Thursday, May 14, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 7
Mark 2 NIV
1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered
Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the
door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing
to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4 Since
they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in
the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the
paralyzed man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he
said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." 6 Now
some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 "Why
does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God
alone?" 8 Immediately Jesus knew in his
spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to
them, "Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is
easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up,
take your mat and walk'? 10But that you may know that the Son of
Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . .
." He said to the paralytic, 11 "I tell you,
get up, take your mat and go home." 12 He got up, took
his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they
praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like
this!"
13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A
large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. 14 As
he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's
booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi
got up and followed him. 15 While Jesus was having dinner at
Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him
and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When
the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating
with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples:
"Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" 17 On
hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a
doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
18 Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were
fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, "How is it
that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours
are not?" 19 Jesus answered, "How can the
guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as
they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the
bridegroom will be taken from them,and on that day they will
fast. 21 "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old
garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear
worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he
does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will
be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins."
23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the
grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads
of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him,
"Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" 25 He answered, "Have you never read
what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In
the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house
of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions." 27 Then
he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not
man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."
Romans 6
Romans 6 (New International Version, ©2010)
Romans 6
Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Slaves to Righteousness
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
19 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[b] Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6
Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Slaves to Righteousness
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
19 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[b] Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 21
Revelation 21 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 21
A New Heaven and a New Earth
1 Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth,"[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death'[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
6 He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb
9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia[c] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits[d] thick.[e] 18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.[f] 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Revelation 21
A New Heaven and a New Earth
1 Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth,"[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death'[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
6 He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb
9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia[c] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits[d] thick.[e] 18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.[f] 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Romans 5
Romans 5 (New International Version, ©2010)
Romans 5
Peace and Hope
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—
13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone's account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.
15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5
Peace and Hope
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—
13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone's account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.
15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Chronological New Testament Study Day 6
John 2:1-25; John 3:1-36; John 4:1-54
NIV
John 2:1-25
1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana
in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his
disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the
wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more
wine." 4 "Dear woman, why do you involve
me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." 5 His
mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." 6 Nearby
stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing,
each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to
the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to
the brim. 8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out
and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, 9 and
the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He
did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the
water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said,
"Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after
the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till
now." 11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus
performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put
their faith in him.
12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his
mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days. 13 When
it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In
the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others
sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out
of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he
scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16To
those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you
turn my Father's house into a market!" 17 His disciples
remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume
me." 18Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous
sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?" 19 Jesus
answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in
three days." 20The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six
years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three
days?" 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his
body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples
recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that
Jesus had spoken. 23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the
Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed
in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them,
for he knew all men. 25 He did not need man's testimony about
man, for he knew what was in a man.
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named
Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council.2 He came to Jesus
at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from
God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were
not with him." 3 In reply Jesus declared, "I
tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born
again." 4"How can a man be born when he is old?"
Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's
womb to be born!" 5 Jesus answered, "I tell you
the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and
the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives
birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying,
'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it
pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where
it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." 9 "How
can this be?" Nicodemus asked. 10 "You are Israel's
teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these
things? 11 I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and
we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our
testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you
do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No
one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of
Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so
the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who
believes in him may have eternal life. 16 "For God so
loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not
send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through
him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever
does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the
name of God's one and only Son. 19This is the verdict: Light has
come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their
deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light,
and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But
whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly
that what he has done has been done through God."
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out
into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and
baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim,
because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be
baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An
argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew over the
matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to
him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the
Jordan--the one you testified about--well, he is baptizing, and everyone is
going to him." 27 To this John replied, "A man can
receive only what is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves
can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.' 29The
bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits
and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice.
That joy is mine, and it is now complete.30 He must become greater;
I must become less. 31 "The one who comes from above is
above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as
one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He
testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his
testimony. 33 The man who has accepted it has certified that
God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the
words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The
Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever
believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see
life, for God's wrath remains on him."
1 The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and
baptizing more disciples than John, 2 although in fact it was
not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3 When the Lord
learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. 4 Now
he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in
Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son
Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was
from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 When
a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you
give me a drink?"8 (His disciples had gone into the town to
buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a
Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews
do not associate with Samaritans. ) 10 Jesus answered
her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a
drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living
water." 11 "Sir," the woman said, "you
have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living
water? 12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the
well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and
herds?" 13 Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks
this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the
water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in
him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." 15 The
woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty
and have to keep coming here to draw water." 16 He told
her,"Go, call your husband and come back." 17 "I
have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right
when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had
five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just
said is quite true." 19 "Sir," the woman said,
"I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers
worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must
worship is in Jerusalem." 21 Jesus
declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship
the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.22 You
Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for
salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has
now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth,
for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God
is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." 25 The
woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming.
When he comes, he will explain everything to us." 26 Then
Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."
