 13:12-17]
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was
not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him,
"We have seen the Lord." But he said to them,
"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my
finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will
not believe." Now a week later his disciples were again
inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors
were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be
with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here
and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and
do not be unbelieving, but believe." Thomas answered and said
to him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him,
"Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed
are those who have not seen and have believed." [JN 20:24-29]
"Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your
sins may be wiped away, and that the Lord may grant you times of
refreshment and send you the Messiah already appointed for you,
Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the times of universal
restoration of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy
prophets from of old. For Moses said: 'A prophet like me will the
Lord, your God, raise up for you from among your own kinsmen;
to him you shall listen in all that he may say to you.
Everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be cut off
from the people.' Moreover, all the prophets who spoke, from
Samuel and those afterwards, also announced these days. You are
the children of the prophets and of the covenant that God made
with your ancestors when he said to Abraham, 'In your offspring
all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' For you first,
God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning
each of you from your evil ways." [Taken from ACTS 3:19-26]
"I have never wanted anyone's silver or gold or
clothing. You know well that these very hands have served my needs
and my companions. In every way I have shown you that by hard work
of that sort we must help the weak, and keep in mind the words of
the Lord Jesus who himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than
to receive.'" When he had finished speaking he knelt down and
prayed with them all. [Taken from ACTS 20:33-36]
While claiming to be wise, they became fools and
exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an
image of mortal man or of birds or of four-legged animals or of
snakes. Therefore, God handed them over to impurity through the
lusts of their hearts for the mutual degradation of their bodies.
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and
worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed
forever. Amen. [Taken from ROM 1:12-25]
What then can we say that Abraham found, our
ancestor according to the flesh? Indeed, if Abraham was justified
on the basis of his works, he has reason to boast; but this was
not so in the sight of God. For what does the scripture say?
"Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as
righteousness." A worker's wage is credited not as a gift,
but as something due. But when one does not work, yet believes in
the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as
righteousness. So also David declares the blessedness of the
person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
"Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and
whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does
not record." Does this blessedness apply only to the
circumcised, or to the uncircumcised as well? Now we assert that
"faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness." Under
what circumstances was it credited? Was he circumcised or not? He
was not circumcised, but uncircumcised. And he received the sign
of circumcision as a seal on the righteousness received through
faith while he was uncircumcised. Thus he was to be the father of
all the uncircumcised who believe, so that to them (also)
righteousness might be credited, as well as the father of the
circumcised who not only are circumcised, but also follow the path
of faith that our father Abraham walked while still uncircumcised.
[ROM 4:1-12]
They are Israelites; theirs the adoption, the
glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the
promises; theirs the patriarchs, and from them, according to the
flesh, is the Messiah. God who is over all be blessed forever.
Amen. [ROM 9:4-5]
Bless those who persecute (you), bless and do
not curse them. [ROM 12:14]
Keep the faith (that) you have to yourself in
the presence of God; blessed is the one who does not condemn
himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned
if he eats, because this is not from faith; for whatever is not
from faith is sin. [Taken from ROM 14:22-23]
Now, however, I am going to Jerusalem to
minister to the holy ones. For Macedonia and Achaia have decided
to make some contribution for the poor among the holy ones in
Jerusalem; they decided to do it, and in fact they are indebted to
them, for if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual
blessings, they ought also to serve them in material blessings. So
when I have completed this and safely handed over this
contribution to them, I shall set out by way of you to Spain; and
I know that in coming to you I shall come in the fullness of
Christ's blessing. I urge you, (brothers,) by our Lord Jesus
Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in the struggle
by your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from
the disobedient in Judea, and that my ministry for Jerusalem may
be acceptable to the holy ones, so that I may come to you with joy
by the will of God and be refreshed together with you. The God of
peace be with all of you. Amen. [ROM 15:25-33]
For as I see it, God has exhibited us apostles
as the last of all, like people sentenced to death, since we have
become a spectacle to the world, to angels and human beings alike.
