Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 89
Revelation 1;
Revelation 2; Revelation 3; Revelation 4; Revelation 5
·
1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show
his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel
to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he
saw--that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed
is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear
it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. 4 John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him
who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his
throne, 5and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the
firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who
loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and
has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father--to him be
glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. 7 Look, he is coming
with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and
all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be!
Amen. 8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the
Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the
Almighty." 9 I, John, your brother and companion in the
suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the
island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On
the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a
trumpet, 11 which said: "Write on a scroll what you see
and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira,
Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea." 12 I turned around to
see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden
lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone "like
a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a
golden sash around his chest. 14His head and hair were white like
wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His
feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of
rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and
out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun
shining in all its brilliance. 17 When I saw him, I fell at
his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do
not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living
One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys
of death and Hades.19 "Write, therefore, what you have seen,
what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of
the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden
lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and
the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
1 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These
are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks
among the seven golden lampstands: 2 I know your deeds, your
hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men,
that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found
them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships
for my name, and have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this
against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5 Remember the
height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.
If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its
place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the
practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has
an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who
overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the
paradise of God. 8 "To the angel of the church in Smyrna
write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and
came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your
poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews
and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid
of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in
prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful,
even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He
who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who
overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. 12 "To
the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has
the sharp, double-edged sword. 13 I know where you live--where
Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your
faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to
death in your city--where Satan lives. 14 Nevertheless, I have
a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of
Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food
sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. 15 Likewise
you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent
therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with
the sword of my mouth. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the
hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it,
known only to him who receives it. 18 "To the angel of
the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes
are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I
know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that
you are now doing more than you did at first. 20 Nevertheless,
I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a
prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and
the eating of food sacrificed to idols.21 I have given her time to
repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will
cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with
her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I
will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who
searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your
deeds. 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who
do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets
(I will not impose any other burden on you): 25 Only hold on
to what you have until I come. 26 To him who overcomes and
does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations-- 27 'He
will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery'
-- just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will
also give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
1 "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These
are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I
know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.2 Wake
up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your
deeds complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore,
what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake
up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to
you.4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their
clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 He
who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his
name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and
his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
says to the churches. 7 "To the angel of the church in
Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds
the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can
open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an
open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you
have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make
those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are
not, but are liars--I will make them come and fall down at your feet and
acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my
command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that
is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the
earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that
no one will take your crown. 12 Him who overcomes I will make
a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on
him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem,
which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my
new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
says to the churches. 14 "To the angel of the church in
Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness,
the ruler of God's creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you
are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So,
because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of
my mouth.17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not
need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor,
blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined
in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can
cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can
see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be
earnest, and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and
knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with
him, and he with me. 21 To him who overcomes, I will give the
right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my
Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit says to the churches."
1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door
standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a
trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place
after this." 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there
before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And
the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow,
resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the
throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four
elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From
the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before
the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also
before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were
covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living
creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like
a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8Each of the four living
creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his
wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE Lord
GOD ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS, AND IS, AND IS TO COME." 9 Whenever
the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne
and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders
fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever
and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11 "You
are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you
created all things, and by your will they were created and have their
being."
1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne
a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And
I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break
the seals and open the scroll?" 3 But no one in heaven or
on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I
wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or
look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not
weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He
is able to open the scroll and its seven seals." 6 Then I
saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the
throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven
horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the
earth. 7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of
him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the
four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb.
Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which
are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song:
"You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were
slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and
language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a
kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the
earth." 11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many
angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten
thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the
elders. 12 In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the
Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and
honor and glory and praise!" 13 Then I heard every
creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all
that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" 14 The
four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and
worshiped.
Ephesians 6
Ephesians 6 (New International Version, ©2010)
Ephesians 6
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 "so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."[a]
4 Fathers,[b] do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.
9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
The Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Final Greetings
21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.
23 Peace to the brothers and sisters,[c] and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
Ephesians 6
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 "so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."[a]
4 Fathers,[b] do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.
9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
The Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Final Greetings
21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.
23 Peace to the brothers and sisters,[c] and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
Revelation 22
Revelation 22 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 22
Eden Restored
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
John and the Angel
6 The angel said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place."
7 "Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll."
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!"
10 Then he told me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy."
Epilogue: Invitation and Warning 12 "Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
14 "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you[a] this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."
17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let the one who hears say, "Come!" Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.
Revelation 22
Eden Restored
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
John and the Angel
6 The angel said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place."
7 "Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll."
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!"
10 Then he told me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy."
Epilogue: Invitation and Warning 12 "Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
14 "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you[a] this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."
17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let the one who hears say, "Come!" Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.
Monday, September 7, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 88
2 John 1; 3 John 1
1 The elder, To the chosen lady and her children, whom I
love in the truth--and not I only, but also all who know the truth-- 2 because
of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever: 3 Grace,
mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son,
will be with us in truth and love. 4 It has given me great joy
to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father
commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new
command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one
another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his
commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in
love. 7 Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as
coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the
deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose
what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9 Anyone
who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have
God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If
anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your
house or welcome him. 11 Anyone who welcomes him shares in his
wicked work. 12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want
to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to
face, so that our joy may be complete. 13 The children of your
chosen sister send their greetings.
