Thursday, September 3, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 86
2 Peter 1; 2 Peter 2;
2 Peter 3; Jude 1
1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To
those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have
received a faith as precious as ours: 2 Grace and peace be
yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His
divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our
knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through
these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through
them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the
world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make
every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and
to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to
perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly
kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you
possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being
ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But
if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten
that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 10 Therefore, my
brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if
you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will
receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. 12 So I will always remind you of these things, even
though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now
have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as
I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will
soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And
I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able
to remember these things. 16 We did not follow cleverly
invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he
received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from
the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am
well pleased." 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came
from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 19 And
we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay
attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and
the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must
understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own
interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the
will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy
Spirit.
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just
as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce
destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing
swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their
shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In
their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up.
Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has
not been sleeping.4 For if God did not spare angels when they
sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for
judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he
brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of
righteousness, and seven others; 6 if he condemned the cities
of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of
what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued
Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless
men 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after
day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and
heard)-- 9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue
godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment,
while continuing their punishment. 10 This is especially true
of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise
authority. Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial
beings; 11 yet even angels, although they are stronger and
more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the
presence of the Lord. 12 But these men blaspheme in matters
they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born
only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish. 13 They
will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure
is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in
their pleasures while they feast with you. 14 With eyes full
of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are
experts in greed--an accursed brood! 15 They have left the
straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who
loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his
wrongdoing by a donkey--a beast without speech--who spoke with a man's voice
and restrained the prophet's madness. 17 These men are springs
without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for
them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by
appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who
are just escaping from those who live in error. 19 They
promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity--for a man
is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 20If they have escaped the
corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are
again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they
were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them
not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to
turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22 Of
them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and,
"A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."
1 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have
written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I
want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the
command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. 3 First
of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing
and following their own evil desires. 4They will say, "Where
is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on
as it has since the beginning of creation." 5 But they
deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the
earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters
also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By
the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept
for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 8 But
do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a
thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The
Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is
patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to
repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.
The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire,
and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. 11 Since
everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?
You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward
to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the
destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the
heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking
forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 14 So
then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to
be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in
mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul
also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes
the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters
contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable
people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own
destruction. 17 Therefore, dear friends, since you already
know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of
lawless men and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in
the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory
both now and forever! Amen.
1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To
those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus
Christ: 2 Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. 3Dear
friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we
share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was
once for all entrusted to the saints. 4 For certain men whose
condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you.
They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for
immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. 5 Though
you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people
out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And
the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their
own home--these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for
judgment on the great Day. 7 In a similar way, Sodom and
Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and
perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of
eternal fire. 8 In the very same way, these dreamers pollute
their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. 9 But
even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body
of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said,
"The Lord rebuke you!" 10 Yet these men speak
abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do
understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals--these are the very things
that destroy them. 11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of
Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed
in Korah's rebellion. 12 These men are blemishes at your love
feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm--shepherds who feed only
themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees,
without fruit and uprooted--twice dead. 13 They are wild waves
of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness
has been reserved forever. 14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam,
prophesied about these men: "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon
thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to
convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly
way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against
him." 16 These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they
follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others
for their own advantage. 17 But, dear friends, remember what
the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said
to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their
own ungodly desires." 19 These are the men who divide
you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 20 But
you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the
Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for
the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 22 Be
merciful to those who doubt; 23 snatch others from the fire
and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing
stained by corrupted flesh. 24 To him who is able to keep you
from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and
with great joy-- 25 to the only God our Savior be glory,
majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages,
now and forevermore! Amen.
Ephesians 3
Ephesians 3 (New International Version, ©2010)
Ephesians 3
God's Marvelous Plan for the Gentiles
1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—
2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
A Prayer for the Ephesians
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3
God's Marvelous Plan for the Gentiles
1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—
2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
A Prayer for the Ephesians
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Revelation 17
Revelation 17 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 17
Babylon, the Prostitute on the Beast
1 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. 2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries."
3 Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5 The name written on her forehead was a mystery: BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God's holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. 7 Then the angel said to me: "Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.
9 "This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. 10 They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. 11 The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.
12 "The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. 13 They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."
15 Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. 16 The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority, until God's words are fulfilled. 18 The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth."
Revelation 17
Babylon, the Prostitute on the Beast
1 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. 2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries."
3 Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5 The name written on her forehead was a mystery: BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God's holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. 7 Then the angel said to me: "Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.
9 "This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. 10 They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. 11 The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.
12 "The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. 13 They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."
15 Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. 16 The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority, until God's words are fulfilled. 18 The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth."
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 85
2 Timothy 1; 2 Timothy
2; 2 Timothy 3; 2 Timothy 4
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, 2 To
Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ
Jesus our Lord. 3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers
did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my
prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I
may be filled with joy. 5 I have been reminded of your sincere
faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice
and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6 For this reason
I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the
laying on of my hands. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of
timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 8 So
do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But
join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who
has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done
but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ
Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been
revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed
death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 And
of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12 That
is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have
believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to
him for that day. 13 What you heard from me, keep as the
pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard
the good deposit that was entrusted to you--guard it with the help of the Holy
Spirit who lives in us. 15 You know that everyone in the
province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May
the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed
me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17 On the contrary, when
he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18 May
the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very
well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.
1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ
Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence
of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach
others. 3 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of
Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets involved in
civilian affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly,
if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless
he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer
should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect
on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. 8 Remember
Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my
gospel, 9 for which I am suffering even to the point of being
chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained. 10 Therefore
I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the
salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11 Here
is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if
we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown
us; 13 if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he
cannot disown himself. 14 Keep reminding them of these things.
Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and
only ruins those who listen. 15 Do your best to present
yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and
who correctly handles the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless
chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more
ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among
them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have wandered away
from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and
they destroy the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, God's solid
foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows
those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord
must turn away from wickedness." 20 In a large house
there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some
are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21 If a man
cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes,
made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. 22 Flee
the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace,
along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 Don't
have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they
produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel;
instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those
who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them
repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and
that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who
has taken them captive to do his will.
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last
days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,
boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful,
unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without
self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous,
rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- 5 having
a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 6 They
are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed
women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil
desires, 7 always learning but never able to acknowledge the
truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also
these men oppose the truth--men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is
concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far
because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to
everyone. 10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way
of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions,
sufferings--what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra,
the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In
fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be
persecuted, 13 while evil men and impostors will go from bad
to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you,
continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you
know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy
you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for
salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is
God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly
equipped for every good work.
1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge
the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give
you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and
out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful
instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up
with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather
around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to
hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn
aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations,
endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your
ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out like a drink
offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7 I have
fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now
there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to
all who have longed for his appearing. 9 Do your best to come
to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has
deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and
Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring
him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12 I
sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak
that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the
parchments. 14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal
of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. 15 You
too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our
message. 16 At my first defense, no one came to my support,
but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17But
the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message
might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was
delivered from the lion's mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me
from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him
be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 19 Greet Priscilla and
Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus stayed in
Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. 21 Do your best
to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia
and all the brothers. 22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace
be with you.
Ephesians 2
Ephesians 2 (New International Version, ©2010)
Ephesians 2
Made Alive in Christ
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Footnotes:
Ephesians 2:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
Ephesians 2
Made Alive in Christ
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Footnotes:
Ephesians 2:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
Revelation 16
Revelation 16 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 16
The Seven Bowls of God's Wrath
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth."
2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.
4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: "You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were;
6 for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve."
7 And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments."
8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.
10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. 13 Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. 15 "Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed."
16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 21 From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds,[a] fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
Revelation 16
The Seven Bowls of God's Wrath
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth."
2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.
4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: "You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were;
6 for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve."
7 And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments."
8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.
10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. 13 Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. 15 "Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed."
16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 21 From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds,[a] fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 84
Hebrews 11; Hebrews
12; Hebrews 13
1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of
what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended
for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at
God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4 By
faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was
commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by
faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. 5 By faith
Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could
not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was
commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is
impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he
exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. 7 By
faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to
save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the
righteousness that comes by faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when
called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and
went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By
faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign
country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of
the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city
with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By
faith Abraham, even though he was past age--and Sarah herself was barren--was
enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the
promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead,
came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the
sand on the seashore. 13 All these people were still living by
faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw
them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens
and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show
that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they
had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity
to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country--a
heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has
prepared a city for them. 17 By faith Abraham, when God tested
him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about
to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said
to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be
reckoned." 19 Abraham reasoned that God could raise the
dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death. 20 By
faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. 21By
faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as
he leaned on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when
his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave
instructions about his bones. 23 By faith Moses' parents hid
him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary
child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. 24 By
faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's
daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people
of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26 He
regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures
of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27 By
faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw
him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the
sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the
firstborn of Israel. 29 By faith the people passed through the
Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were
drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the
people had marched around them for seven days. 31 By faith the
prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who
were disobedient. 32 And what more shall I say? I do not have
time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the
prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms,
administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of
lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the
edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became
powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women
received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and
refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Some
faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in
prison. 37 They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were
put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins,
destitute, persecuted and mistreated-- 38 the world was not
worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes
in the ground. 39 These were all commended for their faith,
yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had
planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be
made perfect.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud
of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so
easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for
us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter
of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its
shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider
him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow
weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin, you have
not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have
forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son,
do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he
rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." 7 Endure
hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not
disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and
everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true
sons. 9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us
and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of
our spirits and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a
little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we
may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at the
time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness
and peace for those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore,
strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 "Make
level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but
rather healed. 14 Make every effort to live in peace with all
men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See
to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to
cause trouble and defile many. 16 See that no one is sexually
immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance
rights as the oldest son. 17 Afterward, as you know, when he
wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no
change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears. 18 You
have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire;
to darkness, gloom and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such
a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be
spoken to them, 20 because they could not bear what was
commanded: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be
stoned." 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said,
"I am trembling with fear." 22 But you have come to
Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have
come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to
the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come
to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made
perfect, 24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the
sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See
to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they
refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away
from him who warns us from heaven? 26 At that time his voice
shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only
the earth but also the heavens." 27 The words "once
more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken--that is, created
things--so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore,
since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and
so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our
"God is a consuming fire."
1 Keep on loving each other as brothers. 2 Do
not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained
angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those in prison as if
you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you
yourselves were suffering. 4 Marriage should be honored by
all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all
the sexually immoral. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of
money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will
I leave you; never will I forsake you." 6 So we say with
confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do
to me?" 7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of
God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their
faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and
forever. 9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange
teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by
ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them. 10 We
have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to
eat. 11 The high priest carries the blood of animals into the
Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the
camp. 12 And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to
make the people holy through his own blood. 13 Let us, then,
go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. 14 For
here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is
to come. 15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer
to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 And
do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God
is pleased. 17 Obey your leaders and submit to their
authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them
so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no
advantage to you. 18 Pray for us. We are sure that we have a
clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. 19 I
particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon. 20 May
the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back
from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip
you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is
pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.
Amen. 22 Brothers, I urge you to bear with my word of
exhortation, for I have written you only a short letter. 23 I
want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives
soon, I will come with him to see you. 24 Greet all your
leaders and all God's people. Those from Italy send you their greetings. 25 Grace
be with you all.
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