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For neither did the evil creation of men's fancy deceive
us, nor the fruitless labor of painters, A form smeared
with varied colors, the sight of which arouses yearning in the
senseless man, till he longs for the inanimate form of a dead
image. Lovers of evil things, and worthy of such hopes are
they who make them and long for them and worship them. [WISDOM 15:4-6]
For they esteemed all the idols of the nations gods, which
have no use of the eyes for vision, nor nostrils to snuff the
air, Nor ears to hear, nor fingers on their hands for
feeling; even their feet are useless to walk with. For a man
made them; one whose spirit has been lent him fashioned
them. For no man succeeds in fashioning a god like himself;
being mortal, he makes a dead thing with his lawless
hands. For he is better than the things he worships; he
at least lives, but never they. And besides, they worship the most
loathsome beasts - for compared as to folly, these are worse
than the rest, Nor for their looks are they good or desirable
beasts, but they have escaped both the approval of God and
his blessing. [WISDOM 15:15-19]
The greatest among his brethren, the glory of his
people, was Simon the priest, son of Jochanan, In whose
time the house of God was renovated, in whose days the temple
was reinforced. He protected his people against brigands and
strengthened his city against the enemy. How splendid he was as he
appeared from the tent, as he came from within the veil! Like
a star shining among the clouds, like the full moon at the
holyday season; Like the sun shining upon the temple, like
the rainbow appearing in the cloudy sky; Like the blossoms on the
branches in springtime, like a lily on the banks of a
stream; Like the trees of Lebanon in summer, Vested in his
magnificent robes, and wearing his garments of
splendor, As he ascended the glorious altar and lent
majesty to the court of the sanctuary. Once he had completed the
services at the altar with the arranging of the sacrifices
for the Most High, And had stretched forth his hand for the
cup, to offer blood of the grape, And poured it out at
the foot of the altar, a sweet-smelling odor to the Most High
God, The sons of Aaron would sound a blast, the priests, on
their trumpets of beaten metal; A blast to resound
mightily as a reminder before the Most High. Then all the
people with one accord would quickly fall prostrate to the
ground In adoration before the Most High, before the
Holy One of Israel. Then hymns would re-echo, and over the
throng sweet strains of praise resound. All the people of the land
would shout for joy, praying to the Merciful One, As the
high priest completed the services at the altar by presenting
to God the sacrifice due; Then coming down he would raise his
hands over all the congregation of Israel. The blessing
of the LORD would be upon his lips, the name of the LORD
would be his glory. Then again the people would lie
prostrate to receive from him the blessing of the Most High.
[SIRACH 50:1,4-8,11,14-21]
You have abandoned your people, the house of
Jacob, Because they are filled with fortunetellers and
soothsayers, like the Philistines; they covenant with strangers.
Their land is full of silver and gold, and there is no end to
their treasures; Their land is full of horses, and there
is no end to their chariots. Their land is full of
idols; they worship the works of their hands, that which
their fingers have made. But man is abased, each one brought
low. (Do not pardon them!) Get behind the rocks, hide in
the dust, From the terror of the LORD and the splendor
of his majesty! [ISA 2:6-10]
Men will go into caves in the rocks and into holes in the
earth, From the terror of the LORD and the splendor of
his majesty, when he arises to overawe the earth. On that day
men will throw to the moles and the bats the idols of silver and
gold which they made for worship. They go into caverns in the
rocks and into crevices in the cliffs, From the terror
of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, when he arises
to overawe the earth. [ISA 2:19-21]
On that day, The LORD shall beat out the
grain between the Euphrates and the Wadi of Egypt, and
you shall be gleaned one by one, O sons of Israel. On that
day, A great trumpet shall blow, and the lost in the
land of Assyria and the outcasts in the land of Egypt shall
come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain, in Jerusalem. [ISA
27:12-13]
The carpenter stretches a line and marks with a stylus the
outline of an idol. He shapes it with a plane and measures it off
with a compass, making it like a man in appearance and dignity, to
occupy a shrine. He cuts down cedars, takes a holm or an oak, and
lays hold of other trees of the forest, which the Lord had planted
and the rain made grow to serve man for fuel. With a part of their
wood he warms himself, or makes a fire for baking bread; but with
another part he makes a god which he adores, an idol which he
worships... Of what remains he makes a god, his idol, and
prostrate before it in worship, he implores it, "Rescue me,
for you are my god." The idols have neither knowledge nor
reason; their eyes are coated so that they cannot see, and their
hearts so that they cannot understand... He is chasing ashes-a
thing that cannot save itself when the flame consumes it; yet he
does not say, "Is not this thing in my right hand a
