Augsburg Confession, Article 28
Of Ecclesiastical Power.
There has been great controversy concerning the Power of Bishops, in which some have awkwardly confounded the power of the Church and the power of the sword. And from this confusion very great wars and tumults have resulted, while the Pontiffs, emboldened by the power of the Keys, not only have instituted new services and burdened consciences with reservation of cases and ruthless excommunications, but have also undertaken to transfer the kingdoms of this world, and to take the Empire from the Emperor. These wrongs have long since been rebuked in the Church by learned and godly men. Therefore our teachers, for the comforting of men's consciences, were constrained to show the difference between the power of the Church and the power of the sword, and taught that both of them, because of God's commandment, are to be held in reverence and honor, as the chief blessings of God on earth. But this is their opinion, that the power of the Keys, or the power of the bishops, according to the Gospel, is a power or commandment of God, to preach the Gospel, to remit and retain sins, and to administer Sacraments. For with this commandment Christ sends forth His Apostles, John 20, 21 sqq.: As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you. Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained. Mark 16, 15: Go preach the Gospel to every creature. This power is exercised only by teaching or preaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments, according to their calling either to many or to individuals. For thereby are granted, not bodily, but eternal things, as eternal righteousness, the Holy Ghost, eternal life. These things cannot come but by the ministry of the Word and the Sacraments, as Paul says, Rom. 1, 16: The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. Therefore, since the power of the Church grants eternal things, and is exercised only by the ministry of the Word, it does not interfere with civil government; no more than the art of singing interferes with civil government. For civil government deals with other things than does the Gospel. The civil rulers defend not minds, but bodies and bodily things against manifest injuries, and restrain men with the sword and bodily punishments in order to preserve civil justice and peace. Therefore the power of the Church and the civil power must not be confounded. The power of the Church has its own commission to teach the Gospel and to administer the Sacraments. Let it not break into the office of another; Let it not transfer the kingdoms of this world; let it not abrogate the laws of civil rulers; let it not abolish lawful obedience; let it not interfere with judgments concerning civil ordinances or contracts; let it not prescribe laws to civil rulers concerning the form of the Commonwealth. As Christ says, John 18, 33: My kingdom is not of this world; also Luke 12, 14: Who made Me a judge or a divider over you? Paul also says, Phil. 3, 20: Our citizenship is in heaven; 2 Cor. 10, 4: The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the casting down of imaginations. After this manner our teachers discriminate between the duties of both these powers, and command that both be honored and acknowledged as gifts and blessings of God. If bishops have any power of the sword, that power they have, not as bishops, by the commission of the Gospel, but by human law having received it of kings and emperors for the civil administration of what is theirs. This, however, is another office than the ministry of the Gospel. When, therefore, the question is concerning the jurisdiction of bishops, civil authority must be distinguished from ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Again, according to the Gospel or, as they say, by divine right, there belongs to the bishops as bishops, that is, to those to whom has been committed the ministry of the Word and the Sacraments, no jurisdiction except to forgive sins, to judge doctrine, to reject doctrines contrary to the Gospel, and to exclude from the communion of the Church wicked men, whose wickedness is known, and this without human force, simply by the Word. Herein the congregations of necessity and by divine right must obey them, according to Luke 10, 16: He that heareth you heareth Me. But when they teach or ordain anything against the Gospel, then the congregations have a commandment of God prohibiting obedience, Matt. 7, 15: Beware of false prophets; Gal. 1, 8: Though an angel from heaven preach any other gospel, let him be accursed; 2 Cor. 13, 8: We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. Also: The power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction. So, also, the Canonical Laws command (II. Q. VII. Cap., Sacerdotes, and Cap. Oves). And Augustine (Contra Petiliani Epistolam): Neither must we submit to Catholic bishops if they chance to err, or hold anything contrary to the Canonical Scriptures of God. If they have any other power or jurisdiction, in hearing and judging certain cases, as of matrimony or of tithes, etc., they have it by human right, in which matters princes are bound, even against their will, when the ordinaries fail, to dispense justice to their subjects for the maintenance of peace. Moreover, it is disputed whether bishops or pastors have the right to introduce ceremonies in the Church, and to make laws concerning meats, holy-days and grades, that is, orders of ministers, etc. They that give this right to the bishops refer to this testimony John 16, 12. 13: I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth. They also refer to the example of the Apostles, who commanded to abstain from blood and from things strangled, Acts 15, 29. They refer to the Sabbath-day as having been changed into the Lord's Day, contrary to the Decalog, as it seems. Neither is there any example whereof they make more than concerning the changing of the Sabbath-day. Great, say they, is the power of the Church, since it has dispensed with one of the Ten Commandments! But concerning this question it is taught on our part (as has been shown above) that bishops have no power to decree anything against the Gospel. The Canonical Laws teach the same thing (Dist. IX). Now, it is against Scripture to establish or require the observance of any traditions, to the end that by such observance we may make satisfaction for sins, or merit grace and righteousness. For the glory of Christ's merit suffers injury when, by such observances, we undertake to merit justification. But it is manifest that, by such belief, traditions have almost infinitely multiplied in the Church, the doctrine concerning faith and the righteousness of faith being meanwhile suppressed. For gradually more holy-days were made, fasts appointed, new ceremonies and services in honor of saints instituted, because the authors of such things thought that by these works they were meriting grace. Thus in times past the Penitential Canons increased, whereof we still see some traces in the satisfactions. Again, the authors of traditions do contrary to the command of God when they find matters of sin in foods, in days, and like things, and burden the Church with bondage of the law, as if there ought to be among Christians, in order to merit justification a service like the Levitical, the arrangement of which God had committed to the Apostles and bishops. For thus some of them write; and the Pontiffs in some measure seem to be misled by the example of the law of Moses. Hence are such burdens, as that they make it mortal sin, even without offense to others, to do manual labor on holy-days, a mortal sin to omit the Canonical Hours, that certain foods defile the conscience that fastings are works which appease God that sin in a reserved case cannot be forgiven but by the authority of him who reserved it; whereas the Canons themselves speak only of the reserving of the ecclesiastical penalty, and not of the reserving of the guilt. Whence have the bishops the right to lay these traditions upon the Church for the ensnaring of consciences, when Peter, Acts 15, 10, forbids to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, and Paul says, 2 Cor. 13, 10, that the power given him was to edification not to destruction? Why, therefore, do they increase sins by these traditions? But there are clear testimonies which prohibit the making of such traditions, as though they merited grace or were necessary to salvation. Paul says, Col. 2, 16-23: Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy-day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath-days. If ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances (touch not; taste not; handle not, which all are to perish with the using) after the commandments and doctrines of men! which things have indeed a show of wisdom. Also in Titus 1, 14 he openly forbids traditions: Not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men that turn from the truth. And Christ, Matt. 15, 14. 