Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 74
Acts 24:1-27; Acts 25;
Acts 26
1 Five days later the high priest Ananias went down to
Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought
their charges against Paul before the governor. 2 When Paul
was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix: "We have enjoyed
a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms
in this nation. 3 Everywhere and in every way, most excellent
Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude. 4 But in
order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear
us briefly. 5 "We have found this man to be a
troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a
ringleader of the Nazarene sect 6 and even tried to desecrate
the temple; so we seized him. 8 By examining him yourself you
will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against
him." 9 The Jews joined in the accusation, asserting that
these things were true. 10 When the governor motioned for him
to speak, Paul replied: "I know that for a number of years you have been a
judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. 11 You
can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to
worship. 12 My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at
the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the
city. 13 And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now
making against me. 14 However, I admit that I worship the God
of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe
everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, 15 and
I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of
both the righteous and the wicked. 16 So I strive always to
keep my conscience clear before God and man. 17 "After an
absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the
poor and to present offerings. 18 I was ceremonially clean
when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me,
nor was I involved in any disturbance. 19 But there are some
Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to be here before you and bring
charges if they have anything against me. 20 Or these who are
here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the
Sanhedrin-- 21 unless it was this one thing I shouted as I
stood in their presence: 'It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I
am on trial before you today.' " 22 Then Felix, who was
well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings. "When Lysias the
commander comes," he said, "I will decide your case." 23 He
ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and
permit his friends to take care of his needs. 24 Several days
later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and
listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 As
Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix
was afraid and said, "That's enough for now! You may leave. When I find it
convenient, I will send for you." 26 At the same time he
was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and
talked with him. 27 When two years had passed, Felix was
succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the
Jews, he left Paul in prison.
1 Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up
from Caesarea to Jerusalem, 2 where the chief priests and
Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against
Paul. 3 They urgently requested Festus, as a favor to them, to
have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill
him along the way. 4 Festus answered, "Paul is being held
at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon. 5 Let some of
your leaders come with me and press charges against the man there, if he has
done anything wrong." 6 After spending eight or ten days
with them, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day he convened the court and
ordered that Paul be brought before him. 7 When Paul appeared,
the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many
serious charges against him, which they could not prove. 8 Then
Paul made his defense: "I have done nothing wrong against the law of the
Jews or against the temple or against Caesar." 9 Festus,
wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, "Are you willing to go up to
Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?" 10 Paul
answered: "I am now standing before Caesar's court, where I ought to be
tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. 11 If,
however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die.
But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has
the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!" 12 After
Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: "You have appealed to
Caesar. To Caesar you will go!" 13 A few days later King
Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. 14 Since
they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul's case with the king.
He said: "There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner. 15 When
I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews brought charges
against him and asked that he be condemned. 16 "I told
them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over any man before he has faced
his accusers and has had an opportunity to defend himself against their
charges. 17 When they came here with me, I did not delay the
case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought
in. 18 When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge
him with any of the crimes I had expected. 19 Instead, they
had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead
man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. 20 I was at a loss
how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to
Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges. 21When Paul made
his appeal to be held over for the Emperor's decision, I ordered him held until
I could send him to Caesar." 22 Then Agrippa said to
Festus, "I would like to hear this man myself." He replied,
"Tomorrow you will hear him." 23 The next day
Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the
high ranking officers and the leading men of the city. At the command of
Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 Festus said: "King
Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish
community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea,
shouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25 I found he
had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the
Emperor I decided to send him to Rome. 26But I have nothing
definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before
all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of
this investigation I may have something to write. 27 For I
think it is unreasonable to send on a prisoner without specifying the charges
against him."
1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to
speak for yourself." So Paul motioned with his hand and began his
defense: 2 "King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to
stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the
Jews, 3 and especially so because you are well acquainted with
all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me
patiently. 4 "The Jews all know the way I have lived ever
since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also
in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time and can
testify, if they are willing, that according to the strictest sect of our
religion, I lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now it is because of my
hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today. 7 This
is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly
serve God day and night. O king, it is because of this hope that the Jews are
accusing me. 8 Why should any of you consider it incredible
that God raises the dead? 9 "I too was convinced that I
ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of
Nazareth. 10 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the
authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when
they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.11 Many a time
I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to
force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign
cities to persecute them. 12"On one of these journeys I was
going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 About
noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than
the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14 We all fell
to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why do
you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' 15"Then
I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' " 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,'
the Lord replied. 16 'Now get up and stand on your feet. I
have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you
have seen of me and what I will show you. 17 I will rescue you
from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to
open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of
Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among
those who are sanctified by faith in me.' 19 "So then,
King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20 First
to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the
Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove
their repentance by their deeds. 21 That is why the Jews
seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22 But I
have had God's help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small
and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said
would happen-- 23 that the Christ would suffer and, as the
first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the
Gentiles." 24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul's
defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your
great learning is driving you insane." 25 "I am not
insane, most excellent Festus," Paul replied. "What I am saying is
true and reasonable. 26 The king is familiar with these
things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has
escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27 King
Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do." 28 Then
Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can
persuade me to be a Christian?" 29 Paul replied,
"Short time or long--I pray God that not only you but all who are
listening to me today may become what I am, except for these
chains." 30 The king rose, and with him the governor and
Bernice and those sitting with them.31 They left the room, and
while talking with one another, they said, "This man is not doing anything
that deserves death or imprisonment." 32 Agrippa said to
Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to
Caesar."