fraud?" [Taken from ISA 44:13-15,17-18,20]
There are those who pour out gold from a purse and weigh
out silver on the scales; Then they hire a goldsmith to make
it into a god before which they fall down in worship. They lift it
to their shoulders to carry; when they set it in place again,
it stays, and does not move from the spot. Although they
cry out to it, it cannot answer; it delivers no one from
distress. [ISA 46:6-7]
Thus says the Lord GOD: See, I will lift up my hand to the
nations, and raise my signal to the peoples; They shall bring
your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried
on their shoulders. Kings shall be your foster fathers, their
princesses your nurses; Bowing to the ground, they shall worship
you and lick the dust at your feet. Then you shall know
that I am the LORD, and those who hope in me shall never be
disappointed. [ISA 49:22-23]
As the new heavens and the new earth which I will
make shall endure before me, says the LORD, so shall
your race and your name endure. From one new moon to
another, and from one sabbath to another, All mankind
shall come to worship before me, says the LORD. [ISA 66:22-23]
The following message came to Jeremiah from the LORD: Stand at
the gate of the house of the LORD, and there proclaim this
message: Hear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah who enter
these gates to worship the LORD! Thus says the LORD of hosts, the
God of Israel: Reform your ways and your deeds, so that I may
remain with you in this place. Put not your trust in the deceitful
words: "This is the temple of the LORD! The temple of the
LORD! The temple of the LORD!" Only if you thoroughly reform
your ways and your deeds; if each of you deals justly with his
neighbor; if you no longer oppress the resident alien, the orphan,
and the widow; if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place,
or follow strange gods to your own harm, will I remain with you in
this place, in the land which I gave your fathers long ago and
forever. [JER 7:1-7]
At that time, says the LORD, the bones of the kings and princes
of Judah, the bones of the priests and the prophets, and the bones
of the citizens of Jerusalem will be emptied out of their graves
and spread out before the sun and the moon and the whole army of
heaven, which they loved and served, which they followed,
consulted, and worshiped. They will not be gathered up for burial,
but will lie like dung upon the ground. Death will be preferred to
life by all the survivors of this wicked race who remain in any of
the places to which I banish them, says the LORD of hosts. [JER 8:1-3]
For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Before your
very eyes and during your lifetime I will silence from this place
the cry of joy and the cry of gladness, the voice of the
bridegroom and the voice of the bride. When you proclaim all these
words to this people and they ask you: "Why has the LORD
pronounced all these great evils against us? What is our crime?
What sin have we committed against the LORD, our God?" - you
shall answer them: It is because your fathers have forsaken me,
says the LORD, and followed strange gods, which they served and
worshiped; but me they have forsaken, and my law they have not
observed. And you have done worse than your fathers. Here you are,
every one of you, walking in the hardness of his evil heart
instead of listening to me. I will cast you out of this land into
a land that neither you nor your fathers have known; there you can
serve strange gods day and night, because I will not grant you my
mercy. [JER 16:9-13]
Many people will pass by this city and ask one another:
"Why has the LORD done this to so great a city?" And the
answer will be given: "Because they have deserted their
covenant with the LORD, their God, by worshiping and serving
strange gods." [JER 22:8-9]
In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king
of Judah, this message came from the LORD: Thus says the LORD:
Stand in the court of the house of the LORD and speak to the
people of all the cities of Judah who come to worship in the house
of the LORD; whatever I command you, tell them, and omit nothing.
Perhaps they will listen and turn back, each from his evil way, so
that I may repent of the evil I have planned to inflict upon them
for their evil deeds. Say to them: Thus says the LORD: If you
disobey me, not living according to the law I placed before you
and not listening to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I
send you constantly though you do not obey them, I will treat this
house like Shiloh, and make this the city which all the nations of
the earth shall refer to when cursing another. [JER 26:1-6]
Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put
on the splendor of glory from God forever: Wrapped in the cloak of
justice from God, bear on your head the mitre that
displays the glory of the eternal name. For God will show all the
earth your splendor: you will be named by God forever the
peace of justice, the glory of God's worship. [BARUCH 5:1-4]
Take care that you yourselves do not imitate their alien example and stand in fear of them, when you see the crowd before them and behind worshiping them. Rather, say in your hearts, "You, O LORD, are to be
worshiped!" [Taken from BARUCH 6:4-5]
Know, therefore, that they are not gods, and do not fear them.