13, says of those who require traditions: Let them alone; they be blind leaders of the blind; and He rejects such services: Every plant which My heavenly Father hath not planted shall be plucked up. If bishops have the right to burden churches with infinite traditions, and to ensnare consciences, why does Scripture so often prohibit to make, and to listen to, traditions? Why does it call them "doctrines of devils"? 1 Tim. 4, 1. Did the Holy Ghost in vain forewarn of these things? Since, therefore, ordinances instituted as things necessary, or with an opinion of meriting grace, are contrary to the Gospel, it follows that it is not lawful for any bishop to institute or exact such services. For it is necessary that the doctrine of Christian liberty be preserved in the churches, namely, that the bondage of the Law is not necessary to justification, as it is written in the Epistle to the Galatians, 5, 1: Be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. It is necessary that the chief article of the Gospel be preserved, to wit, that we obtain grace freely by faith in Christ, and not for certain observances or acts of worship devised by men. What, then, are we to think of the Sunday and like rites in the house of God? To this we answer that it is lawful for bishops or pastors to make ordinances that things be done orderly in the Church, not that thereby we should merit grace or make satisfaction for sins, or that consciences be bound to judge them necessary services, and to think that it is a sin to break them without offense to others. So Paul ordains, 1 Cor. 11, 5, that women should cover their heads in the congregation, 1 Cor. 14, 30, that interpreters be heard in order in the church, etc. It is proper that the churches should keep such ordinances for the sake of love and tranquillity, so far that one do not offend another, that all things be done in the churches in order, and without confusion, 1 Cor. 14, 40; comp. Phil. 2, 14; but so that consciences be not burdened to think that they are necessary to salvation, or to judge that they sin when they break them without offense to others; as no one will say that a woman sins who goes out in public with her head uncovered provided only that no offense be given. Of this kind is the observance of the Lord's Day, Easter, Pentecost, and like holy-days and rites. For those who judge that by the authority of the Church the observance of the Lord's Day instead of the Sabbath-day was ordained as a thing necessary, do greatly err. Scripture has abrogated the Sabbath-day; for it teaches that, since the Gospel has been revealed, all the ceremonies of Moses can be omitted. And yet, because it was necessary to appoint a certain day, that the people might know when they ought to come together, it appears that the Church designated the Lord's Day for this purpose; and this day seems to have been chosen all the more for this additional reason, that men might have an example of Christian liberty, and might know that the keeping neither of the Sabbath nor of any other day is necessary. There are monstrous disputations concerning the changing of the law, the ceremonies of the new law, the changing of the Sabbath-day, which all have sprung from the false belief that there must needs be in the Church a service like to the Levitical, and that Christ had given commission to the Apostles and bishops to devise new ceremonies as necessary to salvation. These errors crept into the Church when the righteousness of faith was not taught clearly enough. Some dispute that the keeping of the Lord's Day is not indeed of divine right, but in a manner so. They prescribe concerning holy-days, how far it is lawful to work. What else are such disputations than snares of consciences? For although they endeavor to modify the traditions, yet the mitigation can never be perceived as long as the opinion remains that they are necessary, which must needs remain where the righteousness of faith and Christian liberty are not known. The Apostles commanded Acts 15, 20 to abstain from blood. Who does now observe it? And yet they that do it not sin not; for not even the Apostles themselves wanted to burden consciences with such bondage; but they forbade it for a time, to avoid offense. For in this decree we must perpetually consider what the aim of the Gospel is. Scarcely any Canons are kept with exactness, and from day to day many go out of use even among those who are the most zealous advocates of traditions. Neither can due regard be paid to consciences unless this mitigation be observed, that we know that the Canons are kept without holding them to be necessary, and that no harm is done consciences, even though traditions go out of use. But the bishops might easily retain the lawful obedience of the people if they would not insist upon the observance of such traditions as cannot be kept with a good conscience. Now they command celibacy; they admit none unless they swear that they will not teach the pure doctrine of the Gospel. The churches do not ask that the bishops should restore concord at the expense of their honor; which, nevertheless, it would be proper for good pastors to do. They ask only that they would release unjust burdens which are new and have been received contrary to the custom of the Church Catholic. It may be that in the beginning there were plausible reasons for some of these ordinances; and yet they are not adapted to later times. It is also evident that some were adopted through erroneous conceptions. Therefore it would be befitting the clemency of the Pontiffs to mitigate them now, because such a modification does not shake the unity of the Church. For many human traditions have been changed in process of time, as the Canons themselves show. But if it be impossible to obtain a mitigation of such observances as cannot be kept without sin, we are bound to follow the apostolic rule, Acts 5, 29, which commands us to obey God rather than men. Peter, 1 Pet. 5, 3, forbids bishops to be lords, and to rule over the churches. It is not our design now to wrest the government from the bishops, but this one thing is asked, namely, that they allow the Gospel to be purely taught, and that they relax some few observances which cannot be kept without sin. But if they make no concession, it is for them to see how they shall give account to God for furnishing, by their obstinacy, a cause for schism. CONCLUSION. These are the chief articles which seem to be in controversy. For although we might have spoken of more abuses, yet, to avoid undue length, we have set forth the chief points, from which the rest may be readily judged. There have been great complaints concerning indulgences, pilgrimages, and the abuse of excommunications. The parishes have been vexed in many ways by the dealers in indulgences. There were endless contentions between the pastors and the monks concerning the parochial right, confessions, burials, sermons on extraordinary occasions, and innumerable other things. Issues of this sort we have passed over so that the chief points in this matter, having been briefly set forth, might be the more readily understood. Nor has anything been here said or adduced to the reproach of any one. Only those things have been recounted whereof we thought that it was necessary to speak, in order that it might be understood that in doctrine and ceremonies nothing has been received on our part against Scripture or the Church Catholic. For it is manifest that we have taken most diligent care that no new and ungodly doctrine should creep into our churches. The above articles we desire to present in accordance with the edict of Your Imperial Majesty, in order to exhibit our Confession and let men see a summary of the doctrine of our teachers. If there is anything that any one might desire in this Confession, we are ready, God willing, to present ampler information according to the Scriptures. Your Imperial Majesty's faithful subjects: John, Duke of Saxony, Elector. George, Margrave of Brandenburg. Ernest, Duke of Lueneberg. Philip, Landgrave of Hesse. John Frederick, Duke of Saxony. Francis, Duke of Lueneburg. Wolfgang, Prince of Anhalt. Senate and Magistracy of Nuremburg. Senate of Reutlingen.