27 Just then his disciples returned and were
surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you
want?" or "Why are you talking with her?" 28 Then,
leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the
people, 29 "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever
did. Could this be the Christ ?" 30 They came out of the
town and made their way toward him.31 Meanwhile his disciples urged
him, "Rabbi, eat something." 32 But he said to
them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." 33 Then
his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him
food?" 34 "My food," said
Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his
work. 35 Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the
harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for
harvest. 36 Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he
harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be
glad together. 37 Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps'
is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for.
Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their
labor."
39 Many of the Samaritans from that town
believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I
ever did." 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they
urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And
because of his words many more became believers. 42 They said
to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we
have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the
world."
43 After the two days he left for Galilee. 44 (Now
Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own
country.) 45 When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans
welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover
Feast, for they also had been there. 46 Once more he visited
Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a
certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When
this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and
begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. 48 "Unless
you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told
him, "you will never believe." 49 The royal
official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies." 50 Jesus
replied, "You may go. Your son will live." The man took
Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the
way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When
he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "The
fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour." 53Then the
father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to
him, "Your son will live." So he and all his household
believed. 54 This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus
performed, having come from Judea to Galilee.
Revelation 20
Revelation 20 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 20
The Thousand Years
1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They[a] had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
The Judgment of Satan
7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
The Judgment of the Dead
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20
The Thousand Years
1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They[a] had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
The Judgment of Satan
7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
The Judgment of the Dead
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 5
Matthew 4:1-25; Luke 4:1-44; Luke
5:1-39; John 1:15-51 NIV
Matthew 4:1-25
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the
desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days
and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and
said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become
bread." 4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man
does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of
God.' " 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and
had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 "If
you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is
written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift
you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'
" 7 Jesus answered him,"It is also written: 'Do not
put the Lord your God to the test.' " 8 Again, the devil
took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world
and their splendor. 9 "All this I will give you," he
said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus
said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the
Lord your God, and serve him only.' " 11 Then the devil
left him, and angels came and attended him.
12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in
prison, he returned to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went
and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and
Naphtali-- 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet
Isaiah: 15 "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way
to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles-- 16 the
people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land
of the shadow of death a light has dawned." 17 From that
time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is
near."
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of
Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They
were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 "Come,
follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of
men." 20 At once they left their nets and followed
him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James
son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father
Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and
immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in
their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every
disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him
spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various
diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having
seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. 25Large crowds
from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan
followed him.
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from
the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, 2where for
forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and
at the end of them he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him,
"If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." 4 Jesus
answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'
" 5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him
in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to
him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been
given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 So if
you worship me, it will all be yours." 8 Jesus
answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him
only.' " 9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him
stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of
God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. 10For it
is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you
carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that
you will not strike your foot against a stone.' " 12 Jesus
answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'
" 13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he
left him until an opportune time.
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the
Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He
taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. 16 He
went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went
into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The
scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the
place where it is written: 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is
on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent
me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the
Lord's favor."20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to
the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened
on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, "Today
this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." 22 All
spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his
lips. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" they asked. 23 Jesus
said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician,
heal yourself ! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in
Capernaum.' " 24 "I tell you the
truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his
hometown. 25 I assure you that there were many widows in
Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and
there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26 Yet Elijah
was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of
Sidon. 27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the
time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed--only Naaman the
Syrian." 28 All the people in the synagogue were furious
when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the
town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in
order to throw him down the cliff. 30 But he walked right
through the crowd and went on his way.
31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in
Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people. 32 They
were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority. 33 In
the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried
out at the top of his voice,34 "Ha! What do you want with us,
Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy
One of God!" 35 "Be quiet!" Jesus said
sternly. "Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man
down before them all and came out without injuring him. 36 All
the people were amazed and said to each other, "What is this teaching?
With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come
out!" 37 And the news about him spread throughout the
surrounding area.
38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home
of Simon. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they
asked Jesus to help her. 39 So he bent over her and rebuked
the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. 40 When
the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of
sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. 41 Moreover,
demons came out of many people, shouting, "You are the Son of God!"
But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was
the Christ. 42 At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place.
The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried
to keep him from leaving them. 43 But he said, "I
must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also,
because that is why I was sent." 44 And he kept on
preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of
Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of
God, 2 he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the
fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of
the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from
shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 When
he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water,
and let down the nets for a catch."5 Simon answered,
"Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But
because you say so, I will let down the nets." 6 When
they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began
to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat
to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they
began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus'
knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" 9 For
he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had
taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from
now on you will catch men." 11 So they pulled their boats
up on shore, left everything and followed him.
12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came
along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to
the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me
clean." 13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the
man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!"And
immediately the leprosy left him. 14 Then Jesus ordered
him, "Don't tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and
offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to
them." 15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so
that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their
sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and
prayed.
