Monday, December 7, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 60
1 Corinthians 1; 1
Corinthians 2; 1 Corinthians 3; 1 Corinthians 4
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will
of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God in
Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together
with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ--their
Lord and ours: 3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I always thank God for you
because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him
you have been enriched in every way--in all your speaking and in all your
knowledge-- 6 because our testimony about Christ was confirmed
in you. 7Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you
eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.8 He will
keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our
Lord Jesus Christ.9 God, who has called you into fellowship with
his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. 10 I appeal to
you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with
one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be
perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers, some
from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among
you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow
Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow
Cephas "; still another, "I follow Christ." 13 Is
Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of
Paul? 14 I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you
except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were
baptized into my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household
of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For
Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with words of
human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 18 For
the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us
who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is
written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the
intelligent I will frustrate." 20 Where is the wise man?
Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made
foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of
God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the
foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews
demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we
preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to
Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and
Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For
the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is
stronger than man's strength. 26 Brothers, think of what you
were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not
many were influential; not many were of noble birth.27 But God
chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak
things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly
things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to
nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast
before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ
Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness,
holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written:
"Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
1 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with
eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about
God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you
except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in
weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4 My message and
my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration
of the Spirit's power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on
men's wisdom, but on God's power. 6 We do, however, speak a
message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the
rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we speak
of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for
our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age
understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of
glory. 9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no
ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love
him"-- 10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For
who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him?
In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of
God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the
Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given
us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human
wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in
spiritual words. 14 The man without the Spirit does not accept
the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him,
and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The
spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject
to any man's judgment: 16 "For who has known the mind of
the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
1 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as
worldly--mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid
food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You
are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are
you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 4 For when
one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos,"
are you not mere men? 5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what
is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe--as the Lord has
assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos
watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants
nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The
man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be
rewarded according to his own labor. 9 For we are God's fellow
workers; you are God's field, God's building. 10 By the grace
God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is
building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For
no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus
Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold,
silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be
shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be
revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's
work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his
reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself
will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. 16 Don't
you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in
you? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him;
for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple. 18 Do not
deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of
this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. 19 For
the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written:
"He catches the wise in their craftiness"; 20 and
again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are
futile." 21 So then, no more boasting about men! All
things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the
world or life or death or the present or the future--all are yours, 23 and
you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.
1 So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and
as those entrusted with the secret things of God. 2 Now it is
required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3 I
care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not
even judge myself. 4 My conscience is clear, but that does not
make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore
judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will
bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's
hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. 6 Now,
brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit,
so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond
what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against
another. 7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What
do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you
boast as though you did not? 8 Already you have all you want!
Already you have become rich! You have become kings--and that without us! How I
wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you! 9 For
it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the
procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a
spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. 10 We
are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are
strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! 11 To this very
hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are
homeless. 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are
cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when
we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum
of the earth, the refuse of the world. 14 I am not writing
this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. 15 Even
though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers,
for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore
I urge you to imitate me. 17 For this reason I am sending to
you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind
you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach
everywhere in every church. 18 Some of you have become
arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19But I will come to you
very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these
arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20 For
the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21 What
do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle
spirit?
Psalm 6
Psalm 6 (New International Version)
Psalm 6
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.[a]
A psalm of David.
1O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony.
3 My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long?
4 Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.
5 No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave [b] ?
6 I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.
7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes.
8 Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping.
9 The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace.
Psalm 6
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.[a]
A psalm of David.
1O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony.
3 My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long?
4 Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.
5 No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave [b] ?
6 I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.
7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes.
8 Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping.
9 The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace.
Revelation 1
Revelation 1 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 1
Prologue
1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
Greetings and Doxology
4 John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits[a] before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
7 "Look, he is coming with the clouds,"[b] and "every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him"; and all peoples on earth "will mourn because of him."[c] So shall it be! Amen.
8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
John's Vision of Christ
9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea."
12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,[d] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels[e] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Revelation 1
Prologue
1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
Greetings and Doxology
4 John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits[a] before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
7 "Look, he is coming with the clouds,"[b] and "every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him"; and all peoples on earth "will mourn because of him."[c] So shall it be! Amen.
8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
John's Vision of Christ
9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea."
12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,[d] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels[e] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Dec 06: United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man | Operation World
Dec 06: United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man | Operation World
Click on the link to get more information.
Click on the link to get more information.
