Friday, December 25, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 73
Acts 20:4-38; Acts 21;
Acts 22; Acts 23
4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea,
Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and
Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.5 These men went
on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6 But we sailed from
Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the
others at Troas, where we stayed seven days. 7 On the first
day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and,
because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until
midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where
we were meeting. 9 Seated in a window was a young man named
Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he
was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up
dead. 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and
put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's
alive!" 11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread
and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12 The people
took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted. 13 We
went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take
Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on
foot. 14When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to
Mitylene. 15 The next day we set sail from there and arrived
off Kios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day
arrived at Miletus. 16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus
to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach
Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost. 17 From
Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When
they arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived the whole time I was
with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I
served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely
tested by the plots of the Jews. 20 You know that I have not
hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you
publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both
Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our
Lord Jesus. 22 "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am
going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I
only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships
are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to
me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has
given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. 25 "Now
I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will
ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I
am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not
hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep
watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you
overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own
blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come
in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your
own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples
after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three
years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. 32 "Now
I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and
give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I
have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. 34 You
yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the
needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you
that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the
Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'
" 36 When he had said this, he knelt down with all of
them and prayed. 37 They all wept as they embraced him and
kissed him. 38 What grieved them most was his statement that
they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
1 After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to
sea and sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there
to Patara. 2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went
on board and set sail. 3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to
the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was
to unload its cargo. 4 Finding the disciples there, we stayed
with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to
Jerusalem. 5 But when our time was up, we left and continued
on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out
of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6 After
saying good-by to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned
home. 7 We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at
Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day. 8 Leaving
the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the
evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried
daughters who prophesied. 10 After we had been there a number
of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming
over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said,
"The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the
owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.' " 12 When
we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to
Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping
and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in
Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."14 When he would not
be dissuaded, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done." 15 After
this, we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the
disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason,
where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early
disciples. 17 When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers
received us warmly. 18 The next day Paul and the rest of us
went to see James, and all the elders were present. 19 Paul
greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles
through his ministry. 20 When they heard this, they praised
God. Then they said to Paul: "You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews
have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21 They
have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to
turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live
according to our customs. 22 What shall we do? They will
certainly hear that you have come, 23 so do what we tell you.
There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24 Take these
men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can
have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these
reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the
law. 25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them
our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from
blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual
immorality." 26 The next day Paul took the men and
purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of
the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made
for each of them. 27 When the seven days were nearly over,
some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the
whole crowd and seized him, 28 shouting, "Men of Israel,
help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and
our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area
and defiled this holy place."29 (They had previously seen
Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought
him into the temple area.) 30 The whole city was aroused, and
the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him
from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut.31 While they
were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that
the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He at once
took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw
the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.33 The
commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains.
Then he asked who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the
crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get
at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the
barracks. 35 When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the
mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The
crowd that followed kept shouting, "Away with him!" 37 As
the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander,
"May I say something to you?" "Do you speak Greek?" he
replied. 38 "Aren't you the Egyptian who started a revolt
and led four thousand terrorists out into the desert some time ago?" 39 Paul
answered, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city.
Please let me speak to the people." 40 Having received
the commander's permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd.
When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic:
1 "Brothers and fathers, listen now to my
defense." 2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic,
they became very quiet. Then Paul said: 3 "I am a Jew,
born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was
thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as
any of you are today. 4 I persecuted the followers of this Way
to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into
prison, 5 as also the high priest and all the Council can
testify. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and
went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be
punished. 6 "About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly
a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the
ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute
me?' 8 " 'Who are you, Lord?' I asked. " 'I am Jesus
of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,' he replied. 9 My
companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was
speaking to me. 10 " 'What shall I do, Lord?' I asked.
" 'Get up,' the Lord said, 'and go into Damascus. There you will be told
all that you have been assigned to do.' 11 My companions led
me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded
me. 12 "A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a
devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.13 He
stood beside me and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And at that very
moment I was able to see him. 14 "Then he said: 'The God
of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and
to hear words from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness to
all men of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now what are
you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his
name.' 17 "When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying
at the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw the Lord
speaking. 'Quick!' he said to me. 'Leave Jerusalem immediately, because they
will not accept your testimony about me.' 19 " 'Lord,' I
replied, 'these men know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison
and beat those who believe in you. 20 And when the blood of
your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the
clothes of those who were killing him.' 21 "Then the Lord
said to me, 'Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.' " 22 The
crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and
shouted, "Rid the earth of him! He's not fit to live!" 23 As
they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the
air, 24 the commander ordered Paul to be taken into the
barracks. He directed that he be flogged and questioned in order to find out
why the people were shouting at him like this. 25 As they
stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there,
"Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn't even been found
guilty?" 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the
commander and reported it. "What are you going to do?" he asked.
