Saturday, August 29, 2015
Romans 14
Romans 14 (New International Version, ©2010)
Romans 14
The Weak and the Strong
1 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2 One person's faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
5 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6 Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister[a]? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. 11 It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.'"[b]
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
Romans 14
The Weak and the Strong
1 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2 One person's faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
5 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6 Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister[a]? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. 11 It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.'"[b]
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
Revelation 14
Revelation 14 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 14
The Lamb and the 144,000
1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
The Three Angels
6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."
8 A second angel followed and said, "'Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,'[a] which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries."
9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name." 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."
Harvesting the Earth and Trampling the Winepress
14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man[b] with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe." 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.
Revelation 14
The Lamb and the 144,000
1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
The Three Angels
6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."
8 A second angel followed and said, "'Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,'[a] which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries."
9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name." 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."
Harvesting the Earth and Trampling the Winepress
14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man[b] with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe." 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.
Friday, August 28, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 82
Hebrews 1; Hebrews 2;
Hebrews 3; Hebrews 4; Hebrews 5; Hebrews 6
1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the
prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days
he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and
through whom he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance
of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things
by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down
at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as
much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to
theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
"You are my Son; today I have become your Father " ? Or again,
"I will be his Father, and he will be my Son" ? 6And
again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all
God's angels worship him." 7In speaking of the angels he says,
"He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire." 8 But
about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever,
and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You
have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set
you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy." 10 He
also says, "In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the
earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.11 They will
perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. 12 You
will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you
remain the same, and your years will never end." 13To which of
the angels did God ever say, "Sit at my right hand until I make your
enemies a footstool for your feet" ? 14 Are not all
angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
1 We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we
have heard, so that we do not drift away.2 For if the message
spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its
just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore such a
great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was
confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified
to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit
distributed according to his will. 5 It is not to angels that he
has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But
there is a place where someone has testified: "What is man that you are
mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 7 You
made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and
honor 8and put everything under his feet." In putting
everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at
present we do not see everything subject to him. 9 But we see
Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and
honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste
death for everyone. 10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was
fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the
author of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 Both
the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family.
So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. 12 He says,
"I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the
congregation I will sing your praises." 13 And again,
"I will put my trust in him." And again he says, "Here am I, and
the children God has given me." 14 Since the children
have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he
might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil-- 15 and
free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of
death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's
descendants. 17For this reason he had to be made like his brothers
in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest
in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the
people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he
is able to help those who are being tempted.
1 Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly
calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we
confess. 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just
as Moses was faithful in all God's house. 3 Jesus has been
found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has
greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is
built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 Moses
was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said
in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God's
house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which
we boast. 7 So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you
hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the
rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, 9 where
your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. 10That
is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always
going astray, and they have not known my ways.' 11 So I
declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.' " 12See
to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns
away from the living God.13 But encourage one another daily, as
long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's
deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold
firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. 15 As has
just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion." 16 Who were they who heard
and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And
with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose
bodies fell in the desert? 18 And to whom did God swear that
they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed ? 19 So
we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.
1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still
stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of
it. 2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as
they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who
heard did not combine it with faith. 3 Now we who have
believed enter that rest, just as God has said, "So I declared on oath in
my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.' " And yet his work has been
finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he
has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day
God rested from all his work." 5 And again in the passage
above he says, "They shall never enter my rest." 6 It
still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the
gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. 7 Therefore
God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke
through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not
harden your hearts." 8 For if Joshua had given them rest,
God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There
remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone
who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from
his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that
rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of
disobedience. 12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper
than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit,
joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing
in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid
bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. 14 Therefore,
since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the
Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For
we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was
without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with
confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time
of need.
1 Every high priest is selected from among men and is
appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and
sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those
who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to
weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own
sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 No one takes
this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So
Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But
God said to him, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father.
" 6 And he says in another place, "You are a priest
forever, in the order of Melchizedek." 7 During the days
of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries
and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of
his reverent submission. 8 Although he was a son, he learned
obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he
became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and
was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. 11 We
have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to
learn. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be
teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all
over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives
on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about
righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by
constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
1 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about
Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance
from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction
about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and
eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. 4 It
is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the
heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have
tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6 if
they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they
are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public
disgrace. 7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it
and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the
blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles
is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be
burned. 9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are
confident of better things in your case--things that accompany salvation. 10God
is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as
you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We
want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make
your hope sure. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to
imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been
promised. 13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there
was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying,
"I will surely bless you and give you many descendants." 15 And
so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. 16 Men
swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said
and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make
the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised,
he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two
unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled
to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We
have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner
sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus, who went before
us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the
order of Melchizedek.
Romans 13
Romans 13 (New International Version, ©2010)
Romans 13
Submission to Governing Authorities
1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Love Fulfills the Law
8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not covet,"[a] and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."[b] 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
The Day Is Near
11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
Romans 13
Submission to Governing Authorities
1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Love Fulfills the Law
8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not covet,"[a] and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."[b] 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
The Day Is Near
11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 81
1 Peter 1; 1 Peter 2;
1 Peter 3; 1 Peter 4; 1 Peter 5
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect,
strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia
and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the
foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit,
for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be
yours in abundance. 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living
hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and
into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for
you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God's power until the
coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In
this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to
suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that
your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by
fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when
Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you
love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are
filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are
receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.10 Concerning
this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you,
searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to
find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was
pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would
follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving
themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you
by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from
heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. 13 Therefore,
prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the
grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 As
obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in
ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be
holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: "Be holy,
because I am holy." 17 Since you call on a Father who
judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in
reverent fear. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable
things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life
handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the
precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He
was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last
times for your sake. 21Through him you believe in God, who raised
him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in
God. 22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the
truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply,
from the heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of
perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of
God. 24 For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory
is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but
the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was
preached to you.