Scripture references for paragraph 1
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
John 20:1-311Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
2So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,” she said, “and we do not know where they have put Him!”
3Then Peter and the other disciple set out for the tomb.
4The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
5He bent down and looked in at the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.
6Simon Peter arrived just after him. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.
7The cloth that had been around Jesus’ head was rolled up, lying separate from the linen cloths.
8Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in. And he saw and believed.
9For they still did not understand from the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.
10Then the disciples returned to their homes.
11But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent down to look into the tomb,
12and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet.
13“Woman, why are you weeping?” they asked. “Because they have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I do not know where they have put Him.”
14When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there; but she did not recognize that it was Jesus.
15“Woman, why are you weeping?” Jesus asked. “Whom are you seeking?” Thinking He was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried Him off, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.”
16Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17“Do not cling to Me,” Jesus said, “for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and tell My brothers, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’”
18Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what He had said to her.
19It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to them.
20After He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.”
22When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
24Now Thomas called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.
25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger where the nails have been, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.”
26Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
27Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!”
29Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
30Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book.
31But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
John 21:1-251Later, by the Sea of Tiberias, Jesus again revealed Himself to the disciples. He made Himself known in this way:
2Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.
3Simon Peter told them, “I am going fishing.” “We will go with you,” they said. So they went out and got into the boat, but caught nothing that night.
4Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not recognize that it was Jesus.
5So He called out to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” “No,” they answered.
6He told them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it there, and they were unable to haul it in because of the great number of fish.
7Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it) and jumped into the sea.
8The other disciples came ashore in the boat. They dragged in the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, only about a hundred yards.
9When they landed, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish on it, and some bread.
10Jesus told them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”
11So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many, the net was not torn.
12“Come, have breakfast,” Jesus said to them. None of the disciples dared to ask Him, “Who are You?” They knew it was the Lord.
13Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and He did the same with the fish.
14This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after He was raised from the dead.
15When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.”
16Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus told him, “Shepherd My sheep.”
17Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
18Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
19Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And after He had said this, He told him, “Follow Me.”
20Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper to ask, “Lord, who is going to betray You?”
21When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
22Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!”
23Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. However, Jesus did not say that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you?”
24This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who has written them down. And we know that his testimony is true.
25There are many more things that Jesus did. If all of them were written down, I suppose that not even the world itself would have space for the books that would be written.
Mark 16:1-201When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they could go and anoint the body of Jesus.
2Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they went to the tomb.
3They were asking one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance of the tomb?”
4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, even though it was extremely large.
5When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
6But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here! See the place where they put Him.
7But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.’”
8So the women left the tomb and ran away, trembling and bewildered. And in their fear they did not say a word to anyone.
9Early on the first day of the week, after Jesus had risen, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had driven out seven demons.
10She went and told those who had been with Him, who were mourning and weeping.
11And when they heard that Jesus was alive and she had seen Him, they did not believe it.
12After this, Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them as they walked along in the country.
13And they went back and reported it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.
14Later, as they were eating, Jesus appeared to the Eleven and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
18they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”
19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
20And they went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked through them, confirming His word by the signs that accompanied it.
Mark 15:1-471Early in the morning, the chief priests, elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrin devised a plan. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate.
2So Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
3And the chief priests began to accuse Him of many things.
4Then Pilate questioned Him again, “Have You no answer? Look how many charges they are bringing against You!”
5But to Pilate’s amazement, Jesus made no further reply.
6Now it was Pilate’s custom at the feast to release to the people a prisoner of their choosing.
7And a man named Barabbas was imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection.
8So the crowd went up and began asking Pilate to keep his custom.
9“Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked.
10For he knew it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over.
11But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead.
12So Pilate asked them again, “What then do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?”
13And they shouted back, “Crucify Him!”
14“Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”
15And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
16Then the soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called the whole company together.
17They dressed Him in a purple robe, twisted together a crown of thorns, and set it on His head.
18And they began to salute Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!”
19They kept striking His head with a staff and spitting on Him. And they knelt down and bowed before Him.
20After they had mocked Him, they removed the purple robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him out to crucify Him.
21Now Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and the soldiers forced him to carry the cross of Jesus.
22They brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha, which means The Place of the Skull.
23There they offered Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He did not take it.
24And they crucified Him. They also divided His garments by casting lots to decide what each of them would take.
25It was the third hour when they crucified Him.
26And the charge inscribed against Him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
27Along with Jesus, they crucified two robbers, one on His right and one on His left.
29And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
30come down from the cross and save Yourself!”
31In the same way, the chief priests and scribes mocked Him among themselves, saying, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself!
32Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” And even those who were crucified with Him berated Him.
33From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.
34At the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
35When some of those standing nearby heard this, they said, “Behold, He is calling Elijah.”
36And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine. He put it on a reed and held it up for Jesus to drink, saying, “Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.”
37But Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed His last.
38And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
39When the centurion standing there in front of Jesus saw how He had breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
40And there were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.
41These women had followed Jesus and ministered to Him while He was in Galilee, and there were many other women who had come up to Jerusalem with Him.
42Now it was already evening. Since it was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath),
43Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent Council member who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God, boldly went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus.
44Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was already dead, so he summoned the centurion to ask if this was so.
45When Pilate had confirmed it with the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.
46So Joseph bought a linen cloth, took down the body of Jesus, wrapped it in the cloth, and placed it in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.
47Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where His body was placed.
Romans 1:1-321Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, and set apart for the gospel of God—
2the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures,
3regarding His Son, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh,
4and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
5Through Him and on behalf of His name, we received grace and apostleship to call all those among the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.
6And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed all over the world.
9God, whom I serve with my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you
10in my prayers at all times, asking that now at last by God’s will I may succeed in coming to you.
11For I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you,
12that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.
13I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, how often I planned to come to you (but have been prevented from visiting until now), in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
14I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.
15That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.
17For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
19For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.
22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,
23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
24Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another.
25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.
26For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.
27Likewise, the men abandoned natural relations with women and burned with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips,
30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents.