Psalm 5
Psalm 5 (New International Version)
Psalm 5
For the director of music. For flutes. A psalm of David.
1 Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing.
2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.
3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
4 You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.
5 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong.
6 You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.
7 But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple.
8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies— make straight your way before me.
9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit.
10 Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
12 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
Psalm 5
For the director of music. For flutes. A psalm of David.
1 Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing.
2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.
3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
4 You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.
5 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong.
6 You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.
7 But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple.
8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies— make straight your way before me.
9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit.
10 Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
12 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
Saturday, December 5, 2015
Dec 05: United Kingdom, Scotland, Wales | Operation World
Dec 05: United Kingdom, Scotland, Wales | Operation World
click on the link to get more information.
click on the link to get more information.
Psalm 4
Psalm 4 (New International Version)
Psalm 4
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
1 Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
2 How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame [a] ? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods [b] ? Selah
3 Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD will hear when I call to him.
4 In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Selah
5 Offer right sacrifices and trust in the LORD.
6 Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?" Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD.
7 You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.
8 I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
1 Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
2 How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame [a] ? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods [b] ? Selah
3 Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD will hear when I call to him.
4 In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Selah
5 Offer right sacrifices and trust in the LORD.
6 Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?" Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD.
7 You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.
8 I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
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.
Friday, December 4, 2015
Dec 04: United Kingdom, England, Ireland, Northern | Operation World
Dec 04: United Kingdom, England, Ireland, Northern | Operation World
Click on the link to get more information.
Click on the link to get more information.
Chronological New Testament Study Day 59
Acts 18:19-28; Acts 19
19 They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and
Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When
they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21But as
he left, he promised, "I will come back if it is God's will." Then he
set sail from Ephesus. 22When he landed at Caesarea, he went up and
greeted the church and then went down to Antioch. 23After spending
some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place
throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the
disciples. 24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of
Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of
the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the
Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though
he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly
in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to
their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. 27 When
Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the
disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who
by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted the Jews
in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through
the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and
asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They
answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy
Spirit." 3 So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you
receive?" "John's baptism," they replied. 4 Paul
said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to
believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." 5 On
hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When
Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in
tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all. 8 Paul
entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing
persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 But some of them
became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So
Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the
lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so
that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word
of the Lord. 11 God did extraordinary miracles through
Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had
touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil
spirits left them. 13 Some Jews who went around driving out
evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were
demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul
preaches, I command you to come out." 14 Seven sons of
Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 [One day]
the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but
who are you?" 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit
jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they
ran out of the house naked and bleeding. 17 When this became
known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear,
and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 18 Many
of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. 19 A
number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them
publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to
fifty thousand drachmas. 20 In this way the word of the Lord
spread widely and grew in power. 21After all this had happened,
Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia.
"After I have been there," he said, "I must visit Rome
also." 22 He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and
Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little
longer. 23 About that time there arose a great disturbance
about the Way. 24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made
silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the
craftsmen. 25 He called them together, along with the workmen
in related trades, and said: "Men, you know we receive a good income from
this business. 26And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has
convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in
practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods
at all. 27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose
its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be
discredited, and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province
of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty." 28 When
they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: "Great is Artemis
of the Ephesians!" 29 Soon the whole city was in an
uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions
from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater. 30 Paul
wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. 31 Even
some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message
begging him not to venture into the theater. 32 The assembly
was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the
people did not even know why they were there. 33 The Jews
pushed Alexander to the front, and some of the crowd shouted instructions to
him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the
people. 34 But when they realized he was a Jew, they all
shouted in unison for about two hours: "Great is Artemis of the
Ephesians!" 35 The city clerk quieted the crowd and said:
"Men of Ephesus, doesn't all the world know that the city of Ephesus is
the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell
from heaven? 36 Therefore, since these facts are undeniable,
you ought to be quiet and not do anything rash. 37 You have
brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed
our goddess. 38 If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen
have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls.
They can press charges. 39 If there is anything further you
want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. 40 As
it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of today's
events. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since
there is no reason for it." 41 After he had said this, he
dismissed the assembly.
Psalm 3
Psalm 3 (New International Version)
Psalm 3
A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.
1 O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!
2 Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him." Selah [a]
3 But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift [b] up my head.
4 To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah
5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
6 I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.
7 Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.
8 From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.
Psalm 3
A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.
1 O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!
2 Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him." Selah [a]
3 But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift [b] up my head.
4 To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah
5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
6 I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.
7 Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.