1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit,
hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2Like newborn babies,
crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your
salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is
good. 4 As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men
but chosen by God and precious to him-- 5 you also, like
living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood,
offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For
in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious
cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to
shame." 7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious.
But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has
become the capstone, " 8 and, "A stone that causes
men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they
disobey the message--which is also what they were destined for. 9 But
you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging
to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness
into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but
now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you
have received mercy. 11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens
and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against
your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that,
though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify
God on the day he visits us. 13 Submit yourselves for the
Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as
the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him
to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For
it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of
foolish men. 16 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom
as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 17 Show
proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor
the king. 18 Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with
all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those
who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if a man bears up
under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20 But
how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure
it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable
before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ
suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his
steps. 22 "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found
in his mouth." 23 When they hurled their insults at him,
he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he
entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore
our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for
righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you
were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and
Overseer of your souls.
1 Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so
that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without
words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the
purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not
come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold
jewelry and fine clothes. 4 Instead, it should be that of your
inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great
worth in God's sight. 5 For this is the way the holy women of
the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were
submissive to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed
Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is
right and do not give way to fear. 7 Husbands, in the same way
be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the
weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that
nothing will hinder your prayers. 8 Finally, all of you, live
in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate
and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with
insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may
inherit a blessing. 10 For, "Whoever would love life and
see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful
speech. 11 He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek
peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the
righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord
is against those who do evil." 13 Who is going to harm
you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should
suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do
not be frightened." 15 But in your hearts set apart
Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you
to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and
respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who
speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their
slander. 17 It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for
doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ died for sins
once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was
put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 19through
whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 20 who
disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark
was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through
water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you
also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience
toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who
has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand--with angels, authorities and
powers in submission to him.
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm
yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body
is done with sin. 2 As a result, he does not live the rest of
his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For
you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do--living
in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable
idolatry. 4 They think it strange that you do not plunge with
them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But
they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the
dead. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to
those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard
to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. 7 The
end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so
that you can pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply,
because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer
hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each one
should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully
administering God's grace in its various forms.11 If anyone speaks,
he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he
should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be
praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and
ever. Amen. 12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the
painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to
you. 13But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of
Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If
you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit
of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should
not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a
meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be
ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is
time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us,
what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And,
"If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the
ungodly and the sinner?" 19 So then, those who suffer
according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and
continue to do good.
1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a
witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be
revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your
care, serving as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing,
as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3 not
lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And
when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will
never fade away. 5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to
those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one
another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the
humble." 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's
mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.7 Cast all your
anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be self-controlled
and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for
someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith,
because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the
same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who
called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little
while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To
him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. 12 With the help of
Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly,
encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast
in it. 13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you,
sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. 14 Greet one
another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
Romans 12
Romans 12 (New International Version, ©2010)
Romans 12
A Living Sacrifice
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Humble Service in the Body of Christ
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Love in Action
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c] Do not be conceited.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[d] says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."[e]
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12
A Living Sacrifice
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Humble Service in the Body of Christ
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Love in Action
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c] Do not be conceited.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[d] says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."[e]
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Revelation 12
Revelation 12 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 12
The Woman and the Dragon
1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who "will rule all the nations with an iron scepter."[a] And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."
13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God's commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
Revelation 12
The Woman and the Dragon
1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who "will rule all the nations with an iron scepter."[a] And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."
13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God's commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 80
Titus 1; Titus 2;
Titus 3
1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for
the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to
godliness-- 2 a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of
eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of
time, 3 and at his appointed season he brought his word to
light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our
Savior, 4To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace
from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. 5 The reason
I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished
and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. 6 An
elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children
believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7Since
an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless--not
overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not
pursuing dishonest gain. 8 Rather he must be hospitable, one
who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and
disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message
as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and
refute those who oppose it. 10 For there are many rebellious
people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision
group. 11 They must be silenced, because they are ruining
whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach--and that for the
sake of dishonest gain. 12 Even one of their own prophets has
said, "Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons."13 This
testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound
in the faith 14and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the
commands of those who reject the truth. 15 To the pure, all
things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is
pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. 16 They
claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient
and unfit for doing anything good.
1 You must teach what is in accord with sound
doctrine. 2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of
respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. 3 Likewise,
teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers
or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then
they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5to
be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject
to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. 6 Similarly,
encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7In everything set
them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity,
seriousness8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so
that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say
about us. 9 Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in
everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, 10 and
not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in
every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. 11 For
the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It
teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to
live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while
we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and
Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us
from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own,
eager to do what is good. 15 These, then, are the things you should
teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.
1 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities,
to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to
slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility
toward all men. 3 At one time we too were foolish,
disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We
lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But
when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he
saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his
mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy
Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus
Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his
grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This
is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those
who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is
good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. 9 But
avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about
the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a
divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing
to do with him. 11 You may be sure that such a man is warped
and sinful; he is self-condemned. 12 As soon as I send Artemas
or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have
decided to winter there. 13 Do everything you can to help
Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they
need. 14 Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing
what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live
unproductive lives. 15 Everyone with me sends you greetings.
Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.
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