Apr 17: China, People’s Republic, Shanxi Province, Sichuan Province, Tianjin Municipality | Operation World
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Friday, April 17, 2015
Romans 9
Romans 9 (New International Version, ©2010)
Romans 9
Paul's Anguish Over Israel
1 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised![a] Amen.
God's Sovereign Choice
6 It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."[b] 8 In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. 9 For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son."[c]
10 Not only that, but Rebekah's children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls—she was told, "The older will serve the younger."[d] 13 Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."[e]
14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."[f]
16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God's mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."[g] 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
19 One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?" 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'"[h] 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?
22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says in Hosea: "I will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one,"[i]
26 and, "In the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' there they will be called 'children of the living God.'"[j]
27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved.
28 For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality."[k]
29 It is just as Isaiah said previously: "Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah."[l]
Israel's Unbelief
30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. 33 As it is written:
"See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame."
Romans 9
Paul's Anguish Over Israel
1 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised![a] Amen.
God's Sovereign Choice
6 It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."[b] 8 In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. 9 For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son."[c]
10 Not only that, but Rebekah's children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls—she was told, "The older will serve the younger."[d] 13 Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."[e]
14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."[f]
16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God's mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."[g] 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
19 One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?" 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'"[h] 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?
22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says in Hosea: "I will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one,"[i]
26 and, "In the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' there they will be called 'children of the living God.'"[j]
27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved.
28 For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality."[k]
29 It is just as Isaiah said previously: "Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah."[l]
Israel's Unbelief
30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. 33 As it is written:
"See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame."
Chronological New Testament Study Day 86
2 Peter 1; 2 Peter 2;
2 Peter 3; Jude 1
1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To
those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have
received a faith as precious as ours: 2 Grace and peace be
yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His
divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our
knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through
these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through
them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the
world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make
every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and
to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to
perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly
kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you
possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being
ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But
if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten
that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 10 Therefore, my
brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if
you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will
receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. 12 So I will always remind you of these things, even
though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I
think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this
body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our
Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make
every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember
these things. 16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories
when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we
were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and
glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory,
saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." 18 We
ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the
sacred mountain. 19 And we have the word of the prophets made
more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light
shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your
hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of
Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. 21 For
prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as
they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just
as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce
destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing
swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their
shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In
their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up.
Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has
not been sleeping.4 For if God did not spare angels when they
sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for
judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he
brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of
righteousness, and seven others; 6 if he condemned the cities
of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of
what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued
Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men 8 (for
that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his
righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)-- 9 if
this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold
the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. 10 This
is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature
and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander
celestial beings; 11 yet even angels, although they are
stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such
beings in the presence of the Lord. 12 But these men blaspheme
in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of
instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will
perish. 13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they
have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are
blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. 14 With
eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they
are experts in greed--an accursed brood! 15 They have left the
straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who
loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his
wrongdoing by a donkey--a beast without speech--who spoke with a man's voice
and restrained the prophet's madness. 17 These men are springs
without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for
them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by
appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who
are just escaping from those who live in error. 19 They
promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity--for a man
is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 20If they have escaped the
corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are
again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they
were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them
not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to
turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22 Of
them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and,
"A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."
1 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have
written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I
want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the
command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. 3 First
of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing
and following their own evil desires. 4They will say, "Where
is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on
as it has since the beginning of creation." 5 But they
deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the
earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters
also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By
the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept
for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 8 But
do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a
thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The
Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is
patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to
repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.
The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire,
and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. 11 Since
everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?
You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward
to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the
destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But
in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new
earth, the home of righteousness. 14 So then, dear friends,
since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless,
blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our
Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you
with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way
in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some
things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort,
as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 Therefore,
dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not
be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 18 But
grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be
glory both now and forever! Amen.
1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To
those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus
Christ: 2 Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. 3Dear
friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we
share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was
once for all entrusted to the saints. 4 For certain men whose
condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you.