31They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless.
32Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.
Romans 16:1-271I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea.
2Welcome her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her with anything she may need from you. For she has been a great help to many people, including me.
3Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
4who have risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.
5Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my beloved Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
6Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you.
7Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow countrymen and fellow prisoners. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
8Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.
9Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys.
10Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.
11Greet Herodion, my fellow countryman. Greet those from the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
12Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, women who have worked hard in the Lord. Greet my beloved Persis, who has worked very hard in the Lord.
13Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me as well.
14Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers with them.
15Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints with them.
16Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send you greetings.
17Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them.
18For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
19Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil.
20The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
21Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you greetings, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow countrymen.
22I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.
23Gaius, who has hosted me and all the church, sends you greetings. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends you greetings, as does our brother Quartus.
25Now to Him who is able to strengthen you by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery concealed for ages past
26but now revealed and made known through the writings of the prophets by the command of the eternal God, in order to lead all nations to the obedience that comes from faith —
27to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
John 18:1-401After Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples across the Kidron Valley, where they entered a garden.
2Now Judas His betrayer also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples.
3So Judas brought a band of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees. They arrived at the garden carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons.
4Jesus, knowing all that was coming upon Him, stepped forward and asked them, “Whom are you seeking?”
5“Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. Jesus said, “I am He.” And Judas His betrayer was standing there with them.
6When Jesus said, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
7So He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered.
8“I told you that I am He,” Jesus replied. “So if you are looking for Me, let these men go.”
9This was to fulfill the word He had spoken: “I have not lost one of those You have given Me.”
10Then Simon Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
11“Put your sword back in its sheath!” Jesus said to Peter. “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?”
12Then the band of soldiers, with its commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him.
13They brought Him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.
14Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be better if one man died for the people.
15Now Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he also went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.
16But Peter stood outside at the door. Then the disciple who was known to the high priest went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in.
17At this, the servant girl watching the door said to Peter, “Aren’t you also one of this man’s disciples?” “I am not,” he answered.
18Because it was cold, the servants and officers were standing around a charcoal fire they had made to keep warm. And Peter was also standing with them, warming himself.
19Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and His teaching.
20“I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered. “I always taught in the synagogues and at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.
21Why are you asking Me? Ask those who heard My message. Surely they know what I said.”
22When Jesus had said this, one of the officers standing nearby slapped Him in the face and said, “Is this how You answer the high priest?”
23Jesus replied, “If I said something wrong, testify as to what was wrong. But if I spoke correctly, why did you strike Me?”
24Then Annas sent Him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.
25Simon Peter was still standing and warming himself. So they asked him, “Aren’t you also one of His disciples?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”
26One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you with Him in the garden?”
27Peter denied it once more, and immediately a rooster crowed.
28Then they led Jesus away from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. By now it was early morning, and the Jews did not enter the Praetorium, to avoid being defiled and unable to eat the Passover.
29So Pilate went out to them and asked, “What accusation are you bringing against this man?”
30“If He were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed Him over to you.”
31“You take Him and judge Him by your own law,” Pilate told them. “We are not permitted to execute anyone,” the Jews replied.
32This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to indicate the kind of death He was going to die.
33Pilate went back into the Praetorium, summoned Jesus, and asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
34“Are you saying this on your own,” Jesus asked, “or did others tell you about Me?”
35“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?”
36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.”
37“Then You are a king!” Pilate said. “You say that I am a king,” Jesus answered. “For this reason I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.”
38“What is truth?” Pilate asked. And having said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against Him.
39But it is your custom that I release to you one prisoner at the Passover. So then, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
40“Not this man,” they shouted, “but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was an insurrectionist.)
Luke 12:1-591In the meantime, a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling one another. Jesus began to speak first to His disciples: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
2There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known.
3What you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the housetops.
4I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.
5But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear the One who, after you have been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him!
6Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.
7And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
8I tell you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will also confess him before the angels of God.
9But whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
10And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say.
12For at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.”
13Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14But Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed Me judge or executor between you?”
15And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
16Then He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance.
17So he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, since I have nowhere to store my crops?’
18Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and will build bigger ones, and there I will store up all my grain and my goods.
19Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
20But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’
21This is how it will be for anyone who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.”
22Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.
23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!
25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
26So if you cannot do such a small thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27Consider how the lilies grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these.
28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith!
29And do not be concerned about what you will eat or drink. Do not worry about it.
30For the Gentiles of the world strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.
31But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added unto you.
32Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
35Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning.
36Then you will be like servants waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once.
37Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them.
38Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night and finds them alert, those servants will be blessed.
39But understand this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.
40You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.”
41“Lord,” said Peter, “are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?”
42And the Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their portion at the proper time?
43Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.
44Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
45But suppose that servant says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and he begins to beat the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk.
46The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate. Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows.
48But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded.
49I have come to ignite a fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
50But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!
51Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but division.
52From now on, five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three.
53They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
54Then Jesus said to the crowds, “As soon as you see a cloud rising in the west, you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and that is what happens.
55And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It will be hot,’ and it is.
56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don’t you know how to interpret the present time?
57And why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?
58Make every effort to reconcile with your adversary while you are on your way to the magistrate. Otherwise, he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and the officer may throw you into prison.
59I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the very last penny.”
Luke 14:1-351One Sabbath, Jesus went to eat in the home of a leading Pharisee, and those in attendance were watching Him closely.
2Right there before Him was a man with dropsy.
3So Jesus asked the experts in the law and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?”
4But they remained silent. Then Jesus took hold of the man, healed him, and sent him on his way.
5And He asked them, “Which of you whose son or ox falls into a pit on the Sabbath day will not immediately pull him out?”
6And they were unable to answer these questions.
7When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, He told them a parable:
8“When you are invited to a wedding banquet, do not sit in the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited.
9Then the host who invited both of you will come and tell you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ And in humiliation, you will have to take the last place.
10But when you are invited, go and sit in the last place, so that your host will come and tell you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in front of everyone at the table with you.
11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
12Then Jesus said to the man who had invited Him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbors. Otherwise, they may invite you in return, and you will be repaid.
13But when you host a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind,
14and you will be blessed. Since they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
15When one of those reclining with Him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is everyone who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
16But Jesus replied, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests.
17When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
18But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first one said, ‘I have bought a field, and I need to go see it. Please excuse me.’
19Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out. Please excuse me.’
20Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, so I cannot come.’
