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For God so loved the world that he gave his only
Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but
might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the
world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved
through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but
whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he
has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. [JN 3:16-18]
The woman said to him, "Sir, I can see that
you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain; but
you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem."
Jesus said to her, "Believe me, woman, the hour is coming
when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in
Jerusalem. You people worship what you do not understand; we
worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews.
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will
worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father
seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who
worship him must worship in Spirit and truth." The woman said
to him, "I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called
the Anointed; when he comes, he will tell us everything."
Jesus said to her, "I am he, the one who is speaking with
you." [JN 4:19-26]
When the Samaritans came to him, they invited
him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. Many more
began to believe in him because of his word, and they said to the
woman, "We no longer believe because of your word; for we
have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the
savior of the world." [JN 4:40-42]
[Jesus said,] "If I testify on my own behalf, my
testimony cannot be verified. But there is another who testifies
on my behalf, and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf
is true. You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the
truth. I do not accept testimony from a human being, but I say
this so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp,
and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light. But I
have testimony greater than John's. The works that the Father gave
me to accomplish, these works that I perform testify on my behalf
that the Father has sent me. Moreover, the Father who sent me has
testified on my behalf. But you have never heard his voice nor
seen his form, and you do not have his word remaining in you,
because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent. You search
the scriptures, because you think you have eternal life through
them; even they testify on my behalf. But you do not want to come
to me to have life." [Taken from JN 5:31-40]
So Jesus said again, "Amen, amen, I say to
you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came (before me) are
thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am
the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come
in and go out and find pasture." [JN 10:7-9]
So the sisters sent word to him, saying,
"Master, the one you love is ill." When Jesus heard this
he said, "This illness is not to end in death, but is for the
glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through
it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So
when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the
place where he was. Then after this he said to his disciples,
"Let us go back to Judea." The disciples said to him,
"Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want
to go back there?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve
hours in a day? If one walks during the day, he does not stumble,
because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks at
night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." He said
this, and then told them, "Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but
I am going to awaken him." So the disciples said to him,
"Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved." But Jesus
was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant
ordinary sleep. So then Jesus said to them clearly, "Lazarus
has died. And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may
believe. Let us go to him." [JN 11:3-15]
"I am troubled now. Yet what should I say?
'Father, save me from this hour'? But it was for this purpose that
I came to this hour." [Taken from JN 12:27]
Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes
in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and
whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into the world as
light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in
darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them,
I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but
to save the world. Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words
has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn
him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the
Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. And I know
that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the
Father told me." [JN 12:44-50]
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his
voice, and proclaimed to them, "You who are Jews, indeed all
of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen
to my words. These people are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is
only nine o'clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken
through the prophet Joel: 'It will come to pass in the last days,'
God says, 'that I will pour out a portion of my spirit upon all
flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men
shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. Indeed, upon
my servants and my handmaids I will pour out a portion of my
spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy. And I will work
wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below: blood,
fire, and a cloud of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness,
and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and splendid
day of the Lord, and it shall be that everyone shall be saved who
calls on the name of the Lord.'" [ACTS
2:14-21]
He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day.
[ACTS 2:40-41]
Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
[ACTS 2:46-47]
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,
answered them, "Leaders of the people and elders: If we are
being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely,
by what means he was saved, then all of you and all the people of
Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the
Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his
name this man stands before you healed. He is 'the stone rejected
by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.' There is
no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name
under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be
saved." [ACTS 4:8-12]
"The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand
as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.
We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit that God has given to those who obey him."
[ACTS 5:30-32]
The Spirit told me to accompany them without
discriminating. These six brothers also went with me, and we
entered the man's house. He related to us how he had seen (the)
angel standing in his house, saying, 'Send someone to Joppa and
summon Simon, who is called Peter, who will speak words to you by
which you and all your household will be saved.' [ACTS 11:12-14]
Then he removed him and raised up David as their
king; of him he testified, 'I have found David, son of Jesse, a
man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish.' From
this man's descendants God, according to his promise, has brought
to Israel a savior, Jesus. John heralded his coming by proclaiming
a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel [Taken from
ACTS 13:22-24]
"My brothers, children of the family of
Abraham, and those others among you who are God-fearing, to us
this word of salvation has been sent. The inhabitants of Jerusalem
and their leaders failed to recognize him, and by condemning him
they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets that are read sabbath
after sabbath. For even though they found no grounds for a death
sentence, they asked Pilate to have him put to death, and when
they had accomplished all that was written about him, they took
him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb. But God raised
him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had
come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These are (now) his
witnesses before the people. We ourselves are proclaiming this
good news to you that what God promised our ancestors he has
brought to fulfillment for us, (their) children, by raising up
Jesus, as it is written in the second psalm, 'You are my son; this
day I have begotten you.'"