"This man is a Roman citizen." 27 The commander went
to Paul and asked, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes, I
am," he answered. 28 Then the commander said, "I had
to pay a big price for my citizenship." "But I was born a
citizen," Paul replied.29 Those who were about to question him
withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that
he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains. 30 The next day,
since the commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by
the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin
to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.
1 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, "My
brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this
day." 2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered those
standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul
said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to
judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding
that I be struck!" 4 Those who were standing near Paul
said, "You dare to insult God's high priest? 5 Paul
replied, "Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it
is written: 'Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.' " 6 Then
Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called
out in the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee.
I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the
dead." 7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between
the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 (The
Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels
nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) 9 There
was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees
stood up and argued vigorously. "We find nothing wrong with this
man," they said. "What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to
him?" 10 The dispute became so violent that the commander
was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go
down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the
barracks. 11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and
said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you
must also testify in Rome." 12 The next morning the Jews
formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until
they had killed Paul. 13 More than forty men were involved in
this plot. 14 They went to the chief priests and elders and
said, "We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have
killed Paul. 15 Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the
commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate
information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets
here." 16 But when the son of Paul's sister heard of this
plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul. 17 Then Paul
called one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the
commander; he has something to tell him."18 So he took him to
the commander. The centurion said, "Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and
asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell
you." 19 The commander took the young man by the hand,
drew him aside and asked, "What is it you want to tell me? 20 He
said: "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin
tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. 21 Don't
give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him.
They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They
are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request. 22 The
commander dismissed the young man and cautioned him, "Don't tell anyone
that you have reported this to me." 23 Then he called two
of his centurions and ordered them, "Get ready a detachment of two hundred
soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine
tonight. 24 Provide mounts for Paul so that he may be taken
safely to Governor Felix." 25 He wrote a letter as
follows: 26 Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor
Felix: Greetings. 27 This man was seized by the Jews and they
were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had
learned that he is a Roman citizen. 28 I wanted to know why
they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. 29 I
found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there
was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. 30 When
I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you
at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against
him. 31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul
with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. 32 The
next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the
barracks. 33When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered
the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. 34 The
governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he
was from Cilicia, 35 he said, "I will hear your case when
your accusers get here." Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in
Herod's palace.
Psalm 24
Psalm 24 (New International Version)
Psalm 24
Of David. A psalm.
1 The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;
2 for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.
3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ? Who may stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. [a]
5 He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. [b] Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty— he is the King of glory.
Psalm 24
Of David. A psalm.
1 The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;
2 for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.
3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ? Who may stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. [a]
5 He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. [b] Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty— he is the King of glory.
Revelation 17
Revelation 17 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 17
Babylon, the Prostitute on the Beast
1 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. 2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries."
3 Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5 The name written on her forehead was a mystery: BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God's holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. 7 Then the angel said to me: "Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.
9 "This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. 10 They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. 11 The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.
12 "The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. 13 They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."
15 Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. 16 The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority, until God's words are fulfilled. 18 The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth."
Revelation 17
Babylon, the Prostitute on the Beast
1 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. 2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries."
3 Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5 The name written on her forehead was a mystery: BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God's holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. 7 Then the angel said to me: "Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.
9 "This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. 10 They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. 11 The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.
12 "The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. 13 They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."
15 Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. 16 The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority, until God's words are fulfilled. 18 The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth."
Thursday, December 24, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 72
Romans 14; Romans 15; Romans 16:1-27
1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment
on disputable matters. 2 One man's faith allows him to eat
everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The
man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who
does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted
him. 4 Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own
master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him
stand. 5 One man considers one day more sacred than another;
another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in
his own mind. 6 He who regards one day as special, does so to
the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and
he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For
none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8 If
we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we
live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason,
Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead
and the living. 10 You, then, why do you judge your brother?
Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's
judgment seat. 11 It is written: " 'As surely as I live,'
says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to
God.' " 12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself
to God. 13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one
another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle
in your brother's way. 14 As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I
am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards
something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. 15 If your
brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in
love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. 16 Do
not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. 17 For
the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of
righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because
anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.19 Let
us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual
edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of
food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes
someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or
drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall. 22 So
whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed
is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But
the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from
faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the
weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please
his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For even Christ
did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who
insult you have fallen on me." 4 For everything that was
written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the
encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the
God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among
yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one
heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ. 7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted
you, in order to bring praise to God. 8 For I tell you that
Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm
the promises made to the patriarchs 9 so that the Gentiles may
glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: "Therefore I will praise you
among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name." 10 Again,
it says, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." 11 And
again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all
you peoples." 12 And again, Isaiah says, "The Root
of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the
Gentiles will hope in him."13 May the God of hope fill you
with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit. 14 I myself am convinced, my
brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and
competent to instruct one another. 15 I have written you quite
boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace
God gave me16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with
the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might
become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17Therefore
I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18 I will not
venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in
leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done-- 19 by
the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from
Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel
of Christ. 20 It has always been my ambition to preach the
gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone
else's foundation. 21 Rather, as it is written: "Those
who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will
understand." 22 This is why I have often been hindered
from coming to you.23 But now that there is no more place for me to
work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to see
you, 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit
you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after
I have enjoyed your company for a while.25 Now, however, I am on my
way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. 26 For
Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the
saints in Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed
they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual
blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material
blessings. 28 So after I have completed this task and have
made sure that they have received this fruit, I will go to Spain and visit you
on the way. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in
the full measure of the blessing of Christ. 30 I urge you,
brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in
my struggle by praying to God for me. 31 Pray that I may be
rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be
acceptable to the saints there, 32 so that by God's will I may
come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. 33 The
God of peace be with you all. Amen.
