Friday, July 24, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 57
Acts 17; Acts 18:1-18
1 When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia,
they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As
his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he
reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and
proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus
I am proclaiming to you is the Christ, " he said. 4 Some
of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of
God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women. 5 But the
Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace,
formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in
search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6 But
when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before
the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over
the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them
into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is
another king, one called Jesus." 8 When they heard this,
the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then
they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go. 10 As
soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On
arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the
Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received
the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see
if what Paul said was true. 12 Many of the Jews believed, as
did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. 13 When
the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at
Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 14 The
brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at
Berea.15 The men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then
left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as
possible. 16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was
greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So
he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well
as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.18 A
group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of
them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked,
"He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul
was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then
they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to
him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You
are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they
mean." 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived
there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the
latest ideas.) 22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the
Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very
religious. 23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your
objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown
god. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to
you. 24 "The God who made the world and everything in it
is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by
hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed
anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything
else. 26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they
should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and
the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so
that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he
is not far from each one of us. 28 'For in him we live and
move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his
offspring.' 29 "Therefore since we are God's offspring,
we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone--an
image made by man's design and skill. 30 In the past God
overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to
repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world
with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men
by raising him from the dead." 32 When they heard about
the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We
want to hear you again on this subject." 33 At that, Paul
left the Council. 34 A few men became followers of Paul and believed.
Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named
Damaris, and a number of others.
1 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There
he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy
with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave
Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker
as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4 Every Sabbath
he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. 5 When
Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to
preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. 6 But
when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in
protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of
my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." 7 Then
Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a
worshiper of God. 8 Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his
entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard
him believed and were baptized. 9 One night the Lord spoke to
Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be
silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack
and harm you, because I have many people in this city." 11 So
Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God. 12 While
Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and
brought him into court. 13 "This man," they charged,
"is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the
law." 14 Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to
the Jews, "If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or
serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. 15 But
since it involves questions about words and names and your own law--settle the
matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things." 16 So
he had them ejected from the court. 17 Then they all turned on
Sosthenes the synagogue ruler and beat him in front of the court. But Gallio
showed no concern whatever. 18 Paul stayed on in Corinth for
some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by
Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea
because of a vow he had taken.
Romans 6
Romans 6 (New International Version, ©2010)
Romans 6
Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Slaves to Righteousness
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
19 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[b] Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6
Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Slaves to Righteousness
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
19 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[b] Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 1
Revelation 1 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 1
Prologue
1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
Greetings and Doxology
4 John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits[a] before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
7 "Look, he is coming with the clouds,"[b] and "every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him"; and all peoples on earth "will mourn because of him."[c] So shall it be! Amen.
8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
John's Vision of Christ
9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea."
12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,[d] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels[e] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Revelation 1
Prologue
1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
Greetings and Doxology
4 John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits[a] before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
7 "Look, he is coming with the clouds,"[b] and "every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him"; and all peoples on earth "will mourn because of him."[c] So shall it be! Amen.
8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
John's Vision of Christ
9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea."
12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,[d] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels[e] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
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