17 One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and
teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea
and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for
him to heal the sick. 18 Some men came carrying a paralytic on
a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When
they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof
and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd,
right in front of Jesus. 20 When Jesus saw their faith, he
said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." 21 The
Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who
is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God
alone?" 22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and
asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23 Which
is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? 24 But
that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins .
. ." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up,
take your mat and go home." 25 Immediately he stood up in
front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone
was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We
have seen remarkable things today."
27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax
collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth."Follow
me," Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left
everything and followed him. 29 Then Levi held a great banquet
for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were
eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the
law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you
eat and drink with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" 31 Jesus
answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the
sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance."
33 They said to him, "John's disciples
often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on
eating and drinking." 34 Jesus answered, "Can
you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? 35 But
the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days
they will fast." 36 He told them this
parable: "No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an
old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the
new will not match the old. 37 And no one pours new wine into
old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run
out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 No, new wine must be
poured into new wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old
wine wants the new, for he says, 'The old is better.' "
15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out,
saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed
me because he was before me.' " 16 From the fullness of
his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17 For
the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus
Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only,
who is at the Father's side, has made him known.
19 Now this was John's testimony when the Jews
of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He
did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ.
" 21 They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you
Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?"
He answered, "No." 22 Finally they said, "Who
are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say
about yourself ?" 23 John replied in the words of Isaiah
the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight
the way for the Lord.' " 24 Now some Pharisees who had
been sent 25 questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if
you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" 26 "I
baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do
not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of
whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."28 This all happened
at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him
and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the
world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who
comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31 I
myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he
might be revealed to Israel." 32 Then John gave this
testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on
him. 33 I would not have known him, except that the one who
sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come
down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34 I
have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
35 The next day John was there again with two of
his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said,
"Look, the Lamb of God!" 37 When the two disciples
heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around,
Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you
want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher),
"where are you staying?" 39 "Come," he
replied, "and you will see."So they went and saw where he was
staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. 40 Andrew,
Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who
had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find
his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is,
the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at
him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called
Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter ).
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for
Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." 44Philip,
like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip
found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in
the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of
Joseph." 46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from
there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. 47 When
Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true
Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." 48 "How
do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you
while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49 Then
Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of
Israel." 50 Jesus said, "You believe because I
told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than
that." 51 He then added, "I tell you the truth,
you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on
the Son of Man."
Romans 4
Romans 4 (New International Version, ©2010)
Romans 4
Abraham Justified by Faith
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."[a]
4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 "Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them."[b]
9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.
16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations."[c] He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."[d] 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 23 The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Romans 4
Abraham Justified by Faith
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."[a]
4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 "Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them."[b]
9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.
16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations."[c] He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."[d] 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 23 The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
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.
Monday, May 11, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 4
Matthew 3:1-17; Mark 1:1-45; Luke
3:1-38 NIV
Matthew
3:1-17
1 In those days John the Baptist
came, preaching in the Desert of Judea 2 and saying,
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." 3 This
is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one
calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for
him.' " 4 John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and
he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild
honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea
and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins,
they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 7 But when he
saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he
said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming
wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And
do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell
you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The
ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce
good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.11 "I
baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more
powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with
the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his
hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn
and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to
the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter
him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to
me?" 15 Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is
proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John
consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of
the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17 And a voice
from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well
pleased."
1 The beginning of the gospel
about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 It is written in Isaiah
the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your
way"-- 3 "a voice of one calling in the desert,
'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' " 4 And
so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of
repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean
countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their
sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John
wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and
he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message:
"After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals
I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with
water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
9 At that time Jesus came from
Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 As
Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the
Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from
heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well
pleased." 12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the
desert, 13 and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted
by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
14 After John was put in prison,
Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 "The
time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near.
Repent and believe the good news!" 16 As Jesus walked
beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net
into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 "Come, follow
me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of
men." 18 At once they left their nets and followed
him. 19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of
Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without
delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the
hired men and followed him.
21 They went to Capernaum, and
when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The
people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had
authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man
in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 "What
do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who
you are--the Holy One of God!" 25 "Be
quiet!" said Jesus sternly."Come out of him!" 26 The
evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. 27The
people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new
teaching--and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they
obey him." 28 News about him spread quickly over the
whole region of Galilee.
29 As soon as they left the
synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon's
mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. 31 So
he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she
began to wait on them. 32That evening after sunset the people
brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The
whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who
had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the
demons speak because they knew who he was.
35 Very early in the morning,
while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a
solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions
went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they
exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" 38 Jesus
replied, "Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby villages--so I can
preach there also. That is why I have come." 39 So he
traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out
demons.
40 A man with leprosy came to him
and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me
clean." 41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his
hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he
said. "Be clean!" 42 Immediately the leprosy
left him and he was cured. 43 Jesus sent him away at once with
a strong warning: 44 "See that you don't tell this to
anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses
commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." 45 Instead
he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus
could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet
the people still came to him from everywhere.
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