Thursday, June 11, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 26
Luke 12; Luke 13
1 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had
gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak
first to his disciples, saying: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the
Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed
that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What
you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have
whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the
roofs. 4 "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of
those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I
will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the
body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. 6 Are
not five sparrows sold for two pennies ? Yet not one of them is forgotten by
God.7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't
be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 8 "I
tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also
acknowledge him before the angels of God. 9 But he who disowns
me before men will be disowned before the angels of God. 10 And
everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone
who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11 "When
you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about
how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for
the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say." 13 Someone
in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance
with me." 14 Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a
judge or an arbiter between you?" 15 Then he said to
them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's
life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."16 And
he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a
good crop. 17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have
no place to store my crops.' 18 "Then he said, 'This is
what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will
store all my grain and my goods.19 And I'll say to myself,
"You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy;
eat, drink and be merry." ' 20 "But God said to him,
'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will
get what you have prepared for yourself ?' 21 "This is
how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich
toward God." 22 Then Jesus said to his disciples:
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or
about your body, what you will wear. 23 Life is more than
food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens:
They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them.
And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you
by worrying can add a single hour to his life ? 26 Since you
cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? 27 "Consider
how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even
Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.28 If
that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and
tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of
little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will
eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world
runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But
seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 32 "Do
not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the
kingdom. 33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide
purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will
not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For
where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 35 "Be
dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like
men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he
comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It
will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.
I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at
the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good
for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the
second or third watch of the night.39 But understand this: If the
owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not
have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready,
because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect
him." 41 Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this
parable to us, or to everyone?" 42 The Lord answered,
"Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge
of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It
will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he
returns. 44 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of
all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to
himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to
beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The
master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an
hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with
the unbelievers.47 "That servant who knows his master's will
and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with
many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things
deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been
given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with
much, much more will be asked. 49 "I have come to bring
fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But
I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is
completed! 51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No,
I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in
one family divided against each other, three against two and two against
three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son
against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against
mother-in-law." 54 He said to the crowd: "When you
see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and
it does. 55 And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's
going to be hot,' and it is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to
interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't
know how to interpret this present time?57 "Why don't you
judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you are going with
your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way,
or he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the
officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59 I tell you,
you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. "
1 Now there were some present at that time who
told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their
sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, "Do you think that these
Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered
this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too
will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower
in Siloam fell on them--do you think they were more guilty than all the others
living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent,
you too will all perish." 6 Then he told this parable:
"A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for
fruit on it, but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who
took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for
fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up
the soil?' 8 " 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone
for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If
it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' " 10On
a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and
a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was
bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus
saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free
from your infirmity." 13Then he put his hands on her, and
immediately she straightened up and praised God. 14 Indignant
because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the
people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days,
not on the Sabbath." 15 The Lord answered him, "You
hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the
stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not
this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long
years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?" 17 When
he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted
with all the wonderful things he was doing. 18 Then Jesus
asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? 19 It
is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and
became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches." 20 Again
he asked, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to?21 It is
like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it
worked all through the dough." 22 Then Jesus went through
the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone
asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" He said
to them,24 "Make every effort to enter through the narrow
door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able
to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the
door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for
us.' "But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' 26 "Then
you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' 27 "But
he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you
evildoers!' 28 "There will be weeping there, and gnashing
of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the
kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29 People will
come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the
feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are
last who will be first, and first who will be last." 31 At
that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, "Leave this place
and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you." 32 He
replied, "Go tell that fox, 'I will drive out demons and heal people today
and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.' 33 In
any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day--for surely no
prophet can die outside Jerusalem! 34 "O Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I
have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under
her wings, but you were not willing! 35 Look, your house is
left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say,
'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.' "
Acts 17
Acts 17 (New International Version)
Acts 17
In Thessalonica
1 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah," he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.
5 But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.[a] 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus." 8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.
In Berea
10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
13 But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 14 The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
In Athens
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean." 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.
24 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 'For in him we live and move and have our being.'[b] As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'[c]
29 "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead."
32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.
Acts 17
In Thessalonica
1 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah," he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.
5 But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.[a] 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus." 8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.
In Berea
10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
13 But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 14 The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
In Athens
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean." 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.
24 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 'For in him we live and move and have our being.'[b] As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'[c]
29 "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead."
32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.
Revelation 3
Revelation 3 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 3
To the Church in Sardis
1 "To the angel[a] of the church in Sardis write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits[b] of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the Church in Philadelphia 7 "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the Church in Laodicea 14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. 21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Revelation 3
To the Church in Sardis
1 "To the angel[a] of the church in Sardis write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits[b] of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the Church in Philadelphia 7 "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the Church in Laodicea 14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. 21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 25
John 10:22-42; Luke 10; Luke
11
22 Then came the Feast of Dedication at
Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple area
walking in Solomon's Colonnade. 24 The Jews gathered around
him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the
Christ, tell us plainly." 25 Jesus answered, "I did
tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak
for me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my
sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they
follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never
perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father,
who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my
Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one." 31 Again
the Jews picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to
them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of
these do you stone me?" 33 "We are not stoning you
for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you,
a mere man, claim to be God." 34 Jesus answered them,
"Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are gods' ?35 If
he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came--and the Scripture cannot
be broken-- 36what about the one whom the Father set apart as his
very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy
because I said, 'I am God's Son'? 37 Do not believe me unless
I do what my Father does. 38 But if I do it, even though you
do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that
the Father is in me, and I in the Father." 39 Again they
tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. 40 Then Jesus
went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the
early days. Here he stayed 41 and many people came to him.
They said, "Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John
said about this man was true." 42 And in that place many
believed in Jesus.