Despite the gold that covers them for adornment, unless someone
wipes away the corrosion, they do not shine; nor did they feel
anything when they were molded. They are bought at any price, and
there is no spirit in them. Having no feet, they are carried on
men's shoulders, displaying their shame to all; and those who
worship them are put to confusion because, if they fall to the
ground, the worshipers must raise them up. They neither move of
themselves if one sets them upright, nor come upright if they
fall; but one puts gifts beside them as beside the dead. [BARUCH
6:22-26]
How can they be called gods? For women bring the offerings to
these gods of silver and gold and wood; and in their temples the
priests squat with torn tunic and with shaven hair and beard, and
with their heads uncovered. They shout and wail before their gods
as others do at a funeral banquet. The priests take some of their
clothing and put it on their wives and children. Whether they are
treated well or ill by anyone, they cannot requite it; they can
neither set up a king nor remove him. Similarly, they cannot give
anyone riches or coppers; if one fails to fulfill a vow to them,
they cannot exact it of him. They neither save a man from death,
nor deliver the weak from the strong. To no blind man do they
restore his sight, nor do they save any man in an emergency. They
neither pity the widow nor benefit the orphan. These gilded and
silvered wooden statues are like stones from the mountains; and
their worshipers will be put to shame. How then can it be thought
or claimed that they are gods? [BARUCH 6:29-39]
As for you, house of Israel, thus says the Lord GOD: Come, each
one of you, destroy your idols! Then listen to me, and never again
profane my holy name with your gifts and your idols. For on my
holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel, says the Lord
GOD, there the whole house of Israel without exception shall
worship me; there I will accept them, and there I will claim your
tributes and the first fruits of your offerings, and all that you
dedicate. As a pleasing odor I will accept you, when I have
brought you from among the nations and gathered you out of the
countries over which you were scattered; and by means of you I
will manifest my holiness in the sight of the nations. Thus you
shall know that I am the LORD, when I bring you back to the land
of Israel, the land which I swore to give to your fathers. There
you shall recall your conduct and all the deeds by which you
defiled yourselves; and you shall loathe yourselves because of all
the evil things you did. And you shall know that I am the LORD
when I deal with you thus, for my name's sake, and not according
to your evil conduct and corrupt actions, O house of Israel, says
the Lord GOD. [EZEK 20:39-44]
Thus says the Lord GOD: The gate toward the east of the inner
court shall remain closed throughout the six working days, but on
the sabbath and on the day of the new moon it shall be open... The
people of the land shall worship before the LORD at the door of
this gate on the sabbaths and new moons... When the people of the
land enter the presence of the LORD to worship on the festivals,
if they enter by the north gate they shall leave by the south
gate, and if they enter by the south gate they shall leave by the
north gate; no one shall return by the gate through which he has
entered, but he shall leave by the opposite gate. The prince shall
be in their midst when they enter, and he shall also leave with
them. [Taken from EZEK 46:1,3,9-10]
Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell down and worshiped Daniel and
ordered sacrifice and incense offered to him. To Daniel the king
said, "Truly your God is the God of gods and Lord of kings
and a revealer of mysteries; that is why you were able to reveal
this mystery." He advanced Daniel to a high post, gave him
many generous presents, made him ruler of the whole province of
Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. [DAN
2:46-48]
At that point, some of the Chaldeans came and accused the Jews
to King Nebuchadnezzar: "O king, live forever! O king, you
issued a decree that everyone who heard the sound of the trumpet,
flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical
instruments should fall down and worship the golden statue;
whoever did not was to be cast into a white-hot furnace. There are
certain Jews whom you have made administrators of the province of
Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego; these men, O king, have paid
no attention to you; they will not serve your god or worship the
golden statue which you set up." Nebuchadnezzar flew into a
rage and sent for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who were
promptly brought before the king. King Nebuchadnezzar questioned
them: "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you
will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set
up?" Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King
Nebuchadnezzar, "There is no need for us to defend ourselves
before you in this matter. If our God, whom we serve, can save us
from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he
save us! But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not
serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set
up." Nebuchadnezzar's face became livid with utter rage
against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace to
be heated seven times more than usual and had some of the
strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and
cast them into the white-hot furnace. They were bound and cast
into the white-hot furnace with their coats, hats, shoes and other
garments, for the king's order was urgent. So huge a fire was
kindled in the furnace that the flames devoured the men who threw
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into it. But these three fell,
bound, into the midst of the white-hot furnace. They walked about
in flames, singing to God and blessing the Lord. Now the king's
men who had thrown them in continued to stoke the furnace with
brimstone, pitch, tow, and faggots. The flames rose forty-nine
cubits above the furnace, and spread out, burning the Chaldeans
nearby. But the angel of the Lord went down into the furnace with
Azariah and his companions, drove the fiery flames out of the
furnace, and made the inside of the furnace as though a dew-laden
breeze were blowing through it. The fire in no way touched them or
caused them pain or harm. When the satraps, prefects, governors,
and nobles of the king came together, they saw that the fire had
had no power over the bodies of these men; not a hair of their
heads had been singed, nor were their garments altered; there was
not even a smell of fire about them. 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. Therefore I decree
for nations and peoples of every language that whoever blasphemes
the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut to pieces
and his house destroyed. For there is no other God who can rescue
like this." Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego in the province of Babylon. [DAN 3:8-14,16-24,46-50,94-97]
After King Astyages was laid with his fathers, Cyrus the
Persian succeeded to his kingdom. Daniel was the king's favorite
and was held in higher esteem than any of the friends of the king.
