Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 39
Matthew 25 NIV
1 "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like1 ten virgins who took their lamps2 and went out to meet the bridegroom.3
3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with
them.
4 The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.
6 "At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come
out to meet him!'
7 "Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.
9 " 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us
and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'
10 "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the
bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding
banquet.7 And
the door was shut.
11 "Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open
the door for us!'
14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey,10 who called his servants and entrusted his property to
them.
15 To one he gave five talentsa of money, to another two talents, and to another one
talent, each according to his ability.11 Then he went on his journey.
16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put
his money to work and gained five more.
17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more.
18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole
in the ground and hid his master's money.
20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other
five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have
gained five more.'
21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant!
You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many
things.13 Come
and share your master's happiness!'
22 "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said,
'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant!
You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many
things.14 Come
and share your master's happiness!'
24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came.
'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have
not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground.
See, here is what belongs to you.'
26 "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew
that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered
seed?
27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the
bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 " 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has
the ten talents.
29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an
abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.15
30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness,
where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'16
31 "When the Son of Man comes17 in his glory, and all the angels with
him, he will sit on his throne18 in heavenly glory.
32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will
separate19 the
people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.20
33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you
who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom21 prepared for you since the creation of
the world.22
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty
and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,23
36 I needed clothes and you clothed me,24 I was sick and you looked after me,25 I was in prison and you came to visit me.'26
37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see
you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing
clothes and clothe you?
39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you
did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'27
41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me,28 you who are cursed, into the eternal
fire29 prepared
for the devil and his angels.30
42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty
and you gave me nothing to drink,
43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes
and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after
me.'
44 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry
or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not
help you?'
45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not
do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'31
Ephesians 2
Ephesians 2 (New International Version, ©2010)
Ephesians 2
Made Alive in Christ
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Footnotes:
Ephesians 2:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
Ephesians 2
Made Alive in Christ
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Footnotes:
Ephesians 2:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
Ephesians 1
Ephesians 1 (New International Version, ©2010)
Ephesians 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God's holy people in Ephesus,[a] the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he[b] predestined us for adoption to sonship[c] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Ephesians 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God's holy people in Ephesus,[a] the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he[b] predestined us for adoption to sonship[c] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Revelation 21
Revelation 21 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 21
A New Heaven and a New Earth
1 Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth,"[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death'[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
6 He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb
9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia[c] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits[d] thick.[e] 18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.[f] 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Revelation 21
A New Heaven and a New Earth
1 Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth,"[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death'[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
6 He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb
9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia[c] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits[d] thick.[e] 18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.[f] 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Monday, June 29, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 38
Matthew 24 NIV
1 Jesus left the temple and was walking
away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings.
2 "Do you see all these things?" he asked. "I tell you the truth, not one stone here
will be left on another;1 every one will be thrown down."
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of
Olives,2 the disciples came to him privately.
"Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be
the sign of your coming3 and of the end of the age?"4
6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you
are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.7 There will be famines8and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
9 "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted9 and put to death,10 and you will be hated by all nations because of me.11
10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray
and hate each other,
12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will
grow cold,
14 And this gospel of the kingdom15 will be preached in the whole world16 as a testimony to all nations, and then
the end will come.
15 "So when you see standing in the holy place17 'the abomination that causes
desolation,'b18 spoken of through the prophet
Daniel--let the reader understand--
16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
18 Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak.
20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the
Sabbath.
21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the
beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again.21
22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but
for the sake of the elect22 those days will be shortened.
23 At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!'
or, 'There he is!' do not believe it.23
24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform
great signs and miracles24to deceive even the elect--if that were possible.
25 See, I have told you ahead of time.
26 "So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,'
do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.
27 For as lightning25 that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so
will be the coming26 of the Son of Man.27
29 "Immediately after the distress of those days " 'the
sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall
from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'c29
30 "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the
sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn.30 They will see the Son of Man coming on
the clouds of the sky,31 with power and great glory.
31 And he will send his angels32 with a loud trumpet call,33 and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from
one end of the heavens to the other.
32 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its
twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.
34 I tell you the truth, this generatione will certainly not pass away until all
these things have happened.35
36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels
in heaven, nor the Son,fbut only the Father.37
38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,39 up to the day Noah entered the ark;
39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood
came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of
Man.40
43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what
time of night the thief was coming,44 he would have kept watch and would not
have let his house be broken into.
44 So you also must be ready,45 because the Son of Man will come at an
hour when you do not expect him.
45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant,46 whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his
household to give them their food at the proper time?
48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My
master is staying away a long time,'
50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not
expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.
51 He will cut him to
pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.50
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