Friday, April 1, 2016
Revelation 19
Revelation 19 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 19
Threefold Hallelujah Over Babylon's Fall
1 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:
"Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2 for true and just are his judgments.
He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.
He has avenged on her the blood of his servants."
3 And again they shouted: "Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever."
4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!"
5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants,
you who fear him, both great and small!"
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God's holy people.)
9 Then the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" And he added, "These are the true words of God."
10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus."
The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast
11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter."[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small."
19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
Revelation 19
Threefold Hallelujah Over Babylon's Fall
1 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:
"Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2 for true and just are his judgments.
He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.
He has avenged on her the blood of his servants."
3 And again they shouted: "Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever."
4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!"
5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants,
you who fear him, both great and small!"
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God's holy people.)
9 Then the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" And he added, "These are the true words of God."
10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus."
The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast
11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter."[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small."
19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
ACTS 13 and 14 ~ Paul's first missionary journey
ACTS 13 NLT
1 Among the prophets and teachers of the
church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called “the black man” ),
Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas ),
and Saul.
2 One day as these men were worshiping the
Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the
special work to which I have called them.”
3 So after more fasting and prayer, the
men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.
4 So Barnabas and Saul were sent out by
the Holy Spirit. They went down to the seaport of Seleucia and then sailed for
the island of Cyprus.
5 There, in the town of Salamis, they went
to the Jewish synagogues and preached the word of God. John Mark went with them
as their assistant.
6 Afterward they traveled from town to
town across the entire island until finally they reached Paphos, where they met
a Jewish sorcerer, a false prophet named Bar-Jesus.
7 He had attached himself to the governor,
Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The governor invited Barnabas and
Saul to visit him, for he wanted to hear the word of God.
8 But Elymas, the sorcerer (as his name
means in Greek), interfered and urged the governor to pay no attention to what
Barnabas and Saul said. He was trying to keep the governor from
believing.
9 Saul, also known as Paul, was filled
with the Holy Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the eye.
10 Then he said, “You son of the devil,
full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will you
never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord?
11 Watch now, for the Lord has laid his
hand of punishment upon you, and you will be struck blind. You will not see the
sunlight for some time.” Instantly mist and darkness came over the man’s eyes,
and he began groping around begging for someone to take his hand and lead
him.
12 When the governor saw what had happened,
he became a believer, for he was astonished at the teaching about the
Lord.
13 Paul and his companions then left Paphos
by ship for Pamphylia, landing at the port town of Perga. There John Mark left
them and returned to Jerusalem.
14 But Paul and Barnabas traveled inland to
Antioch of Pisidia. On the Sabbath they went to the synagogue for the
services.
15After the usual readings from the books of
Moses and the prophets, those in charge of the service sent them this message:
“Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, come and give
it.”
16 So Paul stood, lifted his hand to quiet
them, and started speaking. “Men of Israel,” he said, “and you God-fearing
Gentiles, listen to me.
17 “The God of this nation of Israel chose
our ancestors and made them multiply and grow strong during their stay in
Egypt. Then with a powerful arm he led them out of their slavery.
18He put up with them through forty years of
wandering in the wilderness.
19Then he destroyed seven nations in Canaan and
gave their land to Israel as an inheritance.
20 All this took about 450 years.
“After that, God gave them judges to rule until the time of Samuel the
prophet.
21 Then the people begged for a king, and
God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for
forty years.
22 But God removed Saul and replaced him
with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man
after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’
23 “And it is one of King David’s
descendants, Jesus, who is God’s promised Savior of Israel!
24 Before he came, John the Baptist
preached that all the people of Israel needed to repent of their sins and turn
to God and be baptized.
25 As John was finishing his ministry he asked,
‘Do you think I am the Messiah? No, I am not! But he is coming soon—and I’m not
even worthy to be his slave and untie the sandals on his feet.’
26 “Brothers—you sons of Abraham, and also
you God-fearing Gentiles—this message of salvation has been sent to us!
27 The people in Jerusalem and their
leaders did not recognize Jesus as the one the prophets had spoken about.
Instead, they condemned him, and in doing this they fulfilled the prophets’
words that are read every Sabbath.
28 They found no legal reason to execute
him, but they asked Pilate to have him killed anyway.
29 “When they had done all that the
prophecies said about him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in
a tomb.
30 But God raised him from the dead!
31 And over a period of many days he
appeared to those who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now
his witnesses to the people of Israel.
32 “And now we are here to bring you this
Good News. The promise was made to our ancestors,
33 and God has now fulfilled it for us,
their descendants, by raising Jesus. This is what the second psalm says about
Jesus: ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father. ’
34 For God had promised to raise him from
the dead, not leaving him to rot in the grave. He said, ‘I will give you the
sacred blessings I promised to David.’
35 Another psalm explains it more fully:
‘You will not allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.’