[Taken from ACTS 13:26-33]
On the following sabbath almost the whole city
gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the
crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse
contradicted what Paul said. Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out
boldly and said, "It was necessary that the word of God be
spoken to you first, but since you reject it and condemn
yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the
Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, 'I have made you a
light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation
to the ends of the earth.'" The Gentiles were delighted when
they heard this and glorified the word of the Lord. All who were
destined for eternal life came to believe, and the word of the
Lord continued to spread through the whole region. The Jews,
however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers and
the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul
and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory. So they
shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to
Iconium. The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
[ACTS 13:44-52]
Some who had come down from Judea were
instructing the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised
according to the Mosaic practice, you cannot be saved."
Because there arose no little dissension and debate by Paul and
Barnabas with them, it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some
of the others should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and
presbyters about this question. When they arrived in Jerusalem,
they were welcomed by the church, as well as by the apostles and
the presbyters, and they reported what God had done with them. But
some from the party of the Pharisees who had become believers
stood up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them and
direct them to observe the Mosaic law." The apostles and the
presbyters met together to see about this matter. After much
debate had taken place, Peter got up and said to them, "My
brothers, you are well aware that from early days God made his
choice among you that through my mouth the Gentiles would hear the
word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore
witness by granting them the Holy Spirit just as he did us. He
made no distinction between us and them, for by faith he purified
their hearts. Why, then, are you now putting God to the test by
placing on the shoulders of the disciples a yoke that neither our
ancestors nor we have been able to bear? On the contrary, we
believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in
the same way as they." The whole assembly fell silent, and
they listened while Paul and Barnabas described the signs and
wonders God had worked among the Gentiles through them. [ACTS
15:1-2,4-12]
As we were going to the place of prayer, we met
a slave girl with an oracular spirit, who used to bring a large
profit to her owners through her fortune-telling. She began to
follow Paul and us, shouting, "These people are slaves of the
Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation." She
did this for many days. Paul became annoyed, turned, and said to
the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to
come out of her." Then it came out at that moment. When her
owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul
and Silas and dragged them to the public square before the local
authorities. They brought them before the magistrates and said,
"These people are Jews and are disturbing our city and are
advocating customs that are not lawful for us Romans to adopt or
practice." The crowd joined in the attack on them, and the
magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be beaten with
rods. After inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into
prison and instructed the jailer to guard them securely. When he
received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and
secured their feet to a stake. About midnight, while Paul and Silas were
praying and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened, there
was suddenly such a severe earthquake that the foundations of the
jail shook; all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were
pulled loose. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors
wide open, he drew (his) sword and was about to kill himself,
thinking that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted out in a
loud voice, "Do no harm to yourself; we are all here."
He asked for a light and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he
fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and
said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said,
"Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be
saved." So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to
everyone in his house. He took them in at that hour of the night
and bathed their wounds; then he and all his family were baptized
at once. He brought them up into his house and provided a meal and
with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God. [ACTS
16:16-34]
The sailors then tried to abandon ship; they lowered the dinghy to the sea on the pretext of going to lay out anchors from the bow. But Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved."
So the soldiers cut the ropes of the dinghy and set it adrift. [ACTS
27:30-32]
The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners so that none might swim away and escape, but the centurion wanted to save Paul and so kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to the shore, and then the rest, some on planks, others on debris from the ship. In this way, all reached shore safely.
