Monday, August 31, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 83
Hebrews 7; Hebrews 8;
Hebrews 9; Hebrews 10
1 This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most
High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed
him, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his
name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of
Salem" means "king of peace." 3 Without father
or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like
the Son of God he remains a priest forever. 4 Just think how
great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! 5 Now
the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth
from the people--that is, their brothers--even though their brothers are
descended from Abraham. 6This man, however, did not trace his
descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who
had the promises. 7 And without doubt the lesser person is
blessed by the greater.8 In the one case, the tenth is collected by
men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. 9 One
might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through
Abraham,10 because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in
the body of his ancestor. 11 If perfection could have been attained
through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to
the people), why was there still need for another priest to come--one in the
order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? 12 For when
there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the
law. 13 He of whom these things are said belonged to a
different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. 14 For
it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses
said nothing about priests. 15 And what we have said is even
more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 one
who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but
on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it
is declared: "You are a priest forever, in the order of
Melchizedek." 18 The former regulation is set aside
because it was weak and useless 19 (for the law made nothing
perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. 20 And
it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21 but
he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: "The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.' " 22 Because
of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. 23 Now
there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from
continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he
has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save
completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to
intercede for them. 26 Such a high priest meets our need--one
who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the
heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to
offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins
of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered
himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who are
weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been
made perfect forever.
1 The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a
high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in
heaven, 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle
set up by the Lord, not by man. 3 Every high priest is
appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this
one also to have something to offer. 4 If he were on earth, he
would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed
by the law. 5 They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and
shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to
build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the
pattern shown you on the mountain." 6 But the ministry
Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is
mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better
promises. 7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that
first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. 8 But
God found fault with the people and said: "The time is coming, declares
the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the
house of Judah. 9 It will not be like the covenant I made with
their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because
they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them,
declares the Lord. 10 This is the covenant I will make with
the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in
their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will
be my people. 11 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a
man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from
the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will forgive their
wickedness and will remember their sins no more." 13 By
calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and
what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.
1 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and
also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was set up. In its
first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was
called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a room
called the Most Holy Place, 4 which had the golden altar of
incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold
jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the
covenant. 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory,
overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail
now. 6 When everything had been arranged like this, the
priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7 But
only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and
never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people
had committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit was showing by
this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long
as the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 This is an
illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices
being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10 They
are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings--external
regulations applying until the time of the new order. 11 When
Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went
through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is
to say, not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by
means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once
for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 The
blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are
ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How
much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered
himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to
death, so that we may serve the living God! 15 For this reason
Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive
the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them
free from the sins committed under the first covenant. 16 In
the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made
it, 17because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it
never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18 This
is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19 When
Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took
the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop,
and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20 He said,
"This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to
keep." 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood
both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In
fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and
without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23 It
was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with
these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices
than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary
that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear
for us in God's presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer
himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place
every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Then Christ
would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he
has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the
sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as man is destined to die once,
and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed
once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time,
not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
1 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are
coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same
sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near
to worship. 2 If it could, would they not have stopped being offered?
For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer
have felt guilty for their sins. 3 But those sacrifices are an
annual reminder of sins, 4 because it is impossible for the
blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, when
Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not
desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with burnt offerings
and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7 Then I said, 'Here I
am--it is written about me in the scroll-- I have come to do your will, O God.'
" 8 First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt
offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with
them" (although the law required them to be made). 9 Then
he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the
first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have
been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for
all. 11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his
religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can
never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for
all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13 Since
that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, 14 because
by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.15 The
Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: 16 "This
is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will
put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." 17 Then
he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." 18 And
where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. 19 Therefore,
brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of
Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the
curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great
priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near to God with a
sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to
cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure
water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for
he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may
spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not
give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us
encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 26 If
we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the
truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful
expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of
God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without
mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much
more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the
Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the
covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For
we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and
again, "The Lord will judge his people." 31 It is a
dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 32 Remember
those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground
in a great contest in the face of suffering. 33 Sometimes you
were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side
by side with those who were so treated. 34 You sympathized
with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property,
because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35 So
do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You
need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive
what he has promised. 37 For in just a very little while,
"He who is coming will come and will not delay. 38 But my
righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased
with him." 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and
are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.