Romans 3
Romans 3 (New International Version, ©2010)
Romans 3
God's Faithfulness
1 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.
3 What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God's faithfulness? 4 Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge."[a]
5 But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) 6 Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? 7 Someone might argue, "If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?" 8 Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—"Let us do evil that good may result"? Their condemnation is just!
No One Is Righteous
9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. 10 As it is written:
"There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good, not even one."[b]
13 "Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit."[c]
"The poison of vipers is on their lips."[d]
14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."[e]
15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know."[f]
18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."[g]
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
Righteousness Through Faith
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in[h] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,[i] through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
Romans 3
God's Faithfulness
1 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.
3 What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God's faithfulness? 4 Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge."[a]
5 But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) 6 Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? 7 Someone might argue, "If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?" 8 Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—"Let us do evil that good may result"? Their condemnation is just!
No One Is Righteous
9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. 10 As it is written:
"There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good, not even one."[b]
13 "Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit."[c]
"The poison of vipers is on their lips."[d]
14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."[e]
15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know."[f]
18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."[g]
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
Righteousness Through Faith
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in[h] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,[i] through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
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."
Monday, August 17, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 73
Acts 20:4-38; Acts 21;
Acts 22; Acts 23
4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea,
Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and
Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.5 These men went
on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6 But we sailed from
Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the
others at Troas, where we stayed seven days. 7 On the first
day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and,
because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until
midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where
we were meeting. 9 Seated in a window was a young man named
Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he
was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up
dead. 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and
put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's
alive!" 11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread
and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12 The people
took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted. 13 We
went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take
Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on
foot. 14When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to
Mitylene. 15 The next day we set sail from there and arrived
off Kios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day
arrived at Miletus. 16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus
to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach
Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost. 17 From
Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When
they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived the whole time I was
with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I
served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely
tested by the plots of the Jews. 20 You know that I have not
hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you
publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both
Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our
Lord Jesus. 22 "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am
going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I
only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships
are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to
me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has
given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. 25 "Now
I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will
ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I
am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not
hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep
watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you
overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own
blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come
in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your
own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples
after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three
years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. 32 "Now
I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and
give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I
have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. 34 You
yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the
needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you
that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the
Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'
" 36 When he had said this, he knelt down with all of
them and prayed. 37 They all wept as they embraced him and
kissed him. 38 What grieved them most was his statement that
they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
1 After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to
sea and sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there
to Patara. 2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went
on board and set sail. 3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to
the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was
to unload its cargo. 4 Finding the disciples there, we stayed
with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to
Jerusalem. 5 But when our time was up, we left and continued
on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out
of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6 After
saying good-by to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned
home. 7 We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at
Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day. 8 Leaving
the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the
evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried
daughters who prophesied. 10 After we had been there a number
of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming
over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said,
"The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the
owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.' " 12 When
we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to
Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping
and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in
Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."14 When he would not
be dissuaded, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done." 15 After
this, we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the
disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason,
where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early
disciples. 17 When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers
received us warmly. 18 The next day Paul and the rest of us
went to see James, and all the elders were present. 19 Paul
greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles
through his ministry. 20 When they heard this, they praised
God. Then they said to Paul: "You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews
have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21 They
have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to
turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live
according to our customs. 22 What shall we do? They will
certainly hear that you have come, 23 so do what we tell you.
There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24 Take these
men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can
have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these
reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the
law. 25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them
our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from
blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual
immorality." 26 The next day Paul took the men and
purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of
the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made
for each of them. 27 When the seven days were nearly over,
some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the
whole crowd and seized him, 28 shouting, "Men of Israel,
help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and
our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area
and defiled this holy place."29 (They had previously seen
Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought
him into the temple area.) 30 The whole city was aroused, and
the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him
from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut.31 While they
were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that
the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He at once
took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw
the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.33 The
commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains.
Then he asked who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the
crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get
at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the
barracks. 35 When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the
mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The
crowd that followed kept shouting, "Away with him!" 37 As
the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander,
"May I say something to you?" "Do you speak Greek?" he
replied. 38 "Aren't you the Egyptian who started a revolt
and led four thousand terrorists out into the desert some time ago?" 39 Paul
answered, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city.
Please let me speak to the people." 40 Having received
the commander's permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd.
When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic:
1 "Brothers and fathers, listen now to my
defense." 2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic,
they became very quiet. Then Paul said: 3 "I am a Jew,
born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was
thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as
any of you are today. 4 I persecuted the followers of this Way
to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into
prison, 5 as also the high priest and all the Council can
testify. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and
went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be
punished. 6 "About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly
a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the
ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute
me?' 8 " 'Who are you, Lord?' I asked. " 'I am Jesus
of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,' he replied. 9 My
companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was
speaking to me. 10 " 'What shall I do, Lord?' I asked.