[ACTS 27:42-44]
They answered him, "We have received no
letters from Judea about you, nor has any of the brothers arrived
with a damaging report or rumor about you. But we should like to
hear you present your views, for we know that this sect is
denounced everywhere." So they arranged a day with him and
came to his lodgings in great numbers. From early morning until
evening, he expounded his position to them, bearing witness to the
kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus from the
law of Moses and the prophets. Some were convinced by what he had
said, while others did not believe. Without reaching any agreement
among themselves they began to leave; then Paul made one final
statement. "Well did the Holy Spirit speak to your ancestors
through the prophet Isaiah, saying: 'Go to this people and
say: You shall indeed hear but not understand. You shall
indeed look but never see. Gross is the heart of this people; they
will not hear with their ears; they have closed their
eyes, so they may not see with their eyes and hear with
their ears and understand with their heart and be
converted, and I heal them.' Let it be known to you that this
salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will
listen." He remained for two full years in his lodgings. He
received all who came to him, and with complete assurance and
without hindrance he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught
about the Lord Jesus Christ. [ACTS 28:21-31]
To Greeks and non-Greeks alike, to the wise and
the ignorant, I am under obligation; that is why I am eager to
preach the gospel also to you in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the
gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who
believes: for Jew first, and then Greek. For in it is revealed the
righteousness of God from faith to faith; as it is written,
"The one who is righteous by faith will live." The wrath
of God is indeed being revealed from heaven against every impiety
and wickedness of those who suppress the truth by their
wickedness. For what can be known about God is evident to them,
because God made it evident to them. Ever since the creation of
the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity
have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made.
As a result, they have no excuse; for although they knew God they
did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks. Instead, they
became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless minds were
darkened. [ROM 1:14-21]
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a
just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find
courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we
were still sinners Christ died for us. How much more then, since
we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him
from the wrath. Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were
reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more,
once reconciled, will we be saved by his life. Not only that, but
we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom
we have now received reconciliation. [ROM 5:7-11]
We know that all creation is groaning in labor
pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who
have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves
as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope
we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who
hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we
wait with endurance. In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the
aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And
the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the
Spirit, because it intercedes for the holy ones according to God's
will. [ROM 8:22-27]
And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, "Though the number of the Israelites were like the sand of the sea, only a remnant will be saved; for decisively and quickly will the Lord execute sentence upon the earth."
[ROM 9:27-28]
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God on
their behalf is for salvation. I testify with regard to them that
they have zeal for God, but it is not discerning. For, in their
unawareness of the righteousness that comes from God and their
attempt to establish their own (righteousness), they did not
submit to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the
law for the justification of everyone who has faith. Moses writes
about the righteousness that comes from (the) law, "The one
who does these things will live by them." But the
righteousness that comes from faith says, "Do not say in your
heart, 'Who will go up into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ
down) or 'Who will go down into the abyss?' (that is, to bring
Christ up from the dead)." But what does it say? "The
word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is,
the word of faith that we preach), for, if you confess with your
mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised
him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the
heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so
is saved. For the scripture says, "No one who believes in him
will be put to shame." For there is no distinction between
Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who
call upon him. For "everyone who calls on the name of the
Lord will be saved." But how can they call on him in whom
they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom
they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to
preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is
written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring (the)
good news!" But not everyone has heeded the good news; for
Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what was heard from
us?" Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard
comes through the word of Christ. But I ask, did they not hear?
Certainly they did; for "Their voice has gone forth to all
the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." But I
ask, did not Israel understand? First Moses says: "I will
make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a senseless
nation I will make you angry." Then Isaiah speaks boldly and
says: "I was found (by) those who were not seeking me; I
revealed myself to those who were not asking for me." But
regarding Israel he says, "All day long I stretched out my
hands to a disobedient and contentious people." [ROM 10:1-21]
Hence I ask, did they stumble so as to fall? Of
course not! But through their transgression salvation has come to
the Gentiles, so as to make them jealous. Now if their
transgression is enrichment for the world, and if their diminished
number is enrichment for the Gentiles, how much more their full
number. Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am
the apostle to the Gentiles, I glory in my ministry in order to
make my race jealous and thus save some of them. For if their
rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their
acceptance be but life from the dead? [ROM 11:11-15]
I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery,
brothers, so that you will not become wise (in) your own
estimation: a hardening has come upon Israel in part, until the
full number of the Gentiles comes in, and thus all Israel will be
saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come out of
Zion, he will turn away godlessness from Jacob; and this is my
covenant with them when I take away their sins." In respect
to the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but in respect to
election, they are beloved because of the patriarchs. For the
gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. [ROM 11:25-29]
And do this because you know the time; it is the
hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer
now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is
at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness (and) put on
the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves properly as in the
day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and
licentiousness, not in rivalry and jealousy. But put on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh. [ROM
13:11-14]
The message of the cross is foolishness to those
who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power
of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the
wise, and the learning of the learned I will set aside."
Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater
of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish? For
since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God
through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of
the proclamation to save those who have faith. For Jews demand
signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ
crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the
power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is
wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than
human strength. [1COR 1:18-25]
What is Apollos, after all, and what is Paul?
Ministers through whom you became believers, just as the Lord
assigned each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the
growth. Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who
waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. The one
who plants and the one who waters are equal, and each will receive
wages in proportion to his labor. For we are God's co-workers; you
are God's field, God's building. According to the grace of God
given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and
another is building upon it. But each one must be careful how he
builds upon it, for no one can lay a foundation other than the one
that is there, namely, Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this
foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or
straw, the work of each will come to light, for the Day will
disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire (itself)
will test the quality of each one's work. If the work stands that
someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a
wage. But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer
loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire. [1COR
3:5-15]
It is widely reported that there is immorality
among you, and immorality of a kind not found even among pagans -
a
man living with his father's wife. And you are inflated with
pride. Should you not rather have been sorrowful? The one who did
this deed should be expelled from your midst. I, for my part,
although absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as if
present, pronounced judgment on the one who has committed this
deed, in the name of (our) Lord Jesus: when you have gathered
together and I am with you in spirit with the power of the Lord
Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of
his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
Your boasting is not appropriate. Do you not know that a little
yeast leavens all the dough? Clear out the old yeast, so that you
may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are
unleavened... [For Christ] has been sacrificed. Therefore let
us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of
malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity
and truth. I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral
people, not at all referring to the immoral of this world or the
greedy and robbers or idolaters; for you would then have to leave
the world. But I now write to you not to associate with anyone
named a brother, if he is immoral, greedy, an idolater, a
slanderer, a drunkard, or a robber, not even to eat with such a
person. For why should I be judging outsiders? Is it not your
business to judge those within? God will judge those outside.
"Purge the evil person from your midst." [1COR
5:1-13]
For how do you know, wife, whether you will save
your husband; or how do you know, husband, whether you will save
your wife? [1COR 7:16]
To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak.
I have become all things to all, to save at least some. [1COR
9:22]
Avoid giving offense, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved.
[1COR 10:32-33]
Now I am reminding you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand. Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
[1COR 15:1-2]
Now in regard to the collection for the holy
ones, you also should do as I ordered the churches of Galatia. On
the first day of the week each of you should set aside and save
whatever one can afford, so that collections will not be going on
when I come. And when I arrive, I shall send those whom you have
approved with letters of recommendation to take your gracious gift
to Jerusalem. If it seems fitting that I should go also, they will
go with me. [1COR 16:1-4]
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. If we are afflicted, it is for your
encouragement and salvation; if we are encouraged, it is for your
encouragement, which enables you to endure the same sufferings
that we suffer. Our hope for you is firm, for we know that as you
share in the sufferings, you also share in the encouragement. [2COR
1:3-7]
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in
triumph in Christ and manifests through us the odor of the
knowledge of him in every place. For we are the aroma of Christ
for God among those who are being saved and among those who are
perishing, to the latter an odor of death that leads to death, to
the former an odor of life that leads to life. Who is qualified
for this? For we are not like the many who trade on the word of
God; but as out of sincerity, indeed as from God and in the
presence of God, we speak in Christ. [2COR 2:14-17]
Working together, then, we appeal to you not to
receive the grace of God in vain. For he says: "In an
acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped
you." Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is
the day of salvation. [2COR 6:1-2]
Now I am ready to come to you this third time.
And I will not be a burden, for I want not what is yours, but you.
Children ought not to save for their parents, but parents for
their children. [2COR 12:14]
In him we were also chosen, destined in accord
with the purpose of the one who accomplishes all things according
to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the
praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ. In him you
also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised
Holy Spirit, which is the first installment of our inheritance
toward redemption as God's possession, to the praise of his glory.