1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two
others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he
was about to go. 2 He told them, "The harvest is
plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to
send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending
you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag
or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. 5 "When
you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6 If a
man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to
you. 7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they
give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to
house.8 "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is
set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them,
'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10 But when you enter a town
and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 'Even
the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be
sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' 12 I tell you, it
will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. 13 "Woe
to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed
in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago,
sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more
bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And
you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the
depths.16 "He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects
you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me." 17 The
seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to
us in your name." 18 He replied, "I saw Satan fall
like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to
trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy;
nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the
spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in
heaven." 21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the
Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed
them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. 22 "All
things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is
except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those
to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." 23 Then he turned
to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what
you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted
to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not
hear it." 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood
up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to
inherit eternal life?" 26 "What is written in the
Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" 27 He
answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your
soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your
neighbor as yourself.' " 28 "You have answered
correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." 29 But
he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my
neighbor?" 30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going
down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They
stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half
dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and
when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So
too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other
side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man
was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to
him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on
his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The
next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look
after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra
expense you may have.' 36 "Which of these three do you
think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" 37 The
expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told
him, "Go and do likewise." 38 As Jesus and his
disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha
opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who
sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40 But
Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to
him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the
work by myself ? Tell her to help me!" 41 "Martha,
Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many
things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what
is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Acts 16
Acts 16 New International Version (NIV)
Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
16 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.
Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia
6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi
11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis.12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district[a] of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.
13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
Paul and Silas in Prison
16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.
19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and draggedthem into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”
22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
35 When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” 36 The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”
37 But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.”
38 The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. 39 They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. 40 After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.
Footnotes:
- Acts 16:12 The text and meaning of the Greek for the leading city of that district are uncertain.
Revelation 2
Revelation 2 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 2
To the Church in Ephesus
1 "To the angel[a] of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
To the Church in Smyrna 8 "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor's crown. 11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.
To the Church in Pergamum 12 "To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:
These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. 14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.
To the Church in Thyatira 18 "To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets, 'I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.' 26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 that one 'will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery'[b]—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 2
To the Church in Ephesus
1 "To the angel[a] of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
To the Church in Smyrna 8 "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor's crown. 11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.
To the Church in Pergamum 12 "To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:
These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. 14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.
To the Church in Thyatira 18 "To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets, 'I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.' 26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 that one 'will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery'[b]—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 24
John 9; John 10:1-21
1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from
birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned,
this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 "Neither
this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so
that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4 As long
as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no
one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the
world." 6 Having said this, he spit on the ground, made
some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7 "Go,"
he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So
the man went and washed, and came home seeing. 8 His neighbors
and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same
man who used to sit and beg?" 9 Some claimed that he was.
Others said, "No, he only looks like him." But he himself insisted,
"I am the man." 10 "How then were your eyes
opened?" they demanded. 11 He replied, "The man they
call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and
wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see." 12 "Where
is this man?" they asked him. "I don't know," he said. 13 They
brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now
the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a
Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had
received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied,
"and I washed, and now I see." 16 Some of the
Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the
Sabbath." But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous
signs?" So they were divided. 17 Finally they turned
again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes
he opened." The man replied, "He is a prophet." 18 The
Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight
until they sent for the man's parents. 19 "Is this your
son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it
that now he can see?" 20 "We know he is our
son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. 21 But
how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of
age; he will speak for himself." 22 His parents said this
because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that
anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the
synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, "He is of
age; ask him." 24 A second time they summoned the man who
had been blind. "Give glory to God, " they said. "We know this
man is a sinner." 25 He replied, "Whether he is a
sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I
see!" 26 Then they asked him, "What did he do to
you? How did he open your eyes?" 27 He answered, "I
have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again?
Do you want to become his disciples, too?" 28 Then they
hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! We are
disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as
for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from." 30 The
man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from,
yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to
sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. 32 Nobody
has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If
this man were not from God, he could do nothing." 34 To
this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture
us!" And they threw him out. 35 Jesus heard that they had
thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son
of Man?" 36 "Who is he, sir?" the man asked.
"Tell me so that I may believe in him." 37 Jesus
said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with
you." 38 Then the man said, "Lord, I believe,"
and he worshiped him.39 Jesus said, "For judgment I have come
into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become
blind." 40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say
this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?" 41 Jesus
said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you
claim you can see, your guilt remains.
1 "I tell you the truth, the man who does
not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a
thief and a robber. 2 The man who enters by the gate is the
shepherd of his sheep. 3The watchman opens the gate for him, and
the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them
out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead
of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But
they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because
they do not recognize a stranger's voice." 6 Jesus used
this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling
them. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the
truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever came before
me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I
am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go
out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and
kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the
full. 11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays
down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the
shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the
sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.13 The
man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 "I
am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me-- 15 just
as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the
sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I
must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one
flock and one shepherd.17 The reason my Father loves me is that I
lay down my life--only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it
from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down
and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my
Father." 19 At these words the Jews were again
divided. 20Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed and
raving mad. Why listen to him?" 21 But others said,
"These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open
the eyes of the blind?"
Acts 15
Acts 15 New International Version (NIV)
The Council at Jerusalem
15 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.
5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”
6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wondersGod had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. 14 Simon[a] has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality,from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers
22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. 23 With them they sent the following letter:
The apostles and elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
Farewell.
30 So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. 31 The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. 32 Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. 33 After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. [34] [d] 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.
Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas
36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark,with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Footnotes:
- Acts 15:14 Greek Simeon, a variant of Simon; that is, Peter
- Acts 15:17 Amos 9:11,12 (see Septuagint)
- Acts 15:18 Some manuscripts things’— / 18 the Lord’s work is known to him from long ago
- Acts 15:34 Some manuscripts include here But Silas decided to remain there.
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