Romans 16
Romans 16 (New International Version, ©2010)
Romans 16
Personal Greetings
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon[a][b] of the church in Cenchreae. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.
3 Greet Priscilla[c] and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.
5 Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
6 Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among[d] the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.
9 Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.
10 Greet Apelles, whose fidelity to Christ has stood the test. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.
11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.
13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.
14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters with them.
15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the Lord's people who are with them.
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.
17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. 19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.
20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
21 Timothy, my co-worker, sends his greetings to you, as do Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.
22 I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.
23 Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings. Erastus, who is the city's director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings. [24] [e]
25 Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from[f] faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Romans 16
Personal Greetings
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon[a][b] of the church in Cenchreae. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.
3 Greet Priscilla[c] and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.
5 Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
6 Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among[d] the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.
9 Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.
10 Greet Apelles, whose fidelity to Christ has stood the test. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.
11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.
13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.
14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters with them.
15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the Lord's people who are with them.
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.
17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. 19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.
20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
21 Timothy, my co-worker, sends his greetings to you, as do Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.
22 I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.
23 Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings. Erastus, who is the city's director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings. [24] [e]
25 Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from[f] faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Revelation 16
Revelation 16 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 16
The Seven Bowls of God's Wrath
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth."
2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.
4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: "You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were;
6 for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve."
7 And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments."
8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.
10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. 13 Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. 15 "Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed."
16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 21 From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds,[a] fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
Revelation 16
The Seven Bowls of God's Wrath
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth."
2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.
4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: "You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were;
6 for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve."
7 And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments."
8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.
10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. 13 Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. 15 "Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed."
16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 21 From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds,[a] fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Romans 15
Romans 15 (New International Version, ©2010)
Romans 15
1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me."[a] 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews[b] on behalf of God's truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed 9 and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name."[c]
10 Again, it says, "Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people."[d]
11 And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him."[e]
12 And again, Isaiah says, "The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope."[f]
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul the Minister to the Gentiles
14 I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. 15 Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
17 Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— 19 by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. 20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation. 21 Rather, as it is written: "Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand."[g]
22 This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.
Paul's Plan to Visit Rome
23 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord's people there. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord's people in Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. 28 So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.
30 I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 31 Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord's people there, 32 so that I may come to you with joy, by God's will, and in your company be refreshed. 33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Romans 15
1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me."[a] 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews[b] on behalf of God's truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed 9 and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name."[c]
10 Again, it says, "Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people."[d]
11 And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him."[e]
12 And again, Isaiah says, "The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope."[f]
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul the Minister to the Gentiles
14 I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. 15 Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
17 Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— 19 by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. 20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation. 21 Rather, as it is written: "Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand."[g]
22 This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.
Paul's Plan to Visit Rome
23 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord's people there. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord's people in Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. 28 So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.
30 I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 31 Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord's people there, 32 so that I may come to you with joy, by God's will, and in your company be refreshed. 33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Revelation 15
Revelation 15 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 15
Seven Angels With Seven Plagues
1 I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them God's wrath is completed. 2 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God 3 and sang the song of God's servant Moses and of the Lamb:
"Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, King of the nations.[a]
4 Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed."[b]
5 After this I looked, and I saw in heaven the temple—that is, the tabernacle of the covenant law—and it was opened. 6 Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
Revelation 15
Seven Angels With Seven Plagues
1 I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them God's wrath is completed. 2 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God 3 and sang the song of God's servant Moses and of the Lamb:
"Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, King of the nations.[a]
4 Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed."[b]
5 After this I looked, and I saw in heaven the temple—that is, the tabernacle of the covenant law—and it was opened. 6 Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Romans 14
Romans 14 (New International Version, ©2010)
Romans 14
The Weak and the Strong
1 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2 One person's faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
5 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6 Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister[a]? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. 11 It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.'"[b]
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
Romans 14
The Weak and the Strong
1 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2 One person's faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
5 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6 Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister[a]? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. 11 It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.'"[b]
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
Revelation 14
Revelation 14 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 14
The Lamb and the 144,000
1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
The Three Angels
6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."