36 This is not a reference to David, for
after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died and was
buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed.
37 No, it was a reference to someone
else—someone whom God raised and whose body did not decay.
38 “Brothers, listen! We are here to
proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins.
39 Everyone who believes in him is declared
right with God—something the law of Moses could never do.
40 Be careful! Don’t let the prophets’
words apply to you. For they said,
41 ‘Look, you mockers, be amazed and die!
For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even
if someone told you about it.’ ”
42 As Paul and Barnabas left the synagogue
that day, the people begged them to speak about these things again the next
week.
43 Many Jews and devout converts to Judaism
followed Paul and Barnabas, and the two men urged them to continue to rely on
the grace of God.
44 The following week almost the entire
city turned out to hear them preach the word of the Lord.
45 But when some of the Jews saw the
crowds, they were jealous; so they slandered Paul and argued against whatever
he said.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and
declared, “It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews.
But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life,
we will offer it to the Gentiles.
47 For the Lord gave us this command when
he said, ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the
farthest corners of the earth.’ ”
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were
very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for
eternal life became believers.
49 So the Lord’s message spread throughout
that region.
50 Then the Jews stirred up the influential
religious women and the leaders of the city, and they incited a mob against
Paul and Barnabas and ran them out of town.
51 So they shook the dust from their feet
as a sign of rejection and went to the town of Iconium.
52 And the believers were filled with joy
and with the Holy Spirit.
ACTS 14 NLT
1 The same thing happened in Iconium. Paul
and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a
great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers.
2 Some of the Jews, however, spurned God’s
message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas.
3 But the apostles stayed there a long
time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their
message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders.
4 But the people of the town were divided
in their opinion about them. Some sided with the Jews, and some with the
apostles.
5 Then a mob of Gentiles and Jews, along
with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them.
6 When the apostles learned of it, they
fled to the region of Lycaonia—to the towns of Lystra and Derbe and the
surrounding area.
7 And there they preached the Good
News.
8 While they were at Lystra, Paul and
Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from birth,
so he had never walked. He was sitting
9 and listening as Paul preached. Looking
straight at him, Paul realized he had faith to be healed.
10 So Paul called to him in a loud voice,
“Stand up!” And the man jumped to his feet and started walking.
11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they
shouted in their local dialect, “These men are gods in human form!”
12 They decided that Barnabas was the Greek
god Zeus and that Paul was Hermes, since he was the chief speaker.
13 Now the temple of Zeus was located just
outside the town. So the priest of the temple and the crowd brought bulls and
wreaths of flowers to the town gates, and they prepared to offer sacrifices to
the apostles.
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul
heard what was happening, they tore their clothing in dismay and ran out among
the people, shouting,
15 “Friends, why are you doing this? We are
merely human beings—just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that
you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who
made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.
16 In the past he permitted all the nations
to go their own ways,
17 but he never left them without evidence
of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and
gives you food and joyful hearts.”
18 But even with these words, Paul and
Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them.
19 Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and
Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out
of town, thinking he was dead.
20 But as the believers gathered around
him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas
for Derbe.
21 After preaching the Good News in Derbe
and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and
Antioch of Pisidia,
22 where they strengthened the believers.
They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer
many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.
23 Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders
in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the
care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
24 Then they traveled back through Pisidia
to Pamphylia.
25 They preached the word in Perga, then
went down to Attalia.
26 Finally, they returned by ship to
Antioch of Syria, where their journey had begun. The believers there had
entrusted them to the grace of God to do the work they had now completed.
27 Upon arriving in Antioch, they called
the church together and reported everything God had done through them and how
he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, too.
28 And they stayed there with the believers
for a long time.
Proverbs 6
Proverbs 6 (New International Version)
Proverbs 6
Warnings Against Folly
1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another,
2 if you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth,
3 then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor!
4 Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids.
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!
7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,
8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-
11 and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. [a]
12 A scoundrel and villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
13 who winks with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers,
14 who plots evil with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up dissension.
15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
16 There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
Warning Against Adultery
20 My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
21 Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.
23 For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,
24 keeping you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife.
25 Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes,
26 for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?
28 Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?
29 So is he who sleeps with another man's wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
30 Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
31 Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
32 But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
33 Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away;
34 for jealousy arouses a husband's fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
35 He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse the bribe, however great it is.
Proverbs 6
Warnings Against Folly
1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another,
2 if you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth,
3 then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor!
4 Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids.
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!
7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,
8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-
11 and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. [a]
12 A scoundrel and villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
13 who winks with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers,
14 who plots evil with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up dissension.
15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
16 There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
Warning Against Adultery
20 My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
21 Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.
23 For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,
24 keeping you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife.
25 Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes,
26 for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?
28 Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?
29 So is he who sleeps with another man's wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
30 Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
31 Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
32 But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
33 Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away;
34 for jealousy arouses a husband's fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
35 He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse the bribe, however great it is.
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