They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for
immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. 5 Though
you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his
people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And
the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their
own home--these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for
judgment on the great Day. 7 In a similar way, Sodom and
Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and
perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of
eternal fire. 8 In the very same way, these dreamers pollute
their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. 9 But
even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body
of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said,
"The Lord rebuke you!" 10 Yet these men speak
abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do
understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals--these are the very things
that destroy them. 11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of
Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed
in Korah's rebellion. 12 These men are blemishes at your love
feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm--shepherds who feed only
themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn
trees, without fruit and uprooted--twice dead. 13 They are
wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom
blackest darkness has been reserved forever. 14 Enoch, the
seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: "See, the Lord is coming
with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge
everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done
in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken
against him." 16 These men are grumblers and
faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves
and flatter others for their own advantage. 17 But, dear
friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They
said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow
their own ungodly desires." 19 These are the men who
divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 20 But
you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the
Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for
the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 22 Be
merciful to those who doubt; 23 snatch others from the fire
and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing
stained by corrupted flesh. 24 To him who is able to keep you
from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and
with great joy-- 25 to the only God our Savior be glory,
majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages,
now and forevermore! Amen.
Revelation 13
Revelation 13 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 13
The Beast out of the Sea
1 The dragon[a] stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. 4 People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?"
5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 It was given power to wage war against God's holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb's book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.[b]
9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.
10 "If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go.
If anyone is to be killed[c] with the sword, with the sword they will be killed."[d] This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God's people.
The Beast out of the Earth
11 Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. 14 Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.
18 This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.[e] That number is 666.
Revelation 13
The Beast out of the Sea
1 The dragon[a] stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. 4 People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?"
5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 It was given power to wage war against God's holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb's book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.[b]
9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.
10 "If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go.
If anyone is to be killed[c] with the sword, with the sword they will be killed."[d] This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God's people.
The Beast out of the Earth
11 Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. 14 Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.
18 This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.[e] That number is 666.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 85
2 Timothy 1; 2 Timothy
2; 2 Timothy 3; 2 Timothy 4
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, 2 To
Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ
Jesus our Lord. 3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers
did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my
prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I
may be filled with joy. 5 I have been reminded of your sincere
faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice
and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6 For this reason
I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the
laying on of my hands. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of
timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 8 So
do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But
join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who
has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done
but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ
Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been
revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed
death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 And
of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12 That
is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have
believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to
him for that day. 13 What you heard from me, keep as the
pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard
the good deposit that was entrusted to you--guard it with the help of the Holy
Spirit who lives in us. 15 You know that everyone in the
province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May
the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed
me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17 On the contrary, when
he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18 May
the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very
well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.
1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ
Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence
of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach
others. 3 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of
Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets involved in
civilian affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly,
if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless
he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer
should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect
on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. 8 Remember
Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, 9 for
which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But
God's word is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure everything
for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in
Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11 Here is a trustworthy
saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if
we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown
us; 13 if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he
cannot disown himself. 14 Keep reminding them of these things.
Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and
only ruins those who listen. 15 Do your best to present
yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and
who correctly handles the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless
chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their
teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who
have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already
taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless,
God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The
Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name
of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." 20 In a
large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and
clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21 If
a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble
purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. 22 Flee
the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace,
along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 Don't
have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they
produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel;
instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those
who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them
repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and
that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who
has taken them captive to do his will.
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last
days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,
boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without
love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the
good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure
rather than lovers of God-- 5 having a form of godliness but
denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 6 They are
the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women,
who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always
learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 8 Just as
Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth--men of
depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But
they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly
will be clear to everyone. 10 You, however, know all about my
teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions,
sufferings--what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra,
the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In
fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be
persecuted, 13 while evil men and impostors will go from bad
to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you,
continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you
know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy
you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for
salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is
God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly
equipped for every good work.
1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge
the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give
you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and
out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful
instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up
with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather
around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to
hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn
aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations,
endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your
ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out like a drink
offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7 I have
fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now
there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to
all who have longed for his appearing. 9 Do your best to come
to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has
deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and
Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring
him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12 I
sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak
that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments. 14 Alexander
the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what
he has done. 15 You too should be on your guard against him,
because he strongly opposed our message. 16 At my first
defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be
held against them. 17But the Lord stood at my side and gave me
strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the
Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. 18 The
Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his
heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 19 Greet
Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus
stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. 21 Do
your best to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens,
Linus, Claudia and all the brothers. 22 The Lord be with your
spirit. Grace be with you.
Revelation 12
Revelation 12 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 12
The Woman and the Dragon
1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who "will rule all the nations with an iron scepter."[a] And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."