" 'Get up,' the Lord said, 'and go into Damascus. There you will be told
all that you have been assigned to do.' 11 My companions led
me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded
me. 12 "A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a
devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.13 He
stood beside me and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And at that very
moment I was able to see him. 14 "Then he said: 'The God
of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and
to hear words from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness to
all men of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now what are
you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his
name.' 17 "When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying
at the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw the Lord
speaking. 'Quick!' he said to me. 'Leave Jerusalem immediately, because they
will not accept your testimony about me.' 19 " 'Lord,' I
replied, 'these men know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison
and beat those who believe in you. 20 And when the blood of
your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the
clothes of those who were killing him.' 21 "Then the Lord
said to me, 'Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.' " 22 The
crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and
shouted, "Rid the earth of him! He's not fit to live!" 23 As
they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the
air, 24 the commander ordered Paul to be taken into the
barracks. He directed that he be flogged and questioned in order to find out
why the people were shouting at him like this. 25 As they
stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there,
"Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn't even been found
guilty?" 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the
commander and reported it. "What are you going to do?" he asked.
"This man is a Roman citizen." 27 The commander went
to Paul and asked, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes, I
am," he answered. 28 Then the commander said, "I had
to pay a big price for my citizenship." "But I was born a
citizen," Paul replied.29 Those who were about to question him
withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that
he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains. 30 The next day,
since the commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by
the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin
to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.
1 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, "My
brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this
day." 2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered those
standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul
said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to
judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding
that I be struck!" 4 Those who were standing near Paul
said, "You dare to insult God's high priest? 5 Paul
replied, "Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it
is written: 'Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.' " 6 Then
Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called
out in the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee.
I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the
dead." 7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between
the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 (The
Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels
nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) 9 There
was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees
stood up and argued vigorously. "We find nothing wrong with this
man," they said. "What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to
him?" 10 The dispute became so violent that the commander
was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go
down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the
barracks. 11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and
said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you
must also testify in Rome." 12 The next morning the Jews
formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until
they had killed Paul. 13 More than forty men were involved in
this plot. 14 They went to the chief priests and elders and
said, "We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have
killed Paul. 15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the
commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate
information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets
here." 16 But when the son of Paul's sister heard of this
plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul. 17 Then Paul
called one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the
commander; he has something to tell him."18 So he took him to
the commander. The centurion said, "Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and
asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell
you." 19 The commander took the young man by the hand,
drew him aside and asked, "What is it you want to tell me? 20 He
said: "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin
tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. 21 Don't
give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him.
They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They
are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request. 22 The
commander dismissed the young man and cautioned him, "Don't tell anyone
that you have reported this to me." 23 Then he called two
of his centurions and ordered them, "Get ready a detachment of two hundred
soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine
tonight. 24 Provide mounts for Paul so that he may be taken
safely to Governor Felix." 25 He wrote a letter as
follows: 26 Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor
Felix: Greetings. 27 This man was seized by the Jews and they
were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had
learned that he is a Roman citizen. 28 I wanted to know why
they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. 29 I
found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there
was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. 30 When
I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you
at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against
him. 31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul
with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. 32 The
next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the
barracks. 33When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered
the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. 34 The
governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he
was from Cilicia, 35 he said, "I will hear your case when
your accusers get here." Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in
Herod's palace.
Romans 2
Romans 2 (New International Version, ©2010)
Romans 2
God's Righteous Judgment
1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God "will repay each person according to what they have done."[a] 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.
12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
The Jews and the Law
17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; 18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."[b]
25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26 So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the[c] written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person's praise is not from other people, but from God.
Romans 2
God's Righteous Judgment
1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God "will repay each person according to what they have done."[a] 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.
12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
The Jews and the Law
17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; 18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."[b]
25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26 So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the[c] written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person's praise is not from other people, but from God.
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.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Romans 1
Romans 1 (New International Version)
Romans 1
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life[a] was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power[b] by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from[c] faith for his name's sake. 6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul's Longing to Visit Rome
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,[d] that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[e] just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."[f]
God's Wrath Against Sinful Humanity
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
Romans 1
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life[a] was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power[b] by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from[c] faith for his name's sake. 6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul's Longing to Visit Rome
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,[d] that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[e] just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."[f]
God's Wrath Against Sinful Humanity
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
Revelation 1
Revelation 1 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 1
Prologue
1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
Greetings and Doxology
4 John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits[a] before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
7 "Look, he is coming with the clouds,"[b] and "every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him"; and all peoples on earth "will mourn because of him."[c] So shall it be! Amen.
8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
John's Vision of Christ
9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea."
12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,[d] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels[e] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Revelation 1
Prologue
1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
Greetings and Doxology
4 John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits[a] before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
7 "Look, he is coming with the clouds,"[b] and "every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him"; and all peoples on earth "will mourn because of him."[c] So shall it be! Amen.
8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
John's Vision of Christ
9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea."
12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,[d] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels[e] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
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