The Babylonians had an idol called Bel.. The king worshiped it and
went every day to adore it; but Daniel adored only his God. When
the king asked him, "Why do you not adore Bel?" Daniel
replied, "Because I worship not idols made with hands, but
only the living God who made heaven and earth and has dominion
over all mankind." Then the king continued, "You do not
think Bel is a living god? Do you not see how much he eats and
drinks every day?" Daniel began to laugh. "Do not be
deceived, O king," he said; "it is only clay inside and
bronze outside; it has never taken any food or drink." [Taken from DAN
14:1-7]
Then they said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots to
find out on whose account we have met with this misfortune."
So they cast lots, and thus singled out Jonah. "Tell
us," they said, "what is your business? Where do you
come from? What is your country, and to what people do you
belong?" "I am a Hebrew," Jonah answered them;
"I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and
the dry land." [JONAH 1:7-9]
Those who worship vain idols forsake their source of mercy.
[JONAH 2:9]
All who are left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem
shall come up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of
hosts, and to celebrate the feast of Booths. If any of the families of the earth does not come up to
Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, no rain shall
fall upon them. [ZECH 14:16-17]
Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed
him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he
said to him, "All these I shall give to you, if you will
prostrate yourself and worship me." At this, Jesus said to
him, "Get away, Satan! It is written: 'The Lord,
your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you
serve.'" Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and
ministered to him. [MT 4:8-11]
Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and
said, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the
elders? They do not wash (their) hands when they eat a meal."
He said to them in reply, "And why do you break the
commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said,
'Honor your father and your mother,' and 'Whoever curses father or
mother shall die.' But you say, 'Whoever says to father or mother,
"Any support you might have had from me is dedicated to
God," need not honor his father.' You have nullified the word
of God for the sake of your tradition. Hypocrites, well did Isaiah
prophesy about you when he said: 'This people honors me with their
lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship
me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.'" He summoned
the crowd and said to them, "Hear and understand. It is not
what enters one's mouth that defiles that person; but what comes
out of the mouth is what defiles one." [MT 15:1-11]
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which
Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but
they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All
power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore,
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them
to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with
you always, until the end of the age." [MT 28:16-20]
Now when the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from
Jerusalem gathered around him, they observed that some of his
disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, "Why do your
disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a
meal with unclean hands?" He responded, "Well did Isaiah
prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This
people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far
from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines
human precepts.' You disregard God's commandment but cling to
human tradition." He went on to say, "How well you have
set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your
tradition! For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,'
and 'Whoever curses father or mother shall die.' Yet you say, 'If
a person says to father or mother, "Any support you might
have had from me is qorban"' (meaning, dedicated to God), you
allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. You nullify
the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed
on. And you do many such things." He summoned the crowd again
and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but
the things that come out from within are what defile." [MK 7:1-2,5-15]
Then Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit,
prophesied, saying: "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."
[LK 1:67-75]
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." There was also a prophetess, Anna, the
daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in
years, having lived seven years with her husband after her
marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never
left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and
prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to
God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the
redemption of Jerusalem. [LK 2:33-38]
Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the
world in a single instant. The devil said to him, "I shall
give to you all this power and their glory; for it has been handed
over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be
yours, if you worship me." Jesus said to him in reply,
"It is written: 'You shall worship the Lord, your
God, and him alone shall you serve.'"
[LK 4:5-8]
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."
[JN 4:19-24]
When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and
said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" He answered
and said, "Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?"
Jesus said to him, "You have seen him and the one speaking
with you is he." He said, "I do believe, Lord," and
he worshiped him. [JN 9:35-38]
Now there were some Greeks among those who had come up to
worship at the feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida
in Galilee, and asked him, "Sir, we would like to see
Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip
went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come
for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains
just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in
this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me
must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The
Father will honor whoever serves me." [JN 12:20-26]
"They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the
hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is
offering worship to God. They will do this because they have not
known either the Father or me. I have told you this so that when
their hour comes you may remember that I told you. I did not tell
you this from the beginning, because I was with you." [JN
16:2-4]
And he replied, "My brothers and fathers, listen. The God
of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was in
Mesopotamia, before he had settled in Haran, and said to him, 'Go
forth from your land and (from) your kinsfolk to the land that I
will show you.' So he went forth from the land of the Chaldeans
and settled in Haran. And from there, after his father died, he
made him migrate to this land where you now dwell. Yet he gave him
no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but he did promise
to give it to him and his descendants as a possession, even though
he was childless. And God spoke thus, 'His descendants shall be
aliens in a land not their own, where they shall be enslaved and
oppressed for four hundred years; but I will bring judgment on the
nation they serve,' God said, 'and after that they will come out
and worship me in this place.' Then he gave him the covenant of
circumcision, and so he became the father of Isaac, and
circumcised him on the eighth day, as Isaac did Jacob, and Jacob
the twelve patriarchs."