[EPH 1:11-14]
You were dead in your transgressions and sins in
which you once lived following the age of this world, following
the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work
in the disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the desires
of our flesh, following the wishes of the flesh and the impulses,
and we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest. But God,
who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us,
even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life
with Christ (by grace you have been saved), raised us up with him,
and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, that in the
ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in
his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been
saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of
God; it is not from works, so no one may boast. For we are his
handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has
prepared in advance, that we should live in them. [EPH 2:1-10]
Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to
the Lord. For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is
head of the church, he himself the savior of the body. As the
church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to
their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as
Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her to
sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without
spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and
without blemish. So (also) husbands should love their wives as
their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one
hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as
Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.
"For this reason a man shall leave (his) father and (his)
mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one
flesh." This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to
Christ and the church. In any case, each one of you should love
his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband. [EPH
5:22-33]
Put on the armor of God so that you may be able
to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle
is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the
powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the
evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God,
that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done
everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins
girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and
your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all
circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all (the) flaming
arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. [EPH 6:11-17]
Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the
gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am
absent, I may hear news of you, that you are standing firm in one
spirit, with one mind struggling together for the faith of the
gospel, not intimidated in any way by your opponents. This is
proof to them of destruction, but of your salvation. And this is
God's doing. [PHIL 1:27-28]
So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always
been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am
absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. [PHIL 2:12]
Join with others in being imitators of me,
brothers, and observe those who thus conduct themselves according
to the model you have in us. For many, as I have often told you
and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of
the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction. Their God is their
stomach; their glory is in their "shame." Their minds
are occupied with earthly things. But our citizenship is in
heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body
by the power that enables him also to bring all things into
subjection to himself. [PHIL 3:17-21]
For you, brothers, have become imitators of the
churches of God that are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you suffer
the same things from your compatriots as they did from the Jews,
who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and persecuted us;
they do not please God, and are opposed to everyone, trying to
prevent us from speaking to the Gentiles that they may be saved,
thus constantly filling up the measure of their sins. But the
wrath of God has finally begun to come upon them. [1THES 2:14-16]
Concerning times and seasons, brothers, you have
no need for anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know
very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at
night. When people are saying, "Peace and security,"
then sudden disaster comes upon them, like labor pains upon a
pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are
not in darkness, for that day to overtake you like a thief. For
all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We
are not of the night or of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep
as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober. Those who sleep
go to sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night.
But since we are of the day, let us be sober, putting on the
breastplate of faith and love and the helmet that is hope for
salvation. For God did not destine us for wrath, but to gain
salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that
whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him.
Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as
indeed you do. [1THES 5:1-11]
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at
work. But the one who restrains is to do so only for the present,
until he is removed from the scene. And then the lawless one will
be revealed, whom the Lord (Jesus) will kill with the breath of
his mouth and render powerless by the manifestation of his coming,
the one whose coming springs from the power of Satan in every
mighty deed and in signs and wonders that lie, and in every wicked
deceit for those who are perishing because they have not accepted
the love of truth so that they may be saved. Therefore, God is
sending them a deceiving power so that they may believe the lie,
that all who have not believed the truth but have approved
wrongdoing may be condemned. But we ought to give thanks to God
for you always, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you
as the firstfruits for salvation through sanctification by the
Spirit and belief in truth. To this end he has (also) called you
through our gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions
that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter
of ours. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who
has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope
through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in
every good deed and word. [2THES 2:7-17]
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, my true child in faith: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
[1TM 1:1-2]
This saying is trustworthy and deserves full
acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of
these I am the foremost. But for that reason I was mercifully
treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might
display all his patience as an example for those who would come to
believe in him for everlasting life. [1TM 1:15-16]
First of all, then, I ask that supplications,
prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for
kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and
tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and
pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to
come to knowledge of the truth. [1TM 2:1-4]
It is my wish, then, that in every place the men
should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
Similarly, (too,) women should adorn themselves with proper