8 From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.
Revelation 21
Revelation 21 (New International Version, ©2010)
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.
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.
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 58
2 Thessalonians 1; 2 Thessalonians 2; 2 Thessalonians 3; 1 Thessalonians
1; 1 Thessalonians 2; 1 Thessalonians 3; 1 Thessalonians 4; 1 Thessalonians 5
1 Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the
Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace
and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We
ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith
is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is
increasing. 4 Therefore, among God's churches we boast about
your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are
enduring. 5 All this is evidence that God's judgment is right,
and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you
are suffering. 6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to
those who trouble you 7and give relief to you who are troubled, and
to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in
blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those
who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They
will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of
the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10 on the day he
comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those
who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to
you. 11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that
our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may
fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. 12 We
pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you
in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our
being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to become
easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have
come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don't
let anyone deceive you in any way, for [that day will not come] until the
rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to
destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over
everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in
God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Don't you
remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And
now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper
time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at
work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken
out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed,
whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by
the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one
will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit
miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that
deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the
truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a
powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so
that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted
in wickedness. 13 But we ought always to thank God for you,
brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be
saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the
truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you
might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then,
brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by
word of mouth or by letter. 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ
himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal
encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and
strengthen you in every good deed and word.
1 Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the
Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 And
pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has
faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and
protect you from the evil one. 4 We have confidence in the
Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May
the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance. 6 In
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from
every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you
received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to
follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor
did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked
night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of
you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to
such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. 10 For
even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not
work, he shall not eat." 11 We hear that some among you
are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12 Such
people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the
bread they eat. 13 And as for you, brothers, never tire of
doing what is right. 14 If anyone does not obey our
instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with
him, in order that he may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard
him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. 16 Now may the
Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be
with all of you.17 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand,
which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write. 18 The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
1 Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the
Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to
you. 2 We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in
our prayers. 3We continually remember before our God and Father
your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance
inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know,
brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our
gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy
Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your
sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite
of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy
Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in
Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord's message rang out from you
not only in Macedonia and Achaia--your faith in God has become known
everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9for
they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you
turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and
to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who
rescues us from the coming wrath.
1 You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a
failure. 2 We had previously suffered and been insulted in
Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his
gospel in spite of strong opposition. 3 For the appeal we make
does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick
you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be
entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests
our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put
on a mask to cover up greed--God is our witness. 6 We were not
looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ
we could have been a burden to you, 7 but we were gentle among
you, like a mother caring for her little children. 8 We loved
you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God
but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. 9 Surely
you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order
not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10You
are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were
among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with
each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12encouraging,
comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom
and glory. 13 And we also thank God continually because, when
you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as
the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in
you who believe. 14 For you, brothers, became imitators of
God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own
countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, 15 who
killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God
and are hostile to all men 16 in their effort to keep us from
speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always
heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at
last. 17 But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a
short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made
every effort to see you. 18 For we wanted to come to
you--certainly I, Paul, did, again and again--but Satan stopped us. 19 For
what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence
of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20Indeed, you are
our glory and joy.
1 So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to
be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who is our
brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to
strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one
would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined
for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling
you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well
know. 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I
sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter
might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless. 6 But
Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your
faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and
that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 7 Therefore,
brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you
because of your faith. 8For now we really live, since you are
standing firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for
you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of
you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see
you again and supply what is lacking in your faith. 11 Now may
our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to
you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for
each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.13 May
he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the
presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy
ones.
1 Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order
to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the
Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what
instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 It
is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual
immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own
body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate
lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6 and that in this
matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will
punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7 For
God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore,
he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his
Holy Spirit. 9 Now about brotherly love we do not need to
write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each
other. 10 And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout
Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. 11 Make
it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work
with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily
life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on
anybody.13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those
who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We
believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring
with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According
to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left
till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen
asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,
with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call
of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we
who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord
forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.
1 Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to
write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the
Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are
saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly,
as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.4 But
you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a
thief. 5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We
do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let
us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and
self-controlled. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and
those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong
to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a
breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God
did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord
Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake
or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore
encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are
doing. 12 Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work
hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold
them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with
each other.14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle,
encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make
sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each
other and to everyone else. 16 Be joyful always; 17 pray
continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is
God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not put out the
Spirit's fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test
everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of
evil. 23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you
through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you
is faithful and he will do it. 25 Brothers, pray for us. 26 Greet
all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you before the
Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. 28 The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
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