Saturday, September 19, 2015
Galatians 3
Galatians 3 (New International Version, ©2010)
Galatians 3
Faith or Works of the Law
1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?[a] 4 Have you experienced[b] so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham "believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."[c]
7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. 8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you."[d] 9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."[e] 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because "the righteous will live by faith."[f] 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, "The person who does these things will live by them."[g] 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole."[h] 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
The Law and the Promise
15 Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed,"[i] meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.
19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.
21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
Galatians 3
Faith or Works of the Law
1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?[a] 4 Have you experienced[b] so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham "believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."[c]
7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. 8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you."[d] 9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."[e] 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because "the righteous will live by faith."[f] 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, "The person who does these things will live by them."[g] 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole."[h] 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
The Law and the Promise
15 Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed,"[i] meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.
19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.
21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
Revelation 12
Revelation 12 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 12
The Woman and the Dragon
1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who "will rule all the nations with an iron scepter."[a] And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."
13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God's commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
Revelation 12
The Woman and the Dragon
1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who "will rule all the nations with an iron scepter."[a] And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."
13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God's commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
Friday, September 18, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 5
Matthew 4:1-25; Luke 4:1-44; Luke
5:1-39; John 1:15-51 NIV
Matthew 4:1-25
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the
desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days
and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and
said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become
bread." 4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man
does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of
God.' " 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and
had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 "If
you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is
written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift
you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'
" 7 Jesus answered him,"It is also written: 'Do not
put the Lord your God to the test.' " 8 Again, the devil
took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world
and their splendor. 9 "All this I will give you," he
said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus
said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the
Lord your God, and serve him only.' " 11 Then the devil
left him, and angels came and attended him.
12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in
prison, he returned to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went
and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and
Naphtali-- 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet
Isaiah: 15 "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way
to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles-- 16 the
people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land
of the shadow of death a light has dawned." 17 From that
time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is
near."
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of
Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They
were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 "Come,
follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of
men." 20 At once they left their nets and followed
him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James
son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father
Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and
immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in
their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every
disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him
spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various
diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having
seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. 25Large crowds
from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan
followed him.
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from
the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, 2where for
forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and
at the end of them he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him,
"If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." 4 Jesus
answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'
" 5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him
in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to
him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been
given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 So if
you worship me, it will all be yours." 8 Jesus
answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him
only.' " 9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him
stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of
God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. 10For it
is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you
carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that
you will not strike your foot against a stone.' " 12 Jesus
answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'
" 13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he
left him until an opportune time.
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the
Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He
taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. 16 He
went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went
into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The
scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the
place where it is written: 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is
on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent
me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the
Lord's favor."20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to
the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened
on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, "Today
this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." 22 All
spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his
lips. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" they asked. 23 Jesus
said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician,
heal yourself ! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in
Capernaum.' " 24 "I tell you the
truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his
hometown. 25 I assure you that there were many widows in
Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and
there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26 Yet Elijah
was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of
Sidon. 27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the
time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed--only Naaman the
Syrian." 28 All the people in the synagogue were furious
when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the
town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in
order to throw him down the cliff. 30 But he walked right
through the crowd and went on his way.
31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in
Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people. 32 They
were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority. 33 In
the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried
out at the top of his voice,34 "Ha! What do you want with us,
Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy
One of God!" 35 "Be quiet!" Jesus said
sternly. "Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man
down before them all and came out without injuring him. 36 All
the people were amazed and said to each other, "What is this teaching?
With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come
out!" 37 And the news about him spread throughout the
surrounding area.
38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home
of Simon. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they
asked Jesus to help her. 39 So he bent over her and rebuked
the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. 40 When
the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of
sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. 41 Moreover,
demons came out of many people, shouting, "You are the Son of God!"
But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was
the Christ. 42 At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place.
The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried
to keep him from leaving them. 43 But he said, "I
must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also,
because that is why I was sent." 44 And he kept on
preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of
Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of
God, 2 he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the
fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of
the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from
shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 When
he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water,
and let down the nets for a catch."5 Simon answered,
"Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But
because you say so, I will let down the nets." 6 When
they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began
to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat
to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they
began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus'
knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" 9 For
he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had
taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from
now on you will catch men." 11 So they pulled their boats
up on shore, left everything and followed him.
12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came
along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to
the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me
clean." 13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the
man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!"And
immediately the leprosy left him. 14 Then Jesus ordered
him, "Don't tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and
offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to
them." 15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so
that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their
sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and
prayed.