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the
church in Cenchrea. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in
a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for
she has been a great help to many people, including me. 3 Greet
Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They
risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are
grateful to them. 5 Greet also the church that meets at their
house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in
the province of Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who worked very hard for
you.7 Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives who have been in
prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in
Christ before I was. 8 Greet Ampliatus, whom I love in the
Lord.9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear
friend Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, tested and approved in
Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus 11 Greet
Herodion, my relative. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the
Lord. 12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work
hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked
very hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and
his mother, who has been a mother to me, too. 14 Greet
Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers with them. 15 Greet
Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints with
them. 16Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of
Christ send greetings. 17 I urge you, brothers, to watch out
for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary
to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For
such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth
talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. 19 Everyone
has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to
be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. 20 The
God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus
be with you. 21 Timothy, my fellow worker, sends his greetings
to you, as do Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, my relatives. 22 I,
Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord. 23Gaius,
whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.
Erastus, who is the city's director of public works, and our brother Quartus
send you their greetings. 25 Now to him who is able to
establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to
the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but
now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of
the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him-- 27 to
the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Psalm 23
Psalm 23 (New International Version)
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, [a] I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, [a] I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Revelation 16
Revelation 16 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 16
The Seven Bowls of God's Wrath
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth."
2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.
4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: "You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were;
6 for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve."
7 And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments."
8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.
10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. 13 Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. 15 "Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed."
16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 21 From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds,[a] fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
Revelation 16
The Seven Bowls of God's Wrath
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth."
2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.
4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: "You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were;
6 for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve."
7 And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments."
8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.
10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. 13 Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. 15 "Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed."
16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 21 From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds,[a] fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Chronological New Testament Study Day 71
Romans 11; Romans 12; Romans 13
1 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am
an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God
did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don't you know what the Scripture
says in the passage about Elijah--how he appealed to God against Israel: 3"Lord,
they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one
left, and they are trying to kill me" ? 4 And what was
God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have
not bowed the knee to Baal." 5 So too, at the present
time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace,
then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be
grace. 7What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not
obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, 8 as it
is written: "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not
see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day." 9 And
David says: "May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block
and a retribution for them. 10 May their eyes be darkened so
they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever." 11 Again
I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather,
because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make
Israel envious.12 But if their transgression means riches for the
world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches
will their fullness bring! 13 I am talking to you Gentiles.
Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry 14 in
the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of
them. 15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the
world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If
the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is
holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 If some of
the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have
been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the
olive root, 18 do not boast over those branches. If you do,
consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You
will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted
in." 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of
unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. 21 For
if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. 22 Consider
therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but
kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you
also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in
unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in
again. 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that
is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive
tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into
their own olive tree! 25 I do not want you to be ignorant of
this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has
experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come
in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
"The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from
Jacob. 27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away
their sins." 28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they
are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are
loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God's gifts and his
call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time
disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so
they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive
mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. 32 For God has bound
all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. 33 Oh,
the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable
his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!34 "Who has
known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" 35 "Who
has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" 36 For
from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory
forever! Amen.
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy,
to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is
your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to
the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good,
pleasing and perfect will. 3 For by the grace given me I say
to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but
rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of
faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body
with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so
in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the
others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace
given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his
faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him
teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is
contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is
leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it
cheerfully. 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling
to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly
love. Honor one another above yourselves.11 Never be lacking in
zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be
joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share
with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.14 Bless
those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice
with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in
harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with
people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay
anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of
everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you,
live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my
friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to
avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something
to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." 21 Do
not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities,
for there is no authority except that which God has established. The
authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently,
he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has
instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For
rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do
you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right
and he will commend you. 4 For he is God's servant to do you
good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for
nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the
wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the
authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of
conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the
authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give
everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue;
if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. 8 Let no debt
remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who
loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments,
"Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not
steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may
be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as
yourself." 10 Love does no harm to its neighbor.
Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 11 And do this,
understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your
slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The
night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of
darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave
decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual
immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather,
clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to
gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
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