We are fools on Christ's account, but you are wise in Christ; we
are weak, but you are strong; you are held in honor, but we in
disrepute. To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are
poorly clad and roughly treated, we wander about homeless and we
toil, working with our own hands. When ridiculed, we bless; when
persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we respond gently. We have
become like the world's rubbish, the scum of all, to this very
moment. [Taken from 1COR 4:9-13]
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he
lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to
whomever she wishes, provided that it be in the Lord. She is more
blessed, though, in my opinion, if she remains as she is, and I
think that I too have the Spirit of God. [1COR 7:39-40]
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a
participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is
it not a participation in the body of Christ? [1COR 10:16]
Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should
pray to be able to interpret. (For) if I pray in a tongue, my
spirit is at prayer but my mind is unproductive. So what is to be
done? I will pray with the spirit, but I will also pray with the
mind. I will sing praise with the spirit, but I will also sing
praise with the mind. Otherwise, if you pronounce a blessing
(with) the spirit, how shall one who holds the place of the
uninstructed say the "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since
he does not know what you are saying? For you may be giving thanks
very well, but the other is not built up. I give thanks to God
that I speak in tongues more than any of you, but in the church I
would rather speak five words with my mind, so as to instruct
others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
[1COR 14:13-19]
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement, who
encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to
encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement
with which we ourselves are encouraged by God. For as Christ's
sufferings overflow to us, so through Christ does our
encouragement also overflow.
[2COR 1:3-5]
The God and Father of the Lord Jesus knows, he who is blessed forever, that I do not lie.
[2COR 11:31]
O stupid Galatians! Who has bewitched you,
before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as
crucified? I want to learn only this from you: did you receive the
Spirit from works of the law, or from faith in what you heard? Are
you so stupid? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now ending
with the flesh? Did you experience so many things in vain? - if
indeed it was in vain. Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit
to you and works mighty deeds among you do so from works of the
law or from faith in what you heard? Thus Abraham "believed
God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Realize
then that it is those who have faith who are children of Abraham.
Scripture, which saw in advance that God would justify the
Gentiles by faith, foretold the good news to Abraham, saying,
"Through you shall all the nations be blessed."
Consequently, those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham who had faith. For all who depend on works of the law are under a
curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not
persevere in doing all the things written in the book of the
law." And that no one is justified before God by the law is
clear, for "the one who is righteous by faith will
live." But the law does not depend on faith; rather,
"the one who does these things will live by them."
Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse
for us, for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who hangs on a
tree," that the blessing of Abraham might be extended to the
Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the
promise of the Spirit through faith. [GAL 3:1-14]
Where now is that blessedness of yours? Indeed,
I can testify to you that, if it had been possible, you would have
torn out your eyes and given them to me. So now have I become your
enemy by telling you the truth? [GAL 4:15-16]
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing
in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of
the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he
destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in
accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of
his grace that he granted us in the beloved.
[EPH 1:3-6]
We know that the law is good, provided that one
uses it as law, with the understanding that law is meant not for a
righteous person but for the lawless and unruly, the godless and
sinful, the unholy and profane, those who kill their fathers or
mothers, murderers, the unchaste, practicing homosexuals,
kidnapers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is opposed to sound
teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God,
with which I have been entrusted. [1TM 1:8-11]
I charge (you) before God, who gives life to all
things, and before Christ Jesus, who gave testimony under Pontius
Pilate for the noble confession, to keep the commandment without
stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ
that the blessed and only ruler will make manifest at the proper
time, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has
immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, and whom no human
being has seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal power. Amen.