conduct, with modesty and self-control, not with braided
hairstyles and gold ornaments, or pearls, or expensive clothes,
but rather, as befits women who profess reverence for God, with
good deeds. A woman must receive instruction silently and under
complete control. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have
authority over a man. She must be quiet. For Adam was formed
first, then Eve. Further, Adam was not deceived, but the woman was
deceived and transgressed. But she will be saved through
motherhood, provided women persevere in faith and love and
holiness, with self-control. [1TM 2:8-15]
Avoid profane and silly myths. Train yourself
for devotion, for, while physical training is of limited value,
devotion is valuable in every respect, since it holds a promise of
life both for the present and for the future. This saying is
trustworthy and deserves full acceptance. For this we toil and
struggle, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is
the savior of all, especially of those who believe. Command and
teach these things. Let no one have contempt for your youth, but
set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love,
faith, and purity. Until I arrive, attend to the reading,
exhortation, and teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which
was conferred on you through the prophetic word with the
imposition of hands of the presbyterate. Be diligent in these
matters, be absorbed in them, so that your progress may be evident
to everyone. Attend to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in
both tasks, for by doing so you will save both yourself and those
who listen to you. [1TM 4:7-16]
So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our
Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of
hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God. He
saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works
but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in
Christ Jesus before time began, but now made manifest through the
appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and
brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for
which I was appointed preacher and apostle and teacher. On this
account I am suffering these things; but I am not ashamed, for I
know him in whom I have believed and am confident that he is able
to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day. Take as
your norm the sound words that you heard from me, in the faith and
love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard this rich trust with the help
of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us. [2TM 1:8-14]
Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake
of those who are chosen, so that they too may obtain the salvation
that is in Christ Jesus, together with eternal glory. [2TM 2:10]
In fact, all who want to live religiously in
Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But wicked people and charlatans
will go from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. But you, remain
faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know
from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known
(the) sacred scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom
for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is
inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for
correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who
belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work. [2TM
3:12-17]
Paul, a slave of God and apostle of Jesus Christ
for the sake of the faith of God's chosen ones and the recognition
of religious truth, in the hope of eternal life that God, who does
not lie, promised before time began, who indeed at the proper time
revealed his word in the proclamation with which I was entrusted
by the command of God our savior, to Titus, my true child in our
common faith: grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus
our savior. [TI 1:1-4]
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]
Remind them to be under the control of
magistrates and authorities, to be obedient, to be open to every
good enterprise. They are to slander no one, to be peaceable,
considerate, exercising all graciousness toward everyone. For we
ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deluded, slaves to
various desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful
ourselves and hating one another. But when the kindness and
generous love of God our savior appeared, not because of any
righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, he
saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our
savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become
heirs in hope of eternal life. his saying is trustworthy. I want
you to insist on these points, that those who have believed in God
be careful to devote themselves to good works; these are excellent
and beneficial to others. Avoid foolish arguments, genealogies,
rivalries, and quarrels about the law, for they are useless and
futile. After a first and second warning, break off contact with a
heretic, realizing that such a person is perverted and sinful and
stands self-condemned. [TI 3:1-11]
But to which of the angels has he ever
said: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies
your footstool"? Are they not all ministering spirits sent to
serve, for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? [HEB 1:13-14]
Therefore, we must attend all the more to what
we have heard, so that we may not be carried away. For if the word
announced through angels proved firm, and every transgression and
disobedience received its just recompense, how shall we escape if
we ignore so great a salvation? Announced originally through the
Lord, it was confirmed for us by those who had heard. God added
his testimony by signs, wonders, various acts of power, and
distribution of the gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his
will. For it was not to angels that he subjected the world to
come, of which we are speaking. Instead, someone has testified
somewhere: "What is man that you are mindful of
him, or the son of man that you care for him? You made him
for a little while lower than the angels; you crowned him
with glory and honor, subjecting all things under his
feet." In "subjecting" all things (to him), he
left nothing not "subject to him." Yet at present
we do not see "all things subject to him," but we
do see Jesus "crowned with glory and honor" because he
suffered death, he who "for a little while" was made
"lower than the angels," that by the grace of God he
might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for
whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children
to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect
through suffering. [HEB 2:1-10]
In the same way, it was not Christ who
glorified himself in becoming high priest, but rather the one
who said to him: "You are my son; this day I have
begotten you"; just as he says in another place: "You
are a priest forever according to the order of
Melchizedek." In the days when he was in the flesh, he
offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the
one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because
of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from
what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the
source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, declared by God
high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. [HEB 5:5-10]
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. But we are
sure in your regard, beloved, of better things related to
salvation, even though we speak in this way. For God is not unjust
so as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for
his name by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones.