13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God's commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
Revelation 12
The Woman and the Dragon
1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who "will rule all the nations with an iron scepter."[a] And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."
13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God's commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 84
Hebrews 11; Hebrews
12; Hebrews 13
1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of
what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended
for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at
God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4 By
faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was
commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by
faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. 5 By faith
Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could
not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was
commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is
impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he
exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. 7 By
faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to
save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the
righteousness that comes by faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when
called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and
went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By
faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign
country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of
the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city
with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By
faith Abraham, even though he was past age--and Sarah herself was barren--was
enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the
promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead,
came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the
sand on the seashore. 13 All these people were still living by
faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw
them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens
and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show
that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they
had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity
to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better
country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God,
for he has prepared a city for them. 17 By faith Abraham, when
God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises
was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though
God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be
reckoned." 19 Abraham reasoned that God could raise the
dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death. 20 By
faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. 21By
faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as
he leaned on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when
his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave
instructions about his bones. 23 By faith Moses' parents hid
him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary
child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. 24 By
faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's
daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people
of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26 He
regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures
of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27 By
faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw
him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the
sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the
firstborn of Israel. 29 By faith the people passed through the
Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were
drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the
people had marched around them for seven days. 31 By faith the
prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who
were disobedient. 32 And what more shall I say? I do not have
time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the
prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms,
administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of
lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the
edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became
powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women
received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and
refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Some
faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37 They
were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They
went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated-- 38 the
world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in
caves and holes in the ground. 39 These were all commended for
their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God
had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be
made perfect.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud
of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so
easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let
us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the
joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the
right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such
opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In
your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding
your blood. 5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that
addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's
discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because
the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a
son." 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating
you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If
you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are
illegitimate children and not true sons. 9Moreover, we have all had
human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more
should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10 Our
fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God
disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11No
discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it
produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained
by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak
knees. 13 "Make level paths for your feet," so that
the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. 14 Make every
effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one
will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one misses the grace
of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16 See
that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal
sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 17 Afterward,
as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could
bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears. 18 You
have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire;
to darkness, gloom and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such
a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be
spoken to them, 20 because they could not bear what was
commanded: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be
stoned." 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said,
"I am trembling with fear." 22 But you have come to
Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have
come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to
the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come
to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24to
Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a
better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See to it that you do
not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who
warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns
us from heaven? 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but
now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also
the heavens." 27 The words "once more" indicate
the removing of what can be shaken--that is, created things--so that what
cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are
receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship
God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our "God is
a consuming fire."
1 Keep on loving each other as brothers. 2 Do
not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained
angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those in prison as if
you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you
yourselves were suffering. 4 Marriage should be honored by
all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all
the sexually immoral. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of
money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will
I leave you; never will I forsake you." 6 So we say with
confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do
to me?" 7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of
God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not
be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to
be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to
those who eat them. 10 We have an altar from which those who
minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 The high
priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering,
but the bodies are burned outside the camp. 12 And so Jesus
also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own
blood. 13 Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing
the disgrace he bore. 14 For here we do not have an enduring
city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. 15 Through
Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the
fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 And do not forget to
do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. 17 Obey
your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who
must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden,
for that would be of no advantage to you. 18 Pray for us. We
are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every
way. 19 I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be
restored to you soon. 20 May the God of peace, who through the
blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that
great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good
for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through
Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 22 Brothers,
I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written you only a
short letter. 23 I want you to know that our brother Timothy
has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you. 24 Greet
all your leaders and all God's people. Those from Italy send you their
greetings. 25 Grace be with you all.
Revelation 11
Revelation 11 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 11
The Two Witnesses
1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." 4 They are "the two olive trees" and the two lampstands, and "they stand before the Lord of the earth."[a] 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days the breath[b] of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.
The Seventh Trumpet
15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:
"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever."
16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was,
because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
18 The nations were angry, and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your people who revere your name, both great and small—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth."
19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.
Revelation 11
The Two Witnesses
1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." 4 They are "the two olive trees" and the two lampstands, and "they stand before the Lord of the earth."[a] 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days the breath[b] of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.
The Seventh Trumpet
15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:
"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever."
16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was,
because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
18 The nations were angry, and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your people who revere your name, both great and small—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth."
19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
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