[1TM 6:13-16]
For the grace of God has appeared, saving all
and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to
live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await
the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and
of our savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to deliver us
from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his
own, eager to do what is good. Say these things. Exhort and
correct with all authority. Let no one look down on you. [TI 2:11-15]
For it is impossible in the case of those who
have once been enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift and shared
in the Holy Spirit and tasted the good word of God and the powers
of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to bring them to
repentance again, since they are recrucifying the Son of God for
themselves and holding him up to contempt. Ground that has
absorbed the rain falling upon it repeatedly and brings forth
crops useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a
blessing from God. But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is
rejected; it will soon be cursed and finally burned. [HEB 6:4-8]
When God made the promise to Abraham, since he
had no one greater by whom to swear, "he swore by
himself," and said, "I will indeed bless you and
multiply" you. And so, after patient waiting, he obtained the
promise. Human beings swear by someone greater than themselves;
for them an oath serves as a guarantee and puts an end to all
argument. So when God wanted to give the heirs of his promise an
even clearer demonstration of the immutability of his purpose, he
intervened with an oath, so that by two immutable things, in which
it was impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge might
be strongly encouraged to hold fast to the hope that lies before
us. [Taken from HEB 6:13-18]
This "Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest
of God Most High," "met Abraham as he returned from his
defeat of the kings" and "blessed him." And Abraham
apportioned to him "a tenth of everything." His name
first means righteous king, and he was also "king of
Salem," that is, king of peace. Without father, mother, or
ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life, thus made to
resemble the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. See how
great he is to whom the patriarch "Abraham (indeed) gave a
tenth" of his spoils. The descendants of Levi who receive the
office of priesthood have a commandment according to the law to
exact tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers,
although they also have come from the loins of Abraham. But he who
was not of their ancestry received tithes from Abraham and blessed
him who had received the promises. Unquestionably, a lesser person
is blessed by a greater. In the one case, mortal men receive
tithes; in the other, a man of whom it is testified that he lives
on. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, was
tithed through Abraham, for he was still in his father's loins
when Melchizedek met him. If, then, perfection came through the
levitical priesthood, on the basis of which the people received
the law, what need would there still have been for another priest
to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not reckoned
according to the order of Aaron? When there is a change of
priesthood, there is necessarily a change of law as well. Now he
of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, of
which no member ever officiated at the altar. It is clear that our
Lord arose from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing
about priests. It is even more obvious if another priest
is raised up after the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become so,
not by a law expressed in a commandment concerning physical
descent but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. For
it is testified: "You are a priest
forever according to the order of Melchizedek." [HEB 7:1-17]
By faith regarding things still to come Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.
[HEB 11:20]
By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the
sons of Joseph and "bowed in worship, leaning on the top of
his staff." [HEB 11:21]
Strive for peace with everyone, and for that
holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no
one be deprived of the grace of God, that no bitter root spring up
and cause trouble, through which many may become defiled, that no
one be an immoral or profane person like Esau, who sold his
birthright for a single meal. For you know that later, when he
wanted to inherit his father's blessing, he was rejected because
he found no opportunity to change his mind, even though he sought
the blessing with tears. [HEB 12:14-17]
Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation,
for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him.
[JMS 1:12]
Be doers of the word and not hearers only,
deluding yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not
a doer, he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror. He
sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets what he looked
like. But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and
perseveres, and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts,
such a one shall be blessed in what he does. If anyone thinks he
is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his
heart, his religion is vain. Religion that is pure and undefiled
before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows
in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world. [JMS
1:22-27]
In the same way the tongue is a small member and
yet has great pretensions. Consider how small a fire can set a
huge forest ablaze. The tongue is also a fire. It exists among our
members as a world of malice, defiling the whole body and setting
the entire course of our lives on fire, itself set on fire by
Gehenna. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea
creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species,
but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil,
full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and
with it we curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God.
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. This need not be
so, my brothers. Does a spring gush forth from the same opening
both pure and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, produce
olives, or a grapevine figs? Neither can salt water yield fresh. [Taken
from JMS 3:5-12]
Take as an example of hardship and patience,
brothers, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Indeed
we call blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of the
perseverance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, because "the Lord is compassionate and merciful."