1 The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the
truth. 2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health
and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along
well. 3 It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and
tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the
truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children
are walking in the truth. 5 Dear friend, you are faithful in
what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to
you. 6 They have told the church about your love. You will do
well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7 It
was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the
pagans. 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men
so that we may work together for the truth. 9 I wrote to the
church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with
us. 10 So if I come, I will call attention to what he is
doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to
welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out
of the church. 11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but
what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is
evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius is well spoken of by
everyone--and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know
that our testimony is true. 13 I have much to write you, but I
do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you
soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace to you. The friends here send their
greetings. Greet the friends there by name.
Ephesians 5
Ephesians 5 (New International Version, ©2010)
Ephesians 5
1 Follow God's example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a] 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said: "Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Instructions for Christian Households
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[b] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."[c] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Ephesians 5
1 Follow God's example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a] 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said: "Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Instructions for Christian Households
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[b] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."[c] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Revelation 21
Revelation 21
A New Heaven and a New Earth
1 Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth,"[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death'[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
6 He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb
9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia[c] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits[d] thick.[e] 18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.[f] 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
A New Heaven and a New Earth
1 Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth,"[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death'[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
6 He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb
9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia[c] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits[d] thick.[e] 18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.[f] 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Revelation 20
Revelation 20 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 20
The Thousand Years
1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They[a] had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
The Judgment of Satan
7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
The Judgment of the Dead
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20
The Thousand Years
1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They[a] had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
The Judgment of Satan
7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
The Judgment of the Dead
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Revelation 19
Revelation 19 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 19
Threefold Hallelujah Over Babylon's Fall
1 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:
"Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2 for true and just are his judgments.
He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.
He has avenged on her the blood of his servants."
3 And again they shouted: "Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever."
4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!"
5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants,
you who fear him, both great and small!"
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God's holy people.)
9 Then the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" And he added, "These are the true words of God."
10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus."
The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast
11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter."[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small."
19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
Revelation 19
Threefold Hallelujah Over Babylon's Fall
1 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:
"Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2 for true and just are his judgments.
He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.
He has avenged on her the blood of his servants."
3 And again they shouted: "Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever."
4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!"
5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants,
you who fear him, both great and small!"
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God's holy people.)
9 Then the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" And he added, "These are the true words of God."
10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus."
The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast
11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter."[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small."
19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
Friday, September 4, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 87
1 John 1; 1 John 2; 1
John 3; 1 John 4; 1 John 5
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,
which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have
touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The
life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the
eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We
proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have
fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son,
Jesus Christ.4 We write this to make our joy complete. 5 This
is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him
there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship
with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But
if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one
another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If
we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in
us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will
forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If
we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no
place in our lives.
1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not
sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our
defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning
sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the
whole world. 3 We know that we have come to know him if we
obey his commands. 4 The man who says, "I know him,"
but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But
if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how
we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must
walk as Jesus did. 7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new
command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old
command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you
a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is
passing and the true light is already shining. 9 Anyone who
claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. 10Whoever
loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him
stumble. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness
and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because
the darkness has blinded him. 12 I write to you, dear
children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13 I
write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I
write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to
you, dear children, because you have known the Father. 14 I
write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I
write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in
you, and you have overcome the evil one. 15 Do not love the
world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the
Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world--the
cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has
and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The
world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives
forever. 18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you
have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.
This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from
us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they
would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged
to us. 20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of
you know the truth. 21 I do not write to you because you do
not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from
the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that
Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist--he denies the Father and the
Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever
acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 24 See that what you
have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain
in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised
us--even eternal life. 26 I am writing these things to you
about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you,
the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone
to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that
anointing is real, not counterfeit--just as it has taught you, remain in
him. 28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when
he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. 29 If
you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right
has been born of him.
1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that
we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the
world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear
friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made
known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see
him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies
himself, just as he is pure. 4 Everyone who sins breaks the
law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5But you know that he appeared so
that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No
one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either
seen him or known him. 7Dear children, do not let anyone lead you
astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 He
who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning
from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the
devil's work. 9 No one who is born of God will continue to
sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has
been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of
God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is
right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. 11 This
is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.12 Do
not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And
why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were
righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world
hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life,
because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone
who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal
life in him. 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ
laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our
brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his
brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in
him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue
but with actions and in truth. 19 This then is how we know
that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his
presence 20whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than
our hearts, and he knows everything. 21Dear friends, if our hearts
do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and
receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what
pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the
name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded
us. 24 Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in
them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he
gave us.
1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the
spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone
out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit
of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh
is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge
Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have
heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 4 You,
dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in
you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are
from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the
world listens to them.6 We are from God, and whoever knows God
listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how
we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. 7 Dear
friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves
has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not
know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his
love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live
through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that
he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Dear
friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No
one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love
is made complete in us. 13 We know that we live in him and he
in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have
seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the
world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God lives in him and he in God. 16 And so we know and rely on
the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and
God in him. 17 In this way, love is made complete among us so
that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we
are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives
out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made
perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If
anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For
anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom
he has not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Whoever
loves God must also love his brother.
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of
God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This
is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out
his commands. 3 This is love for God: to obey his commands.
And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of
God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even
our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who
believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 6 This is the one who
came by water and blood--Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by
water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the
truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the
Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We
accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the
testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Anyone
who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does
not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the
testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the
testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He
who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have
life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name
of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This
is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according
to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears
us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him. 16 If
anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should
pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to
death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray
about that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that
does not lead to death. 18 We know that anyone born of God
does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the
evil one cannot harm him. 19 We know that we are children of
God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20 We
know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that
we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true--even in his Son
Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Dear
children, keep yourselves from idols.
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