[ACTS 7:2-8]
Then the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, "Get up and
head south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the
desert route." So he got up and set out. Now there was an
Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, that is, the
queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury, who had
come to Jerusalem to worship, and was returning home. Seated in
his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. The Spirit said to
Philip, "Go and join up with that chariot." Philip ran
up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, "Do you
understand what you are reading?" He replied, "How can
I, unless someone instructs me?" So he invited Philip to get
in and sit with him. [ACTS 8:26-31]
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit
said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off.
[ACTS 13:2-3]
After the congregation had dispersed, many Jews and worshipers
who were converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke
to them and urged them to remain faithful to the grace of God. 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 13:43-52]
When they took the road through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they
reached Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
Following his usual custom, Paul joined them, and for three
sabbaths he entered into discussions with them from the
scriptures, expounding and demonstrating that the Messiah had to
suffer and rise from the dead, and that "This is the Messiah,
Jesus, whom I proclaim to you." Some of them were convinced
and joined Paul and Silas; so, too, a great number of Greeks who
were worshipers, and not a few of the prominent women. [ACTS 17:1-4]
Then Paul stood up at the Areopagus and said: "You
Athenians, I see that in every respect you are very religious. For
as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines, I even
discovered an altar inscribed, 'To an Unknown God.' What therefore
you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you. The God who made the
world and all that is in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, does
not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands, nor is he served by
human hands because he needs anything. Rather it is he who gives
to everyone life and breath and everything. He made from one the
whole human race to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and
he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions,
so that people might seek God, even perhaps grope for him and find
him, though indeed he is not far from any one of us." [ACTS
17:22-27]
One night in a vision the Lord said to Paul, "Do not be
afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.
No one will attack and harm you, for I have many people in this
city." He settled there for a year and a half and taught the
word of God among them. But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia,
the Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him to the
tribunal, saying, "This man is inducing people to worship God
contrary to the law." When Paul was about to reply, Gallio
spoke to the Jews, "If it were a matter of some crime or
malicious fraud, I should with reason hear the complaint of you
Jews; but since it is a question of arguments over doctrine and
titles and your own law, see to it yourselves. I do not wish to be
a judge of such matters." And he drove them away from the
tribunal. They all seized Sosthenes, the synagogue official, and
beat him in full view of the tribunal. But none of this was of
concern to Gallio. [ACTS 18:9-17]
About that time a serious disturbance broke out concerning the
Way. There was a silversmith named Demetrius who made miniature
silver shrines of Artemis and provided no little work for the
craftsmen. He called a meeting of these and other workers in
related crafts and said, "Men, you know well that our
prosperity derives from this work. As you can now see and hear,
not only in Ephesus but throughout most of the province of Asia
this Paul has persuaded and misled a great number of people by
saying that gods made by hands are not gods at all. The danger
grows, not only that our business will be discredited, but also
that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be of no
account, and that she whom the whole province of Asia and all the
world worship will be stripped of her magnificence." [ACTS
19:23-27]
Then the governor motioned to him to speak and Paul replied,
"I know that you have been a judge over this nation for many
years and so I am pleased to make my defense before you. As you
can verify, not more than twelve days have passed since I went up
to Jerusalem to worship. Neither in the temple, nor in the
synagogues, nor anywhere in the city did they find me arguing with
anyone or instigating a riot among the people. Nor can they prove
to you the accusations they are now making against me. But this I
do admit to you, that according to the Way, which they call a
sect, I worship the God of our ancestors and I believe everything
that is in accordance with the law and written in the prophets. I
have the same hope in God as they themselves have that there will
be a resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous. Because of
this, I always strive to keep my conscience clear before God and
man." [ACTS 24:10-16]
My manner of living from my youth, a life spent from the
beginning among my people and in Jerusalem, all (the) Jews know.