21The servant returned and reported all this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’
22‘Sir,’ the servant replied, ‘what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.’
23So the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.
24For I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will taste my banquet.’”
25Large crowds were now traveling with Jesus, and He turned and said to them,
26“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.
27And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.
28Which of you, wishing to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has the resources to complete it?
29Otherwise, if he lays the foundation and is unable to finish the work, everyone who sees it will ridicule him,
30saying, ‘This man could not finish what he started to build.’
31Or what king on his way to war with another king will not first sit down and consider whether he can engage with ten thousand men the one coming against him with twenty thousand?
32And if he is unable, he will send a delegation while the other king is still far off, to ask for terms of peace.
33In the same way, any one of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple.
34Salt is good, but if the salt loses its savor, with what will it be seasoned?
35It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile, and it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Philippians 3:1-211Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.
2Watch out for those dogs, those workers of evil, those mutilators of the flesh!
3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—
4though I myself could have such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
6as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.
7But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ.
8More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
9and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.
10I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death,
11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
14I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.
15All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view. And if you think differently about some issue, God will reveal this to you as well.
16Nevertheless, we must live up to what we have already attained.
17Join one another in following my example, brothers, and carefully observe those who walk according to the pattern we set for you.
18For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.
20But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.
2 Corinthians 10:1-181Now by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away.
2I beg you that when I come I may not need to be as bold as I expect toward those who presume that we live according to the flesh.
3For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.
4The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
5We tear down arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.
7You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that we belong to Christ just as much as he does.
8For even if I boast somewhat excessively about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed.
9I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you by my letters.
10For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is unimpressive, and his speaking is of no account.”
11Such people should consider that what we are in our letters when absent, we will be in our actions when present.
12We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they show their ignorance.
13We, however, will not boast beyond our limits, but only within the field of influence that God has assigned to us—a field that reaches even to you.
14We are not overstepping our bounds, as if we had not come to you. Indeed, we were the first to reach you with the gospel of Christ.
15Neither do we boast beyond our limits in the labors of others. But we hope that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you will greatly increase as well,
16so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. Then we will not be boasting in the work already done in another man’s territory.
17Rather, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
18For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
2 Corinthians 4:1-181Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry, we do not lose heart.
2Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
5For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.
8We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.
10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
11For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal body.
12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
13And in keeping with what is written: “I believed, therefore I have spoken,” we who have the same spirit of faith also believe and therefore speak,
14knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in His presence.
15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is extending to more and more people may overflow in thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day.
17For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that is far beyond comparison.
18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Luke 10:1-421After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place He was about to visit.
2And He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.
3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.
4Carry no purse or bag or sandals. Do not greet anyone along the road.
5Whatever house you enter, begin by saying, ‘Peace to this house.’
6If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you.
7Stay at the same house, eating and drinking whatever you are offered. For the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
8If you enter a town and they welcome you, eat whatever is set before you.
9Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’
10But if you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go into the streets and declare,
11‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off as a testimony against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’
12I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
13Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
14But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.
15And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades!
16Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”
17The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.”
18So He told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
19Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.
20Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
21At that time Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight.
22All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”
23Then Jesus turned to the disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
24For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”
25One day an expert in the law stood up to test Him. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26“What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?”
27He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
28“You have answered correctly,” Jesus said. “Do this and you will live.”
29But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30Jesus took up this question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.
31Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32So too, when a Levite came to that spot and saw him, he passed by on the other side.
33But when a Samaritan on a journey came upon him, he looked at him and had compassion.
34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Take care of him,’ he said, ‘and on my return I will repay you for any additional expense.’
36Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37“The one who showed him mercy,” replied the expert in the law. Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
38As they traveled along, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.
39She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to His message.
40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations to be made. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!”
41“Martha, Martha,” the Lord replied, “you are worried and upset about many things.
42But only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 16:1-311Jesus also said to His disciples, “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.
2So he called him in to ask, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in an account of your management, for you cannot be manager any longer.’
3The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking away my position? I am too weak to dig and too ashamed to beg.
4I know what I will do, so that after my removal from management, people will welcome me into their homes.’
5And he called in each one of his master’s debtors. ‘How much do you owe my master?’ he asked the first.
6‘A hundred measures of olive oil,’ he answered. ‘Take your bill,’ said the manager. ‘Sit down quickly, and write fifty.’
7Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ ‘A hundred measures of wheat,’ he replied. ‘Take your bill and write eighty,’ he told him.
8The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light.
9I tell you, use worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings.
10Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
11So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will entrust you with true riches?
12And if you have not been faithful with the belongings of another, who will give you belongings of your own?
13No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
14The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus.
15So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.
16The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the gospel of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
17But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.
18Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
19Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor.
20And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores
21and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried.
23In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side.
24So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire.’
25But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.
26And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that even those who wish cannot cross from here to you, nor can anyone cross from there to us.’
27‘Then I beg you, father,’ he said, ‘send Lazarus to my father’s house,
28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also end up in this place of torment.’
29But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let your brothers listen to them.’
30‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone is sent to them from the dead, they will repent.’
31Then Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Matthew 7:1-291“Do not judge, or you will be judged.
2For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?
4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while there is still a beam in your own eye?
5You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
7Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
9Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
11So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
12In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.
13Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
14But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.
15Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
16By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20So then, by their fruit you will recognize them.
21Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’
24Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
25The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because its foundation was on the rock.
26But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
27The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its collapse!”
28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching,
29because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
Matthew 15:1-391Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked,
2“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”
3Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?
4For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’
5But you say that if anyone says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’
6he need not honor his father or mother with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.
7You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you:
8‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.
9They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”
10Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, “Listen and understand.
11A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”
12Then the disciples came to Him and said, “Are You aware that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”
13But Jesus replied, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by its roots.
14Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
15Peter said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”
16“Do you still not understand?” Jesus asked.
17“Do you not yet realize that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then is eliminated?
18But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man.
19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.
20These are what defile a man, but eating with unwashed hands does not defile him.”
21Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.
22And a Canaanite woman from that region came to Him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is miserably possessed by a demon.”
23But Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
24He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
25The woman came and knelt before Him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
26But Jesus replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
27“Yes, Lord,” she said, “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
28“O woman,” Jesus answered, “your faith is great! Let it be done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
29Moving on from there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee. Then He went up on a mountain and sat down.
30Large crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at His feet, and He healed them.
31The crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.
32Then Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “I have compassion for this crowd, because they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may faint along the way.”
33The disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?”