[Taken from JMS 5:10-11]
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living
hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an
inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in
heaven for you who by the power of God are safeguarded through
faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final
time. In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may
have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of
your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though
tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at
the revelation of Jesus Christ. [1PT 1:3-7]
Finally, all of you, be of one mind,
sympathetic, loving toward one another, compassionate, humble. Do
not return evil for evil, or insult for insult; but, on the
contrary, a blessing, because to this you were called, that you
might inherit a blessing. For: "Whoever would love
life and see good days must keep the tongue from
evil and the lips from speaking deceit, must turn from evil
and do good, seek peace and follow after it. For the eyes of
the Lord are on the righteous and his ears turned to their
prayer, but the face of the Lord is against evildoers." [1PT
3:8-12]
Now who is going to harm you if you are
enthusiastic for what is good? But even if you should suffer
because of righteousness, blessed are you. Do not be afraid or
terrified with fear of them, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your
hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks
you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and
reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are
maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may
themselves be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing
good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil. For Christ
also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the
unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the
flesh, he was brought to life in the spirit. [1PT 3:13-18]
Beloved, do not be surprised that a trial by
fire is occurring among you, as if something strange were
happening to you. But rejoice to the extent that you share in the
sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may
also rejoice exultantly. If you are insulted for the name of
Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests
upon you. But let no one among you be made to suffer as a
murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as an intriguer. But whoever is
made to suffer as a Christian should not be ashamed but glorify
God because of the name. For it is time for the judgment to begin
with the household of God; if it begins with us, how will it end
for those who fail to obey the gospel of God? "And if the
righteous one is barely saved, where will the godless and the
sinner appear?" As a result, those who suffer in accord with
God's will hand their souls over to a faithful creator as they do
good. [1PT 4:12-19]
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave
to him, to show his servants what must happen soon. He made it
known by sending his angel to his servant John, who gives witness
to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ by
reporting what he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud and
blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message and heed
what is written in it, for the appointed time is near. [Taken from
RV 1:1-3]
I looked again and heard the voices of many
angels who surrounded the throne and the living creatures and the
elders. They were countless in number, and they cried out in a
loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to
receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and
glory and blessing." Then I heard every creature in heaven
and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything
in the universe, cry out: "To the one who sits on
the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and
might, forever and ever." The four living creatures
answered, "Amen," and the elders fell down and
worshiped. [RV 5:11-14]
After this I had a vision of a great multitude,
which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and
tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing
white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried
out in a loud voice: "Salvation comes from our God, who
is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb." All the
angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four
living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne,
worshiped God, and exclaimed: "Amen. Blessing and glory,
wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen." [RV
7:9-12]
I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write
this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on."
"Yes," said the Spirit, "let them find rest from
their labors, for their works accompany them." [RV 14:13]
"Behold, I am coming like a thief."
Blessed is the one who watches and keeps his clothes ready, so
that he may not go naked and people see him exposed. [Taken from
RV 16:15]
Then I heard something like the sound of a
great multitude or the sound of rushing water or mighty peals
of thunder, as they said: "Alleluia! The Lord
has established his reign, (our) God, the almighty. Let us
rejoice and be glad and give him glory. For the wedding
day of the Lamb has come, his bride has made herself ready. She was allowed to wear a bright, clean linen
garment." (The linen represents the righteous deeds of
the holy ones.) Then the angel said to me, "Write this:
Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the
Lamb." And he said to me, "These words are true; they
come from God." [RV 19:6-9]
Then I saw thrones; those who sat on them were
entrusted with judgment. I also saw the souls of those who had
been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God,
and who had not worshiped the beast or its image nor had accepted
its mark on their foreheads or hands. They came to life and they
reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did
not come to life until the thousand years were over. This is the
first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the
first resurrection. The second death has no power over these; they
will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him
for (the) thousand years. [RV 20:4-6]
And he said to me, "These words are
trustworthy and true, and the Lord, the God of prophetic spirits,
sent his angel to show his servants what must happen soon."
"Behold, I am coming soon." Blessed is the one who keeps
the prophetic message of this book. [Taken from RV 22:6-7]
Then he said to me, "Do not seal up the
prophetic words of this book, for the appointed time is near. Let
the wicked still act wickedly, and the filthy still be filthy. The
righteous must still do right, and the holy still be holy."
"Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me the recompense I
will give to each according to his deeds. I am the Alpha and the
Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."
Blessed are they who wash their robes so as to have the right to
the tree of life and enter the city through its gates. Outside are
the dogs, the sorcerers, the unchaste, the murderers, the
idol-worshipers, and all who love and practice deceit. [Taken from RV
22:10-15]
Also try:
consecrate
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sacred
[S3]
sanctify
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holy
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priest
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church
[C4]
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sacramentals
[S1]
grace
(before meals) [G]
pray
/ prayed / prayer [P11a]
Lord's
house / dwelling [L6a]
sanctuary
[S6]
Holy
Spirit [S27a]
Heaven
/ heaven / heavens / heavenly [H8a]
kingdom
/ kingdom of God [K2a]
rely
on God / reliance on God [R]
worship
[W12a]
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