Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 13
Matthew 12:22-50; Luke 11:1-54 (New
International Version)
22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute,
and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished
and said, "Could this be the Son of David?" 24 But when the Pharisees heard
this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this
fellow drives out demons." 25 Jesus
knew their thoughts and said to them,"Every kingdom divided against itself
will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not
stand. 26 If Satan
drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom
stand? 27 And if I
drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then,
they will be your judges. 28 But
if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come
upon you. 29 "Or
again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions
unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house. 30 "He who is not with me is
against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, every sin
and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will
not be forgiven. 32Anyone
who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who
speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in
the age to come. 33 "Make
a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will
be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good?
For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good man brings good
things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things
out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But
I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every
careless word they have spoken. 37 For
by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be
condemned."
38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him,
"Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you." 39 He answered, "A
wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be
given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly
of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the
heart of the earth. 41 The
men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn
it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah
is here. 42 The Queen
of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for
she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one
greater than Solomon is here. 43 "When
an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and
does not find it. 44 Then
it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the
house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more
wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of
that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked
generation."
46 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers
stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing
outside, wanting to speak to you." 48 He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who
are my brothers?" 49 Pointing
to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of
my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."
1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one
of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught
his disciples." 2 He
said to them, "When you pray, say: " 'Father, hallowed be your
name, your kingdom come. 3 Give
us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive
us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not
into temptation. ' " 5Then
he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him
at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a
journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7 "Then the one inside
answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with
me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the
bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get
up and give him as much as he needs. 9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks
receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be
opened. 11 "Which
of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake
instead? 12 Or if he
asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good
gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy
Spirit to those who ask him!"
14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left,
the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. 15 But some of them said,
"By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons." 16 Others tested him by asking
for a sign from heaven. 17 Jesus
knew their thoughts and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against
itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18 If Satan is divided against
himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive
out demons by Beelzebub. 19 Now
if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out?
So then, they will be your judges. 20 But
if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to
you. 21 "When a
strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger
attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted
and divides up the spoils. 23 "He
who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me,
scatters. 24"When an
evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and
does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' 25 When it arrives, it finds the
house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked
than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man
is worse than the first." 27 As
Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed
is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you." 28 He replied, "Blessed
rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."
29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, "This is a wicked
generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the
sign of Jonah. 30 For
as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this
generation. 31 The
Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation
and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to
Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand
up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at
the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.
33 "No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be
hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who
come in may see the light. 34 Your
eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is
full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the
light within you is not darkness. 36Therefore,
if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be
completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you."
37 When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat
with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38 But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash
before the meal, was surprised. 39 Then
the Lord said to him, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of
the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not
the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give what is inside [the dish] to the poor, and
everything will be clean for you. 42 "Woe
to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other
kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should
have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. 43 "Woe to you Pharisees,
because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in
the marketplaces. 44 "Woe
to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without
knowing it." 45 One
of the experts in the law answered him, "Teacher, when you say these
things, you insult us also." 46 Jesus
replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load
people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not
lift one finger to help them. 47 "Woe
to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers
who killed them. 48 So
you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the
prophets, and you build their tombs. 49Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them
prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will
persecute.' 50 Therefore
this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that
has been shed since the beginning of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was
killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation
will be held responsible for it all. 52 "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have
taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have
hindered those who were entering." 53 When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the teachers of
the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, 54 waiting to catch him in
something he might say.
1 Corinthians 9
1 Corinthians 9 (New International Version, ©2010)
1 Corinthians 9
Paul's Rights as an Apostle
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don't we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas[a]? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living?
7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? 8 Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn't the Law say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain."[b] Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10 Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Don't you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. 16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.
Paul's Use of His Freedom
19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
The Need for Self-Discipline
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
1 Corinthians 9
Paul's Rights as an Apostle
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don't we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas[a]? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living?
7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? 8 Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn't the Law say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain."[b] Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10 Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Don't you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. 16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.
Paul's Use of His Freedom
19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
The Need for Self-Discipline
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
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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