34“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”
35And He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground.
36Taking the seven loaves and the fish, He gave thanks and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
37They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
38A total of four thousand men were fed, in addition to women and children.
39After Jesus had dismissed the crowds, He got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.
Galatians 1:1-241Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead—
2and all the brothers with me, To the churches of Galatia:
3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
4who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
5to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
6I am amazed how quickly you are deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
7which is not even a gospel. Evidently some people are troubling you and trying to distort the gospel of Christ.
8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a curse!
9As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse!
10Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
11For I certify to you, brothers, that the gospel I preached was not devised by man.
12I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
13For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
14I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
15But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased
16to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not rush to consult with flesh and blood,
17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to the apostles who came before me, but I went into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
18Only after three years did I go up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas, and I stayed with him fifteen days.
19But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.
20I assure you before God that what I am writing to you is no lie.
21Later I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
22I was personally unknown, however, to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.
23They only heard the account: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
24And they glorified God because of me.
2 Corinthians 13:1-141This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
2I already warned you the second time I was with you. So now in my absence I warn those who sinned earlier and everyone else: If I return, I will not spare anyone,
3since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.
4For He was indeed crucified in weakness, yet He lives by God’s power. And though we are weak in Him, yet by God’s power we will live with Him to serve you.
5Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you actually fail the test?
6And I hope you will realize that we have not failed the test.
7Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not that we will appear to have stood the test, but that you will do what is right, even if we appear to have failed.
8For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.
9In fact, we rejoice when we are weak but you are strong, and our prayer is for your perfection.
10This is why I write these things while absent, so that when I am present I will not need to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.
11Finally, brothers, rejoice! Aim for perfect harmony, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
12Greet one another with a holy kiss.
13All the saints send you greetings.
14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
2 Corinthians 8:1-241Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia.
2In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity.
3For I testify that they gave according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord,
4they earnestly pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.
5And not only did they do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, because it was the will of God.
6So we urged Titus to help complete your act of grace, just as he had started it.
7But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness, and in the love we inspired in you —see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
8I am not making a demand, but I am testing the sincerity of your love in comparison to the earnestness of others.
9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
10And this is my opinion about what is helpful for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give, but even to have such a desire.
11Now finish the work, so that you may complete it just as eagerly as you began, according to your means.
12For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.
13It is not our intention that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may be equality.
14At the present time, your surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. Then there will be equality.
15As it is written: “He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortfall.”
16But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you.
17For not only did he welcome our appeal, but he is eagerly coming to you of his own volition.
18Along with Titus we are sending the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in the gospel.
19More than that, this brother was chosen by the churches to accompany us with the offering —the gracious gift we administer to honor the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help.
20We hope to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this generous gift.
21For we are taking great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men.
22And we are sending along with them our brother whose earnestness has been proven many times and in many ways, and now even more so by his great confidence in you.
23As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you. As for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, to the glory of Christ.
24In full view of the churches, then, show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our boasting about you.
John 16:1-331“I have told you these things so that you will not fall away.
2They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.
3They will do these things because they have not known the Father or Me.
4But I have told you these things so that when their hour comes, you will remember that I told you about them. I did not tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you.
5Now, however, I am going to Him who sent Me; yet none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
6Instead, your hearts are filled with sorrow because I have told you these things.
7But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
8And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:
9in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me;
10in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see Me;
11and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world has been condemned.
12I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it.
13However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.
14He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.
15Everything that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take from what is Mine and disclose it to you.
16In a little while you will see Me no more, and then after a little while you will see Me.”
17Then some of His disciples asked one another, “Why is He telling us, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”
18They kept asking, “Why is He saying, ‘a little while’? We do not understand what He is saying.”
19Aware that they wanted to question Him, Jesus said to them, “Are you asking one another why I said, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’?
20Truly, truly, I tell you, you will weep and wail while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
21A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.
22So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
23In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. Truly, truly, I tell you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.
24Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
25I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. An hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you this way, but will tell you plainly about the Father.
26In that day you will ask in My name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf.
27For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God.
28I came from the Father and entered the world. In turn, I will leave the world and go to the Father.”
29His disciples said, “See, now You are speaking plainly and without figures of speech.
30Now we understand that You know all things and that You have no need for anyone to question You. Because of this, we believe that You came from God.”
31“Do you finally believe?” Jesus replied.
32“Look, an hour is coming and has already come when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and you will leave Me all alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
33I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”
John 12:1313They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!”
Acts 15:1-411Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
2And after engaging these men in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
3Sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.
4On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they reported all that God had done through them.
5But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and declared, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”
6So the apostles and elders met to look into this matter.
7After much discussion, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you that the Gentiles would hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.
8And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us.
9He made no distinction between us and them, for He cleansed their hearts by faith.
10Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?
11On the contrary, we believe it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
12The whole assembly fell silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
13When they had finished speaking, James declared, “Brothers, listen to me!
14Simon has told us how God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people to be His own.
15The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:
16‘After this I will return and rebuild the fallen tent of David. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,
17so that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does these things
18that have been known for ages.’
19It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not cause trouble for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
20Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.
21For Moses has been proclaimed in every city from ancient times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
22Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, two leaders among the brothers,
23and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
24It has come to our attention that some went out from us without our authorization and unsettled you, troubling your minds by what they said.
25So we all agreed to choose men to send to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to tell you in person the same things we are writing.
28It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements:
29You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
30So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they assembled the congregation and delivered the letter.
31When the people read it, they rejoiced at its encouraging message.
32Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.
33After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers in peace to return to those who had sent them.
35But Paul and Barnabas remained at Antioch, along with many others, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.
36Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.”
37Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark.
38But Paul thought it best not to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work.
39Their disagreement was so sharp that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,
40but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
41And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Acts 10:1-481At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was called the Italian Regiment.
2He and all his household were devout and God-fearing. He gave generously to the people and prayed to God regularly.
3One day at about the ninth hour, he had a clear vision of an angel of God who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
4Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?” The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God.
5Now send men to Joppa to call for a man named Simon who is called Peter.
6He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
7When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among his attendants.
8He explained what had happened and sent them to Joppa.
9The next day at about the sixth hour, as the men were approaching the city on their journey, Peter went up on the roof to pray.
10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.
11He saw heaven open and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.
12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, as well as birds of the air.
13Then a voice said to him: “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!”
14“No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
15The voice spoke to him a second time: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
16This happened three times, and all at once the sheet was taken back up into heaven.