They have known about me from the start, if they are willing to
testify, that I have lived my life as a Pharisee, the strictest
party of our religion. But now I am standing trial because of my
hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors. Our twelve
tribes hope to attain to that promise as they fervently worship
God day and night; and on account of this hope I am accused by
Jews, O king. Why is it thought unbelievable among you that God
raises the dead? [ACTS 26:4-8]
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and
worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed
forever. Amen. Therefore, God handed them over to degrading
passions. Their females exchanged natural relations for unnatural,
and the males likewise gave up natural relations with females and
burned with lust for one another. Males did shameful things with
males and thus received in their own persons the due penalty for
their perversity. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge
God, God handed them over to their undiscerning mind to do what is
improper. They are filled with every form of wickedness, evil,
greed, and malice; full of envy, murder, rivalry, treachery, and
spite. They are gossips and scandalmongers and they hate God. They
are insolent, haughty, boastful, ingenious in their wickedness,
and rebellious toward their parents. They are senseless,
faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know the just decree
of God that all who practice such things deserve death, they not
only do them but give approval to those who practice them. [ROM
1:25-32]
I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie; my conscience joins
with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness that I have great
sorrow and constant anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I
myself were accursed and separated from Christ for the sake of my
brothers, my kin according to the flesh. 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. But it is not that the word of God
has failed. For not all who are of Israel are Israel, nor are they
all children of Abraham because they are his descendants; but
"It is through Isaac that descendants shall bear your
name." This means that it is not the children of the flesh
who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are
counted as descendants. [ROM 9:1-8]
I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer
your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your
spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be
transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what
is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. [ROM
12:1-2]
Thus, tongues are a sign not for those who believe but for
unbelievers, whereas prophecy is not for unbelievers but for those
who believe. So if the whole church meets in one place and
everyone speaks in tongues, and then uninstructed people or
unbelievers should come in, will they not say that you are out of
your minds? But if everyone is prophesying, and an unbeliever or
uninstructed person should come in, he will be convinced by
everyone and judged by everyone, and the secrets of his heart will
be disclosed, and so he will fall down and worship God, declaring,
"God is really in your midst." [1COR 14:22-25]
For we are the circumcision, we who worship through the Spirit
of God, who boast in Christ Jesus and do not put our confidence in
flesh [Taken from PHIL 3:3]
Let no one, then, pass judgment on you in matters of food and
drink or with regard to a festival or new moon or sabbath. These
are shadows of things to come; the reality belongs to Christ. Let
no one disqualify you, delighting in self-abasement and worship of
angels, taking his stand on visions, inflated without reason by
his fleshly mind, and not holding closely to the head, from whom
the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and
bonds, achieves the growth that comes from God. [COL 2:16-19]
We ask you, brothers, with regard to the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ and our assembling with him, not to be shaken out of
your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a
"spirit," or by an oral statement, or by a letter
allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at
hand. Let no one deceive you in any way. For unless the apostasy
comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one doomed to
perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called
god and object of worship, so as to seat himself in the temple of
God, claiming that he is a god - do you not recall that while I
was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what
is restraining, that he may be revealed in his time. 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. [2THES 2:1-10]
I am grateful to God, whom I worship with a clear conscience as
my ancestors did, as I remember you constantly in my prayers,
night and day. [2TM 1:3]
For to which of the angels did God ever say: "You are
my son; this day I have begotten you"? Or
again: "I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son
to me"? And again, when he leads the first-born into
the world, he says: "Let all the angels of God
worship him." Of the angels he says: "He makes his
angels winds and his ministers a fiery flame"; but of
the Son: "Your throne, O God, stands forever and
ever; and a righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.
You loved justice and hated wickedness; therefore God, your
God, anointed you with the oil of gladness above your
companions"; and: "At the beginning, O Lord, you
established the earth, and the heavens are the works of your
hands. They will perish, but you remain; and they will all
grow old like a garment. You will roll them up like a
cloak, and like a garment they will be changed. But you
are the same, and your years will have no end." But to which
of the angels has he ever said: "Sit at my right
hand until I make your enemies your footstool"? [HEB 1:5-13]
The main point of what has been said is this: we have such a
high priest, who has taken his seat at the right hand of the
throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister of the sanctuary and
of the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up. Now every
high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus the
necessity for this one also to have something to offer. If then he
were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are those who
offer gifts according to the law. They worship in a copy and
shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, as Moses was warned when he was
about to erect the tabernacle. For he says, "See that you
make everything according to the pattern shown you on the
mountain." Now he has obtained so much more excellent a
ministry as he is mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better
promises. [HEB 8:1-6]
Now (even) the first covenant had regulations for worship and
an earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was constructed, the outer
one, in which were the lampstand, the table, and the bread of
offering; this is called the Holy Place. Behind the second veil
was the tabernacle called the Holy of Holies, in which were the
gold altar of incense and the ark of the covenant entirely covered
with gold. In it were the gold jar containing the manna, the staff
of Aaron that had sprouted, and the tablets of the covenant. Above
it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the place of
expiation. Now is not the time to speak of these in detail. With
these arrangements for worship, the priests, in performing their
service, go into the outer tabernacle repeatedly, but the high
priest alone goes into the inner one once a year, not without
blood that he offers for himself and for the sins of the people.