We earnestly desire each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness
for the fulfillment of hope until the end, so that you may not
become sluggish, but imitators of those who, through faith and
patience, are inheriting the promises. [HEB 6:4-12]
Those priests were many because they were
prevented by death from remaining in office, but he, because he
remains forever, has a priesthood that does not pass away.
Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God
through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them.
[HEB 7:23-25]
Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, and after this the judgment, so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many,
will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.
[HEB 9:27-28]
By faith Noah, warned about what was not yet
seen, with reverence built an ark for the salvation of his
household. Through this he condemned the world and inherited the
righteousness that comes through faith. [HEB 11:7]
Know this, my dear brothers: everyone should be
quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, for the wrath of a
man does not accomplish the righteousness of God. Therefore, put
away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the word that
has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. 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 1:19-27]
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he
has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a
brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day,
and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat
well," but you do not give them the necessities of the body,
what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have
works, is dead. Indeed someone might say, "You have faith and
I have works." Demonstrate your faith to me without works,
and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. You believe
that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and
tremble. Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without
works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works
when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith
was active along with his works, and faith was completed by the
works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham
believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,"
and he was called "the friend of God." See how a person
is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way,
was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she welcomed
the messengers and sent them out by a different route? For just as
a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is
dead. [JMS 2:14-26]
Do not speak evil of one another, brothers.
Whoever speaks evil of a brother or judges his brother speaks evil
of the law and judges the law. If you judge the law, you are not a
doer of the law but a judge. There is one lawgiver and judge who
is able to save or to destroy. Who then are you to judge your
neighbor? [JMS 4:11-12]
Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the
presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint
(him) with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith
will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he
has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. [JMS 5:14-15]
My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of
sins. [JMS 5:19-20]
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. Although you have not seen him you
love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him,
you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain
the goal of (your) faith, the salvation of your souls. Concerning
this salvation, prophets who prophesied about the grace that was
to be yours searched and investigated it, investigating the time
and circumstances that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated
when it testified in advance to the sufferings destined for Christ
and the glories to follow them. It was revealed to them that they
were serving not themselves but you with regard to the things that
have now been announced to you by those who preached the good news
to you (through) the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into
which angels longed to look. [1PT 1:3-12]
Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, insincerity, envy, and all slander;
like newborn infants, long for pure spiritual milk so that through it you may grow into salvation,
for you have tasted that the Lord is good. [1PT 2:1-3]
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. In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison, who
had once been disobedient while God patiently waited in the days
of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons,
eight in all, were saved through water. This prefigured baptism,
which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but
an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand
of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him. [1PT 3:18-22]
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]
Symeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus
Christ, to those who have received a faith of equal value to ours
through the righteousness of our God and savior Jesus Christ: may
grace and peace be yours in abundance through knowledge of God and
of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has bestowed on us everything
that makes for life and devotion, through the knowledge of him who
called us by his own glory and power. Through these, he has
bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, so that
through them you may come to share in the divine nature, after
escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil
desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your
faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with
self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with
devotion, devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with
love. If these are yours and increase in abundance, they will keep
you from being idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Anyone who lacks them is blind and shortsighted,
forgetful of the cleansing of his past sins. Therefore, brothers,
be all the more eager to make your call and election firm, for, in
doing so, you will never stumble. For, in this way, entry into the
eternal kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ will be richly
provided for you.
[2PT 1:1-11]
These people are waterless springs and mists
driven by a gale; for them the gloom of darkness has been
reserved. For, talking empty bombast, they seduce with licentious
desires of the flesh those who have barely escaped from people who
live in error. They promise them freedom, though they themselves
are slaves of corruption, for a person is a slave of whatever
overcomes him. For if they, having escaped the defilements of the
world through the knowledge of (our) Lord and savior Jesus Christ,
again become entangled and overcome by them, their last condition
is worse than their first. For it would have been better for them
not to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it
to turn back from the holy commandment handed down to them. What
is expressed in the true proverb has happened to them, "The
dog returns to its own vomit," and "A bathed sow returns
to wallowing in the mire." [2PT
2:17-22]
This is now, beloved, the second letter I am
writing to you; through them by way of reminder I am trying to
stir up your sincere disposition, to recall the words previously
spoken by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and
savior through your apostles. Know this first of all, that in the
last days scoffers will come (to) scoff, living according to their
own desires and saying, "Where is the promise of his coming?