8 A second angel followed and said, "'Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,'[a] which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries."
9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name." 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."
Harvesting the Earth and Trampling the Winepress
14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man[b] with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe." 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.
Revelation 14
The Lamb and the 144,000
1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
The Three Angels
6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."
8 A second angel followed and said, "'Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,'[a] which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries."
9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name." 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."
Harvesting the Earth and Trampling the Winepress
14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man[b] with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe." 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.
Friday, August 28, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 82
Hebrews 1; Hebrews 2;
Hebrews 3; Hebrews 4; Hebrews 5; Hebrews 6
1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the
prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days
he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and
through whom he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance
of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things
by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down
at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as
much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to
theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
"You are my Son; today I have become your Father " ? Or again,
"I will be his Father, and he will be my Son" ? 6And
again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all
God's angels worship him." 7In speaking of the angels he says,
"He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire." 8 But
about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever,
and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You
have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set
you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy." 10 He
also says, "In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the
earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.11 They will
perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. 12 You
will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you
remain the same, and your years will never end." 13To which of
the angels did God ever say, "Sit at my right hand until I make your
enemies a footstool for your feet" ? 14 Are not all
angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
1 We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we
have heard, so that we do not drift away.2 For if the message
spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its
just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore such a
great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was
confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified
to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit
distributed according to his will. 5 It is not to angels that he
has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But
there is a place where someone has testified: "What is man that you are
mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 7 You
made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and
honor 8and put everything under his feet." In putting
everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at
present we do not see everything subject to him. 9 But we see
Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and
honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste
death for everyone. 10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was
fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the
author of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 Both
the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family.
So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. 12 He says,
"I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the
congregation I will sing your praises." 13 And again,
"I will put my trust in him." And again he says, "Here am I, and
the children God has given me." 14 Since the children
have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he
might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil-- 15 and
free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of
death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's
descendants. 17For this reason he had to be made like his brothers
in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest
in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the
people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he
is able to help those who are being tempted.
1 Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly
calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we
confess. 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just
as Moses was faithful in all God's house. 3 Jesus has been
found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has
greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is
built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 Moses
was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said
in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God's
house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which
we boast. 7 So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you
hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the
rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, 9 where
your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. 10That
is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always
going astray, and they have not known my ways.' 11 So I
declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.' " 12See
to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns
away from the living God.13 But encourage one another daily, as
long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's
deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold
firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. 15 As has
just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion." 16 Who were they who heard
and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And
with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose
bodies fell in the desert? 18 And to whom did God swear that
they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed ? 19 So
we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.
1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still
stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of
it. 2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as
they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who
heard did not combine it with faith. 3 Now we who have
believed enter that rest, just as God has said, "So I declared on oath in
my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.' " And yet his work has been
finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he
has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day
God rested from all his work." 5 And again in the passage
above he says, "They shall never enter my rest." 6 It
still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the
gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. 7 Therefore
God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke
through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not
harden your hearts." 8 For if Joshua had given them rest,
God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There
remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone
who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from
his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that
rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of
disobedience. 12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper
than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit,
joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing
in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid
bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. 14 Therefore,
since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the
Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For
we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was
without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with
confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time
of need.
1 Every high priest is selected from among men and is
appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and
sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those
who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to
weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own
sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 No one takes
this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So
Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But
God said to him, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father.
" 6 And he says in another place, "You are a priest
forever, in the order of Melchizedek." 7 During the days
of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries
and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of
his reverent submission. 8 Although he was a son, he learned
obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he
became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and
was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. 11 We
have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to
learn. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be
teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all
over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives
on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about
righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by
constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
1 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about
Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance
from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction
about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and
eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. 4 It
is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the
heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have
tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6 if
they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they
are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public
disgrace. 7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it
and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the
blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles
is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be
burned. 9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are
confident of better things in your case--things that accompany salvation. 10God
is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as
you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We
want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make
your hope sure. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to
imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been
promised. 13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there
was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying,
"I will surely bless you and give you many descendants." 15 And
so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. 16 Men
swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said
and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make
the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised,
he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two
unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled
to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We
have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner
sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus, who went before
us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the
order of Melchizedek.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)