In this way the Holy Spirit shows that the way into the sanctuary
had not yet been revealed while the outer tabernacle still had its
place. But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that
have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect
tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this
creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary... with his
own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For this reason he
is mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for
deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those
who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. Now
where there is a will, the death of the testator must be
established. For a will takes effect only at death; it has no
force while the testator is alive. Thus not even the first
covenant was inaugurated without blood. When every commandment had
been proclaimed by Moses to all the people according to the law,
he...sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying,
"This is 'the blood of the covenant which God has enjoined
upon you.'" In the same way, he sprinkled also the tabernacle
and all the vessels of worship with blood. According to the law
almost everything is purified by blood, and without the shedding
of blood there is no forgiveness. Therefore, it was necessary for
the copies of the heavenly things to be purified by these rites,
but the heavenly things themselves by better sacrifices than
these. For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a
copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that he might now appear
before God on our behalf. Not that he might offer himself
repeatedly, as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary
with blood that is not his own; if that were so, he would have had
to suffer repeatedly from the foundation of the world. But now
once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages to take away
sin by his sacrifice. 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. [Taken from HEB 9:1-8,11-12,15-28]
Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and
not the very image of them, it can never make perfect those who
come to worship by the same sacrifices that they offer continually
each year. Otherwise, would not the sacrifices have ceased to be
offered, since the worshipers, once cleansed, would no longer have
had any consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is
only a yearly remembrance of sins [Taken from HEB 10:1-3]
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]
Therefore, we who are receiving the unshakable kingdom should have gratitude, with which we should offer worship pleasing to God in reverence and awe. For our God is a consuming fire.
[HEB 12:28-29]
Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks
to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the
twenty-four elders fall down before the one who sits on the throne
and worship him, who lives forever and ever. They throw down their
crowns before the throne, exclaiming: "Worthy are you, Lord
our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you
created all things; because of your will they came to be and were
created." [RV 4:9-11]
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." Then one of the elders spoke up and
said to me, "Who are these wearing white robes, and where did
they come from?" I said to him, "My lord, you are the
one who knows." He said to me, "These are the ones who
have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their
robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this
reason they stand before God's throne and worship him day and
night in his temple. The one who sits on the throne will
shelter them. They will not hunger or thirst anymore, nor
will the sun or any heat strike them. For the Lamb who is in the
center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to
springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear
from their eyes." [RV 7:9-17]
Now in my vision this is how I saw the horses and their riders.
They wore red, blue, and yellow breastplates, and the horses'
heads were like heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire,
smoke, and sulfur. By these three plagues of fire, smoke, and
sulfur that came out of their mouths a third of the human race was
killed. For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in
their tails; for their tails are like snakes, with heads that
inflict harm. The rest of the human race, who were not killed by
these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, to give
up the worship of demons and idols made from gold, silver, bronze,
stone, and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they
repent of their murders, their magic potions, their unchastity, or
their robberies. [RV 9:17-21]
Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and I was told,
"Come and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count
those who are worshiping in it. But exclude the outer court of the
temple; do not measure it, for it has been handed over to the
Gentiles, who will trample the holy city for forty-two months."
[RV 11:1-2]
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet. There were loud voices
in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world now belongs to
our Lord and to his Anointed, and he will reign forever and
ever." The twenty-four elders who sat on their thrones before
God prostrated themselves and worshiped God and
said: "We give thanks to you, Lord God
almighty, who are and who were. For you have assumed
your great power and have established your reign. The nations
raged, but your wrath has come, and the time for the
dead to be judged, and to recompense your servants, the
prophets, and the holy ones and those who fear your
name, the small and the great alike, and to destroy
those who destroy the earth." Then God's temple in heaven was
opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.
There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder,
an earthquake, and a violent hailstorm. [RV 11:15-19]
Then I saw a beast come out of the sea with ten horns and seven
heads; on its horns were ten diadems, and on its heads blasphemous
name(s). The beast I saw was like a leopard, but it had feet like
a bear's, and its mouth was like the mouth of a lion. To it the
dragon gave its own power and throne, along with great authority.