17While Peter was puzzling over the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and approached the gate.
18They called out to ask if Simon called Peter was staying there.
19As Peter continued to reflect on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.
20So get up! Go downstairs and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them.”
21So Peter went down to the men and said, “Here am I, the one you are looking for. Why have you come?”
22“Cornelius the centurion has sent us,” they said. “He is a righteous and God-fearing man with a good reputation among the whole Jewish nation. A holy angel instructed him to request your presence in his home so he could hear a message from you.”
23So Peter invited them in as his guests. And the next day he got ready and went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa.
24The following day he arrived in Caesarea, where Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
25As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him.
26But Peter helped him up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
27As Peter talked with him, he went inside and found many people gathered together.
28He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.
29So when I was invited, I came without objection. I ask, then, why have you sent for me?”
30Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying at this, the ninth hour. Suddenly a man in radiant clothing stood before me
31and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before God.
32Therefore send to Joppa for Simon, who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’
33So I sent for you immediately, and you were kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has instructed you to tell us.”
34Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism,
35but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.
36He has sent this message to the people of Israel, proclaiming the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
37You yourselves know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee with the baptism that John proclaimed:
38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.
39We are witnesses of all that He did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And although they put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree,
40God raised Him up on the third day and caused Him to be seen—
41not by all the people, but by the witnesses God had chosen beforehand, by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.
42And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead.
43All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”
44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard his message.
45All the circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.
46For they heard them speaking in tongues and exalting God. Then Peter said,
47“Can anyone withhold the water to baptize these people? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have!”
48So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.
Colossians 2:1-231For I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me face to face,
2that they may be encouraged in heart, knit together in love, and filled with the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ,
3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4I say this so that no one will deceive you by smooth rhetoric.
5For although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I delight to see your orderly condition and firm faith in Christ.
6Therefore, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in Him,
7rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.
9For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form.
10And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
11In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands.
12And having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead.
13When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses,
14having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!
15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
16Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath.
17These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.
18Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you with speculation about what he has seen. Such a person is puffed up without basis by his unspiritual mind.
19He has lost connection to the head, from whom the whole body, supported and knit together by its joints and ligaments, grows as God causes it to grow.
20If you have died with Christ to the spiritual forces of the world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its regulations:
21“Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”?
22These will all perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.
23Such restrictions indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-prescribed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body; but they are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Titus 1:1-161Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness,
2in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.
3In His own time He has made His word evident in the proclamation entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior.
4To Titus, my true child in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
5The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.
6An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, having children who are believers and who are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination.
7As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-absorbed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money.
8Instead, he must be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.
9He must hold firmly to the faithful word as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it.
10For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision,
11who must be silenced. For the sake of dishonorable gain, they undermine entire households and teach things they should not.
12As one of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”
13This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sternly, so that they will be sound in the faith
14and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of men who have rejected the truth.
15To the pure, all things are pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Indeed, both their minds and their consciences are defiled.
16They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
Matthew 14:1313When Jesus heard about John, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. But the crowds found out about it and followed Him on foot from the towns.
1 Timothy 4:1-161Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
2influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.
3They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from certain foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
4For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected,
5because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
6By pointing out these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of faith and sound instruction that you have followed.
7But reject irreverent, silly myths. Instead, train yourself for godliness.
8For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come.
9This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance.
10To this end we labor and strive, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of everyone, and especially of those who believe.
11Command and teach these things.
12Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
13Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching.
14Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given you through the prophecy spoken over you at the laying on of the hands of the elders.
15Be diligent in these matters and absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.
16Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
1 Timothy 1:1-201Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
2To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3As I urged you on my departure to Macedonia, you should stay on at Ephesus to instruct certain men not to teach false doctrines
4or devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculation rather than the stewardship of God’s work, which is by faith.
5The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.
6Some have strayed from these ways and turned aside to empty talk.
7They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or that which they so confidently assert.
8Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately.
9We realize that law is not enacted for the righteous, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for killers of father or mother, for murderers,
10for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching
11that agrees with the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.
12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, that He considered me faithful and appointed me to service.
13I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.
14And the grace of our Lord overflowed to me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.
16But for this very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His perfect patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
17Now to the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
18Timothy, my child, I entrust you with this command in keeping with the previous prophecies about you, so that by them you may fight the good fight,
19holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and thereby shipwrecked their faith.
20Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
Galatians 5:11It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.
1 Corinthians 11:1-341You are to imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
2Now I commend you for remembering me in everything and for maintaining the traditions, just as I passed them on to you.
3But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
4Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.
5And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for it is just as if her head were shaved.
6If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off. And if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head.
7A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.
8For man did not come from woman, but woman from man.
9Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.
10For this reason a woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.
11In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.
12For just as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.
13Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
14Doesn’t nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him,
15but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.
16If anyone is inclined to dispute this, we have no other practice, nor do the churches of God.
17In the following instructions I have no praise to offer, because your gatherings do more harm than good.
18First of all, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.
19And indeed, there must be differences among you to show which of you are approved.
20Now then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat.
21For as you eat, each of you goes ahead without sharing his meal. While one remains hungry, another gets drunk.
22Don’t you have your own homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What can I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? No, I will not!
23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread,
24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
25In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
27Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
28Each one must examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.
29For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
30That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
31Now if we judged ourselves properly, we would not come under judgment.
32But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.
33So, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
34If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you come together it will not result in judgment. And when I come, I will give instructions about the remaining matters.
1 Corinthians 5:1-131It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.
2And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been stricken with grief and have removed from your fellowship the man who did this?
3Although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present.
4When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, along with the power of the Lord Jesus,
5hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.
6Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven works through the whole batch of dough?
7Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
8Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old bread, leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and of truth.
9I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.
10I was not including the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.
11But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
12What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
13God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
1 Corinthians 14:1-401Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.
2For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries in the Spirit.
3But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, encouragement, and comfort.
4The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.
5I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be edified.
6Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?
7Even in the case of lifeless instruments, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone recognize the tune they are playing unless the notes are distinct?
8Again, if the trumpet sounds a muffled call, who will prepare for battle?
9So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.
10Assuredly, there are many different languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.
11If, then, I do not know the meaning of someone’s language, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me.
12It is the same with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, strive to excel in gifts that build up the church.
13Therefore, the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.
14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
15What then shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.
16Otherwise, if you speak a blessing in spirit, how can someone who is uninstructed say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?
17You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other one is not edified.