17 One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and
teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea
and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for
him to heal the sick. 18 Some men came carrying a paralytic on
a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When
they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof
and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd,
right in front of Jesus. 20 When Jesus saw their faith, he
said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." 21 The
Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who
is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God
alone?" 22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and
asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23 Which
is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? 24 But
that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins .
. ." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up,
take your mat and go home." 25 Immediately he stood up in
front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone
was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We
have seen remarkable things today."
27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax
collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth."Follow
me," Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left
everything and followed him. 29 Then Levi held a great banquet
for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were
eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the
law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you
eat and drink with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" 31 Jesus
answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the
sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance."
33 They said to him, "John's disciples
often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on
eating and drinking." 34 Jesus answered, "Can
you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? 35 But
the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days
they will fast." 36 He told them this
parable: "No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an
old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the
new will not match the old. 37 And no one pours new wine into
old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run
out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 No, new wine must be
poured into new wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old
wine wants the new, for he says, 'The old is better.' "
15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out,
saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed
me because he was before me.' " 16 From the fullness of
his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17 For
the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus
Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only,
who is at the Father's side, has made him known.
19 Now this was John's testimony when the Jews
of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He
did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ.
" 21 They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you
Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?"
He answered, "No." 22 Finally they said, "Who
are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say
about yourself ?" 23 John replied in the words of Isaiah
the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight
the way for the Lord.' " 24 Now some Pharisees who had
been sent 25 questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if
you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" 26 "I
baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do
not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of
whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."28 This all happened
at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him
and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the
world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who
comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31 I
myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he
might be revealed to Israel." 32 Then John gave this
testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on
him. 33 I would not have known him, except that the one who
sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come
down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34 I
have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
35 The next day John was there again with two of
his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said,
"Look, the Lamb of God!" 37 When the two disciples
heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around,
Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you
want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher),
"where are you staying?" 39 "Come," he
replied, "and you will see."So they went and saw where he was
staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. 40 Andrew,
Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who
had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find
his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is,
the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at
him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called
Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter ).
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for
Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." 44Philip,
like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip
found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in
the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of
Joseph." 46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from
there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. 47 When
Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true
Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." 48 "How
do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you
while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49 Then
Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of
Israel." 50 Jesus said, "You believe because I
told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than
that." 51 He then added, "I tell you the truth,
you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on
the Son of Man."
Galatians 2
Galatians 2 (New International Version, ©2010)
Galatians 2
Paul Accepted by the Apostles
1 Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2 I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4 This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
6 As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message. 7 On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised,[a] just as Peter had been to the circumcised.[b] 8 For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. 9 James, Cephas[c] and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.
Paul Opposes Cephas
11 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?
15 "We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in[d] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
17 "But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn't that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.
19 "For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
Galatians 2
Paul Accepted by the Apostles
1 Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2 I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4 This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
6 As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message. 7 On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised,[a] just as Peter had been to the circumcised.[b] 8 For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. 9 James, Cephas[c] and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.
Paul Opposes Cephas
11 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?
15 "We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in[d] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
17 "But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn't that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.
19 "For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
Revelation 11
Revelation 11 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 11
The Two Witnesses
1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." 4 They are "the two olive trees" and the two lampstands, and "they stand before the Lord of the earth."[a] 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days the breath[b] of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.
The Seventh Trumpet
15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:
"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever."
16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was,
because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
18 The nations were angry, and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your people who revere your name, both great and small—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth."
19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.
Revelation 11
The Two Witnesses
1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." 4 They are "the two olive trees" and the two lampstands, and "they stand before the Lord of the earth."[a] 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days the breath[b] of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.
The Seventh Trumpet
15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:
"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever."
16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was,
because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
18 The nations were angry, and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your people who revere your name, both great and small—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth."
19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 4
Matthew 3:1-17; Mark 1:1-45; Luke
3:1-38 NIV
Matthew
3:1-17
1 In those days John the Baptist
came, preaching in the Desert of Judea 2 and saying,
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." 3 This
is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one
calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for
him.' " 4 John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and
he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild
honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea
and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins,
they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 7 But when he
saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he
said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming
wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And
do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell
you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The
ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce
good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.11 "I
baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more
powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with
the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his
hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn
and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to
the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter
him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to
me?" 15 Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is
proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John
consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of
the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17 And a voice
from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well
pleased."
1 The beginning of the gospel
about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 It is written in Isaiah
the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your
way"-- 3 "a voice of one calling in the desert,
'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' " 4 And
so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of
repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean
countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their
sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John
wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and
he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message:
"After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals
I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with
water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
9 At that time Jesus came from
Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 As
Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the
Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from
heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well
pleased." 12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the
desert, 13 and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted
by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
14 After John was put in prison,
Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 "The
time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near.