From the time when our ancestors fell asleep, everything has
remained as it was from the beginning of creation." They
deliberately ignore the fact that the heavens existed of old and
earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of
God; through these the world that then existed was destroyed,
deluged with water. The present heavens and earth have been
reserved by the same word for fire, kept for the day of judgment
and of destruction of the godless. But do not ignore this one
fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years
and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay his
promise, as some regard "delay," but he is patient with
you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come
to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and
then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the
elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything
done on it will be found out. Since everything is to be dissolved
in this way, what sort of persons ought (you) to be, conducting
yourselves in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the
coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be
dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire. But according
to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which
righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you await these
things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him,
at peace. And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, as
our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him,
also wrote to you, speaking of these things as he does in all his
letters. In them there are some things hard to understand that the
ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just as
they do the other scriptures. Therefore, beloved, since you are
forewarned, be on your guard not to be led into the error of the
unprincipled and to fall from your own stability. But grow in
grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To
him be glory now and to the day of eternity. (Amen.)
[2PT 3:1-18]
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love
one another. No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one
another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection
in us. This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us,
that he has given us of his Spirit. Moreover, we have seen and
testify that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world.
Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in
him and he in God. We have come to know and to believe in the love
God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains
in God and God in him. In this is love brought to perfection among
us, that we have confidence on the day of judgment because as he
is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect
love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and
so one who fears is not yet perfect in love. We love because he
first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," but hates
his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother
whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is the
commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his
brother. [1JN 4:11-21]
Beloved, although I was making every effort to
write to you about our common salvation, I now feel a need to
write to encourage you to contend for the faith that was once for
all handed down to the holy ones. For there have been some
intruders, who long ago were designated for this condemnation,
godless persons, who pervert the grace of our God into
licentiousness and who deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus
Christ. I wish to remind you, although you know all things, that
(the) Lord who once saved a people from the land of Egypt later
destroyed those who did not believe. The angels too, who did not
keep to their own domain but deserted their proper dwelling, he
has kept in eternal chains, in gloom, for the judgment of the
great day. Likewise, Sodom, Gomorrah, and the surrounding towns,
which, in the same manner as they, indulged in sexual promiscuity
and practiced unnatural vice, serve as an example by undergoing a
punishment of eternal fire. Similarly, these dreamers nevertheless
also defile the flesh, scorn lordship, and revile glorious beings.
[JUDE 1:3-8]
But you, beloved, remember the words spoken
beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, for they told
you, "In (the) last time there will be scoffers who will live
according to their own godless desires." These are the ones
who cause divisions; they live on the natural plane, devoid of the
Spirit. But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy
faith; pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God
and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to
eternal life. On those who waver, have mercy; save others by
snatching them out of the fire; on others have mercy with fear,
abhorring even the outer garment stained by the flesh. To the one
who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you
unblemished and exultant, in the presence of his glory, to the
only God, our savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory,
majesty, power, and authority from ages past, now, and for ages to
come. Amen.
[JUDE 1:17-25]
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]
Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his
angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels
fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any
place for them in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent,
who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world,
was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have
salvation and power come, and the kingdom of our God and the
authority of his Anointed. For the accuser of our brothers is
cast out, who accuses them before our God day and night. They
conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their
testimony; love for life did not deter them from death.
Therefore, rejoice, you heavens, and you who dwell in
them. But woe to you, earth and sea, for the Devil has
come down to you in great fury, for he knows he has but a
short time." [RV 12:7-12]
After this I heard what sounded like the loud
voice of a great multitude in heaven,
saying: "Alleluia! Salvation, glory, and might belong to
our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has
condemned the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her
harlotry. He has avenged on her the blood of his
servants." [RV 19:1-2]
Also try:
Jesus
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Messiah
(NT) [M4]
rescue
/ rescued [R5]
heal
/ healing [H4]
Jesus'
second coming [S8]
judgment
[J3a]
Heaven
/ heaven / heavens / heavenly [H8a]
Hell
[H10a]
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