Thursday, March 17, 2016
ACTS Chapter 2 ~ The filling with the Spirit
ACTS 2
1 On the day of Pentecost all the
believers were meeting together in one place.
2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven
like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were
sitting.
3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues
of fire appeared and settled on each of them.
4 And everyone present was filled with the
Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them
this ability.
5 At that time there were devout Jews from
every nation living in Jerusalem.
6When they heard the loud noise, everyone came
running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by
the believers.
7They were completely amazed. “How can this
be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee,
8 and yet we hear them speaking in our own
native languages!
9 Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites,
people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia,
10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas
of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome
11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism),
Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages
about the wonderful things God has done!”
12 They stood there amazed and perplexed.
“What can this mean?” they asked each other.
13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them,
saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”
14 Then Peter stepped forward with the
eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you,
fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this.
15These people are not drunk, as some of you are
assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that.
16 No, what you see was predicted long ago
by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will
pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your
young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.
18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on my servants—men and women alike— and they will prophesy.
19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens
above and signs on the earth below— blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will become dark, and the moon
will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the LORD
arrives.
21 But everyone who calls on the name of
the LORD will be saved.’
22 “People of Israel, listen! God publicly
endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs
through him, as you well know.
23 But God knew what would happen, and his
prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of
lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him.
24 But God released him from the horrors of
death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its
grip.
25 King David said this about him: ‘I see
that the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside
me.
26 No wonder my heart is glad, and my
tongue shouts his praises! My body rests in hope.
27 For you will not leave my soul among the
dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.
28 You have shown me the way of life, and
you will fill me with the joy of your presence.’
29 “Dear brothers, think about this! You
can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died
and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us.
30 But he was a prophet, and he knew God
had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his
throne.
31 David was looking into the future and
speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave
him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave.
32 “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we
are all witnesses of this.
33 Now he is exalted to the place of
highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had
promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and
hear today.
34 For David himself never ascended into
heaven, yet he said, ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honor at
my right hand
35 until I humble your enemies, making them
a footstool under your feet.”’
36 “So let everyone in Israel know for
certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and
Messiah!”
37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and
they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we
do?”
38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent
of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for
the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit.
39This promise is to you, to your children, and
to those far away —all who have been called by the Lord our God.”
40 Then Peter continued preaching for a
long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this
crooked generation!”
41 Those who believed what Peter said were
baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
42 All the believers devoted themselves to
the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including
the Lord’s Supper ), and to prayer.
43 A deep sense of awe came over them all,
and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.
44 And all the believers met together in
one place and shared everything they had.
45 They sold their property and possessions
and shared the money with those in need.
46 They worshiped together at the Temple
each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great
joy and generosity —
47 all the while praising God and enjoying
the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship
those who were being saved.
Romans 7
Romans 7 (New International Version, ©2010)
Romans 7
Released From the Law, Bound to Christ
1 Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? 2 For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. 3 So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.
4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh,[a] the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
The Law and Sin
7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."[b] 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.
13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in my sinful nature[d] a slave to the law of sin.
Romans 7
Released From the Law, Bound to Christ
1 Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? 2 For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. 3 So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.
4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh,[a] the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
The Law and Sin
7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."[b] 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.
13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in my sinful nature[d] a slave to the law of sin.
Revelation 7
Revelation 7 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 7
144,000 Sealed
1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3 "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." 4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
5 From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000,
6 from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,
7 from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,
8 from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.
The Great Multitude in White Robes
9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:
"Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb."
11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: "Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!"
13 Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?"
14 I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
16 'Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,'[a] nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
'he will lead them to springs of living water.'[b] 'And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'[c]"
Revelation 7
144,000 Sealed
1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3 "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." 4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
5 From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000,
6 from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,
7 from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,
8 from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.
The Great Multitude in White Robes
9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:
"Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb."
11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: "Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!"
13 Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?"
14 I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
16 'Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,'[a] nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
'he will lead them to springs of living water.'[b] 'And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'[c]"
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