Repent and believe the good news!" 16 As Jesus walked
beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net
into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 "Come, follow
me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of
men." 18 At once they left their nets and followed
him. 19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of
Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without
delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the
hired men and followed him.
21 They went to Capernaum, and
when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The
people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had
authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man
in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 "What
do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who
you are--the Holy One of God!" 25 "Be
quiet!" said Jesus sternly."Come out of him!" 26 The
evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. 27The
people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new
teaching--and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they
obey him." 28 News about him spread quickly over the
whole region of Galilee.
29 As soon as they left the
synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon's
mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. 31 So
he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she
began to wait on them. 32That evening after sunset the people
brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The
whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who
had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the
demons speak because they knew who he was.
35 Very early in the morning,
while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a
solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions
went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they
exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" 38 Jesus
replied, "Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby villages--so I can
preach there also. That is why I have come." 39 So he
traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out
demons.
40 A man with leprosy came to him
and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me
clean." 41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his
hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he
said. "Be clean!" 42 Immediately the leprosy
left him and he was cured. 43 Jesus sent him away at once with
a strong warning: 44 "See that you don't tell this to
anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses
commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." 45 Instead
he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus
could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet
the people still came to him from everywhere.
Galatians 1
Galatians 1 (New International Version, ©2010)
Galatians 1
1 Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers and sisters[a] with me, To the churches in Galatia:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
No Other Gospel
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God's curse!
10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Paul Called by God
11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.
18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas[b] and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord's brother. 20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.
21 Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." 24 And they praised God because of me.
Galatians 1
1 Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers and sisters[a] with me, To the churches in Galatia:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
No Other Gospel
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God's curse!
10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Paul Called by God
11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.
18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas[b] and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord's brother. 20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.
21 Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." 24 And they praised God because of me.
Revelation 10
Revelation 10 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 10
The Angel and the Little Scroll
1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. 2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down."
5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, "There will be no more delay! 7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets."
8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: "Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land."
9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, "Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but 'in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.'[a]" 10 I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11 Then I was told, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings."
Revelation 10
The Angel and the Little Scroll
1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. 2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down."
5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, "There will be no more delay! 7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets."
8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: "Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land."
9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, "Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but 'in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.'[a]" 10 I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11 Then I was told, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings."
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Revelation 9
Revelation 9 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 9
1 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. 2 When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. 3 And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. 6 During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.
7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. 8 Their hair was like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. 10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. 11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).
12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.
13 The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God. 14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." 15 And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number.
17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. 18 A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.
20 The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.
Revelation 9
1 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. 2 When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. 3 And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. 6 During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.
7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. 8 Their hair was like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. 10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. 11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).
12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.
13 The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God. 14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." 15 And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number.
17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. 18 A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.
20 The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.
Chronological New Testament Study Day 3
Matthew 2; Luke 2:39-52
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the
time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and
asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his
star in the east and have come to worship him." 3 When
King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When
he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law,
he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 "In
Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has
written: 6 " 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a
ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.' " 7 Then
Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star
had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go
and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me,
so that I too may go and worship him." 9 After they had
heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east
went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When
they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the
house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and
worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of
gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in
a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another
route.13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to
Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his
mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to
search for the child to kill him." 14 So he got up, took
the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt,15 where
he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said
through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son." 16 When
Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he
gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two
years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the
Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was
fulfilled: 18 "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and
great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more."19 After Herod died, an angel of the
Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said,
"Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for
those who were trying to take the child's life are dead." 21 So
he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22But
when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father
Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to
the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town
called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He
will be called a Nazarene."
39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law
of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And
the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of
God was upon him. 41 Every year his parents went to Jerusalem
for the Feast of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years
old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. 43 After
the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed
behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking
he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking
for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did
not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After
three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening
to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him
was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his
parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why
have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching
for you." 49 "Why were you searching for me?"
he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" 50 But
they did not understand what he was saying to them. 51Then he went
down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured
all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and
stature, and in favor with God and men.
2 Peter 3
2 Peter 3 (New International Version, ©2010)
2 Peter 3
The Day of the Lord
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 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our ancestors 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 came into being 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 the ungodly.
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. Instead 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 done in it will be laid bare.[a]
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.[b] 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, where righteousness dwells.
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 have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless 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.
2 Peter 3
The Day of the Lord
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 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our ancestors 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 came into being 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 the ungodly.
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. Instead 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 done in it will be laid bare.[a]
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.[b] 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, where righteousness dwells.
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 have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless 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.
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