18I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
19But in the church, I would rather speak five coherent words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
20Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
21It is written in the Law: “By strange tongues and foreign lips I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to Me, says the Lord.”
22Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.
23So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who are uninstructed or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds?
24But if an unbeliever or uninstructed person comes in while everyone is prophesying, he will be convicted and called to account by all,
25and the secrets of his heart will be made known. So he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, “God is truly among you!”
26What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a psalm or a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All of these must be done to build up the church.
27If anyone speaks in a tongue, two, or at most three, should speak in turn, and someone must interpret.
28But if there is no interpreter, he should remain silent in the church and speak only to himself and God.
29Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.
30And if a revelation comes to someone who is seated, the first speaker should stop.
31For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.
32The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.
33For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace—as in all the churches of the saints.
34Women are to be silent in the churches. They are not permitted to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says.
35If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is dishonorable for a woman to speak in the church.
36Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only ones it has reached?
37If anyone considers himself a prophet or spiritual person, let him acknowledge that what I am writing you is the Lord’s command.
38But if anyone ignores this, he himself will be ignored.
39So, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
40But everything must be done in a proper and orderly manner.
Philippians 2:1-301Therefore if you have any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,
2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose.
3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:
6Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross.
9Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
13For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
14Do everything without complaining or arguing,
15so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
16as you hold forth the word of life, in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.
17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
19Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I learn how you are doing.
20I have nobody else like him who will genuinely care for your needs.
21For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
22But you know Timothy’s proven worth, that as a child with his father he has served with me to advance the gospel.
23So I hope to send him as soon as I see what happens with me.
24And I trust in the Lord that I myself will come soon.
25But I thought it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my needs.
26For he has been longing for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.
27He was sick indeed, nearly unto death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.
28Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less anxious.
29Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him,
30because he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for your deficit of service to me.
Acts 20:1-381When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples. And after encouraging them, he said goodbye to them and left for Macedonia.
2After traveling through that area and speaking many words of encouragement, he arrived in Greece,
3where he stayed three months. And when the Jews formed a plot against him as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.
4Paul was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.
5These men went on ahead and waited for us in Troas.
6And after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we sailed from Philippi, and five days later we rejoined them in Troas, where we stayed seven days.
7On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Since Paul was ready to leave the next day, he talked to them and kept on speaking until midnight.
8Now there were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered.
9And a certain young man named Eutychus, seated in the window, was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell from the third story and was picked up dead.
10But Paul went down, threw himself on the young man, and embraced him. “Do not be alarmed!” he said. “He is still alive!”
11Then Paul went back upstairs, broke bread, and ate. And after speaking until daybreak, he departed.
12And the people were greatly relieved to take the boy home alive.
13We went on ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos, where we were to take Paul aboard. He had arranged this because he was going there on foot.
14And when he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene.
15Sailing on from there, we arrived the next day opposite Chios. The day after that we arrived at Samos, and on the following day we came to Miletus.
16Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
17From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.
18When they came to him, he said, “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia.
19I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, especially in the trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews.
20I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house,
21testifying to Jews and Greeks alike about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
22And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
23I only know that in town after town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions await me.
24But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
25Now I know that none of you among whom I have preached the kingdom will see my face again.
26Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
27For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole will of God.
28Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.
29I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.
30Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.
31Therefore be alert and remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
32And now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified.
33I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.
34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have ministered to my own needs and those of my companions.
35In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
36When Paul had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.
37They all wept openly as they embraced Paul and kissed him.
38They were especially grieved by his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
Acts 5:1-421Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
2With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds for himself, but brought a portion and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land?
4Did it not belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How could you conceive such a deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God!”
5On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came over all who heard what had happened.
6Then the young men stepped forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7About three hours later his wife also came in, unaware of what had happened.
8“Tell me,” said Peter, “is this the price you and your husband got for the land?” “Yes,” she answered, “that is the price.”
9“How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter replied. “Look, the feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
10At that instant she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
11And great fear came over the whole church and all who heard about these events.
12The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and with one accord the believers gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade.
13Although the people regarded them highly, no one else dared to join them.
14Yet more and more believers were brought to the Lord—large numbers of both men and women.
15As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.
16Crowds also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.
17Then the high priest and all his associates, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They went out
18and arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.
19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,
20“Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life.”
21At daybreak the apostles entered the temple courts as they had been told and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles.
22But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they returned with the report:
23“We found the jail securely locked, with the guards posted at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”
24When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this account, they were perplexed as to what was happening.
25Then someone came in and announced, “Look, the men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people!”
26At that point, the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles—but not by force, for fear the people would stone them.
27They brought them in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, where the high priest interrogated them.
28“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.”
29But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.
30The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree.
31God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior, in order to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
32We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
33When the Council members heard this, they were enraged, and they resolved to put the apostles to death.
34But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a short time.
35“Men of Israel,” he said, “consider carefully what you are about to do to these men.
36Some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.
37After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and drew away people after him. He too perished, and all his followers were scattered.
38So in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone. Let them go! For if their purpose or endeavor is of human origin, it will fail.
39But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.”
40At this, they yielded to Gamaliel. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.
41The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
42Every day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.
1 Peter 5:1-141As a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and a partaker of the glory to be revealed, I appeal to the elders among you:
2Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but because it is God’s will; not out of greed, but out of eagerness;
3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
5Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.
7Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
8Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
9Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.
10And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish you.
11To Him be the power forever and ever. Amen.
12Through Silvanus, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.
13The church in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, as does my son Mark.
14Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
1 Peter 3:1-221Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of their wives
2when they see your pure and reverent demeanor.
3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes,
4but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.
5For this is how the holy women of the past adorned themselves. They put their hope in God and were submissive to their husbands,
6just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. And you are her children if you do what is right and refuse to give way to fear.
7Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
8Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.
9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
10For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.
11He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.
12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
13Who can harm you if you are zealous for what is good?
14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be shaken.”
15But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect,
16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.
17For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
18For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,
19in whom He also went and preached to the spirits in prison
20who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In the ark a few people, only eight souls, were saved through water.
21And this water symbolizes the baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.
Source and edition
Augsburg Confession. F. Bente and W. H. T. Dau, Concordia Triglotta, 1921. F. Bente and W. H. T. Dau, Concordia Triglotta, 1921
Public Domain (historic text). Source transcription.
Berean Blue opens December 1, 2026 for Bible reading, study, and research. View this work in the app preview.