I saw that one of its heads seemed to have been mortally wounded,
but this mortal wound was healed. Fascinated, the whole world
followed after the beast. They worshiped the dragon because it
gave its authority to the beast; they also worshiped the beast and
said, "Who can compare with the beast or who can fight
against it?" The beast was given a mouth uttering proud
boasts and blasphemies, and it was given authority to act for
forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against
God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling and those who dwell in
heaven. It was also allowed to wage war against the holy ones and
conquer them, and it was granted authority over every tribe,
people, tongue, and nation. All the inhabitants of the earth will
worship it, all whose names were not written from the foundation
of the world in the book of life, which belongs to the Lamb who
was slain. [RV 13:1-8]
Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth; it had two
horns like a lamb's but spoke like a dragon. It wielded all the
authority of the first beast in its sight and made the earth and
its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had
been healed. It performed great signs, even making fire come down
from heaven to earth in the sight of everyone. It deceived the
inhabitants of the earth with the signs it was allowed to perform
in the sight of the first beast, telling them to make an image for
the beast who had been wounded by the sword and revived. It was
then permitted to breathe life into the beast's image, so that the
beast's image could speak and (could) have anyone who did not
worship it put to death. It forced all the people, small and
great, rich and poor, free and slave, to be given a stamped image
on their right hands or their foreheads, so that no one could buy
or sell except one who had the stamped image of the beast's name
or the number that stood for its name. Wisdom is needed here; one
who understands can calculate the number of the beast, for it is a
number that stands for a person. His number is six hundred and
sixty-six. [RV 13:11-18]
Then I saw another angel flying high overhead, with everlasting
good news to announce to those who dwell on earth, to every
nation, tribe, tongue, and people. He said in a loud voice,
"Fear God and give him glory, for his time has come to sit in
judgment. Worship him who made heaven and earth and sea and
springs of water." A second angel followed,
saying: "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, that
made all the nations drink the wine of her licentious
passion." A third angel followed them and said in a loud
voice, "Anyone who worships the beast or its image, or
accepts its mark on forehead or hand, will also drink the wine of
God's fury, poured full strength into the cup of his wrath, and
will be tormented in burning sulfur before the holy angels and
before the Lamb. The smoke of the fire that torments them will
rise forever and ever, and there will be no relief day or night
for those who worship the beast or its image or accept the mark of
its name." Here is what sustains the holy ones who keep God's
commandments and their faith in Jesus. 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 14:6-13]
Then I saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring:
seven angels with the seven last plagues, for through them God's
fury is accomplished. Then I saw something like a sea of glass
mingled with fire. On the sea of glass were standing those who had
won the victory over the beast and its image and the number that
signified its name. They were holding God's harps, and they sang
the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the
Lamb: "Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God
almighty. Just and true are your ways, O king of the
nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, or glorify your
name? For you alone are holy. All the nations will
come and worship before you, for your righteous acts
have been revealed." [RV 15:1-4]
I heard a loud voice speaking from the temple to the seven
angels, "Go and pour out the seven bowls of God's fury upon
the earth." The first angel went and poured out his bowl on
the earth. Festering and ugly sores broke out on those who had the
mark of the beast or worshiped its image. [RV 16:1-2]
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." They said a second time:
"Alleluia! Smoke will rise from her forever and ever."
The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and
worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen.
Alleluia." [RV 19:1-4]
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." I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me,
"Don't! I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brothers
who bear witness to Jesus. Worship God. Witness to Jesus is the
spirit of prophecy." [RV 19:9-10]
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their
armies gathered to fight against the one riding the horse and
against his army. The beast was caught and with it the false
prophet who had performed in its sight the signs by which he led
astray those who had accepted the mark of the beast and those who
had worshiped its image. The two were thrown alive into the fiery
pool burning with sulfur. The rest were killed by the sword that
came out of the mouth of the one riding the horse, and all the
birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
[RV 19:19-21]
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. [RV 20:4]
The one who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all
things new." Then he said, "Write these words down, for
they are trustworthy and true." He said to me, "They are
accomplished. I (am) the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and
the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of
life-giving water. The victor will inherit these gifts, and I
shall be his God, and he will be my son. But as for cowards, the
unfaithful, the depraved, murderers, the unchaste, sorcerers,
idol-worshipers, and deceivers of every sort, their lot is in the
burning pool of fire and sulfur, which is the second death." [RV
21:5-8]
Then the angel showed me the river of life-giving water,
sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the
Lamb down the middle of its street. On either side of the river
grew the tree of life that produces fruit twelve times a year,
once each month; the leaves of the trees serve as medicine for the
nations. Nothing accursed will be found there anymore. The throne
of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will
worship him. They will look upon his face, and his name will be on
their foreheads. Night will be no more, nor will they need light
from lamp or sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they
shall reign forever and ever.
[RV 22:1-5]
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. It is I, John, who heard and saw these
things, and when I heard and saw them I fell down to worship at
the feet of the angel who showed them to me. But he said to me,
"Don't! I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brothers
the prophets and of those who keep the message of this book.
Worship God." 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. "I,
Jesus, sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches.
I am the root and offspring of David, the bright morning
star." The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." Let
the hearer say, "Come." Let the one who thirsts come
forward, and the one who wants it receive the gift of life-giving
water. [RV 22:6-17]
Also try:
Mass
(links) [M]
Holy
Eucharist [E]
church
[C4]
Lord's
house / dwelling [L6a]
praise
/ praises / praised [P10a]
reverence
/ honor to God [R8]
thanks
/ thanksgiving / thankful [T4]
kneel
/ knelt [K]
prostrate
[P18]
Other
resources:
Catholic
Liturgy (Topic Page)
Church
Talk
Latin
Mass & Catholic Tradition
Sacraments
Reflections: A-Z
| Categorized
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Encyclicals & Other Papal Documents
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try: Help, A-Z)
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