Chapter 181 of 257

14 “Glory to God in the highest,

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

For neither is circumcision anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

in whom also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made by hands, by the removal of the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,

And Yahweh said to Abram, “Go out from your land and from your relatives, and from the house of your father, to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great. And you will be a blessing. 3 And I will bless those who bless you, and those who curse you I will curse. And all families of the earth will be blessed in you.”

Now we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you will not grieve as also the rest, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, thus also God will bring those who have fallen asleep through Jesus together with him. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who remain until the Lord’s coming, will not possibly precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who remain, will be snatched away at the same time together with them in the clouds for a meeting with the Lord in the air, and thus we will be together with the Lord always. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he observed the city was full of idols. 17 So he was discussing in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 And even some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him, and some were saying, “What does this babbler want to say?” But others said, “He appears to be a proclaimer of foreign deities,” because he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we learn what is this new teaching being proclaimed by you? 20 For you are bringing some astonishing things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.” 21 (Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who stayed there used to spend their time in nothing else than telling something or listening to something new.)

22 So Paul stood there in the middle of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see you are very religious in every respect. 23 For as I was passing through and observing carefully your objects of worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed, ‘To an unknown God.’ Therefore what you worship without knowing it, this I proclaim to you—

For even if after all there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many gods and many lords,

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all impiety and unrighteousness of people, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what can be known about God is evident among them, for God made it clear to them. 20 For from the creation of the world, his invisible attributes, both his eternal power and deity, are discerned clearly, being understood in the things created, so that they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasoning, and their senseless hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God with the likeness of an image of mortal human beings and birds and quadrupeds and reptiles.

You worship what you do not know. We worship what we know, because salvation is from the Jews.

I am telling the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears witness to me in the Holy Spirit—2 that my grief is great and there is constant distress in my heart. 3 For I could wish myself to be accursed from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my fellow countrymen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom belong the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the temple service, and the promises, 5 to whom belong the patriarchs, and from whom is the Christ according to human descent, who is God over all, blessed forever! Amen.

But now in Christ Jesus you, the ones who once were far away, have become near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of the partition, the enmity, in his flesh, 15 invalidating the law of commandments in ordinances, in order that he might create the two in himself into one new man, thus making peace, 16 and might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, killing the enmity in himself. 17 And coming, he proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to the ones who were near, 18 because through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

But now in Christ Jesus you, the ones who once were far away, have become near by the blood of Christ.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us,

invalidating the law of commandments in ordinances, in order that he might create the two in himself into one new man, thus making peace, 16 and might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, killing the enmity in himself.

and might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, killing the enmity in himself. 17 And coming, he proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to the ones who were near, 18 because through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

And Yahweh saw that the evil of humankind was great upon the earth, and every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was always only evil. 6 And Yahweh regretted that he had made humankind on the earth, and he was grieved in his heart. 7 And Yahweh said, “I will destroy humankind whom I created from upon the face of the earth, from humankind, to animals, to creeping things, and to the birds of heaven, for I regret that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of Yahweh.

9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, without defect in his generations. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah fathered three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 And the earth was corrupted before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth was filled with violence because of them. Now, look, I am going to destroy them along with the earth.

because I am Yahweh your God, and you must keep yourselves sanctified, so that you shall be holy, because I am holy. And you must not make yourselves unclean with any swarmer that moves along on the land, 45 because I am Yahweh, who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be for you as God. Thus you shall be holy, because I am holy.

46 “ ‘This is the regulation of the animals and the birds and all living creatures that move along in the water and concerning all the creatures that swarm on the land, 47 to distinguish between the unclean and the clean and between the animal that is to be eaten and the animal that must not be eaten.’ ”

And they will teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is unholy, and the difference between unclean and clean they must show them.

shouting, “Israelite men, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place! And furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place!” 29 (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they thought that Paul had brought into the temple.) 30 And the whole city was stirred up, and the people came running together, and they seized Paul and dragged him outside of the temple courts, and immediately the doors were shut.

31 And as they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the military tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion.

For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things that are written in the book of the law to do them.” 11 Now it is clear that no one is justified in the sight of God by the law, because “the one who is righteous will live by faith.” 12 But the law is not from faith, but “the one who does these things will live by them.”

13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,”

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who is rich to all who call upon him. 13 For “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”

For he himself is our peace, who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of the partition, the enmity, in his flesh,

But now in Christ Jesus you, the ones who once were far away, have become near by the blood of Christ.

And coming, he proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to the ones who were near,

Consequently, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what was impossible for the law, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the requirement of the law would be fulfilled in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

But at that time when you did not know God, you were enslaved to the things which by nature are not gods. 9 But now, because you have come to know God, or rather have come to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental spirits? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again? 10 You carefully observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I am afraid for you, lest perhaps I have labored for you in vain!

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

And although you were dead in the trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 having destroyed the certificate of indebtedness in ordinances against us, which was hostile to us, and removed it out of the way by nailing it to the cross. 15 When he had disarmed the rulers and the authorities, he made a display of them in public, triumphing over them by it.

16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you with reference to eating or drinking or participation in a feast or a new moon or a Sabbath, 17 which are a shadow of what is to come, but the reality is Christ. 18 Let no one condemn you, taking pleasure in humility and the worship of angels, going into detail about the things which he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by the ligaments and sinews, grows with the growth of God.

20 If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as if living in the world? 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch,” 22 which things are all meant for destruction by consuming according to human commandments and teachings, 23 which things although they have, to be sure, an appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and humility and unsparing treatment of the body, do not have any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

For he himself is our peace, who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of the partition, the enmity, in his flesh,

invalidating the law of commandments in ordinances, in order that he might create the two in himself into one new man, thus making peace,

And he died for all, in order that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s possession, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light,

Consequently, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God,

one body and one Spirit (just as also you were called with one hope of your calling),

that you were at that time apart from Christ, alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, not having hope, and without God in the world.

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

And he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

But we believe we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way those also are.”

that is, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

For he himself is our peace, who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of the partition, the enmity, in his flesh,

invalidating the law of commandments in ordinances, in order that he might create the two in himself into one new man, thus making peace,

And coming, he proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to the ones who were near,

And there were shepherds in the same region, living out of doors and keeping watch, guarding over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terribly frightened. 10 And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring good news to you of great joy which will be for all the people: 11 that today a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. 12 And this will be the sign for you: you will find the baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace

among people with whom he is pleased!”

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and according to his custom he entered into the synagogue on the day of the Sabbath and stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him, and unrolling the scroll he found the place where it was written,

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because of which he has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me

to proclaim release to the captives,

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to send out in freedom those who are oppressed,

19 to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

Therefore, because we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. 51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook and the rocks were split.

For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are made holy. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,

16 “This is the covenant that I will decree for them

after those days, says the Lord:

I am putting my laws on their hearts,

and I will write them on their minds.”

17 He also says,

“Their sins and their lawless deeds I will never remember again.”

18 Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence for the entrance into the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way which he inaugurated for us through the curtain, that is, his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart in the full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for the one who promised is faithful. 24 And let us think about how to stir one another up to love and good works, 25 not abandoning our meeting together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging each other, and by so much more as you see the day drawing near.

Consequently, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are built up together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

For he himself is our peace, who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of the partition, the enmity, in his flesh,

invalidating the law of commandments in ordinances, in order that he might create the two in himself into one new man, thus making peace,

and might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, killing the enmity in himself.

because through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Consequently, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God,

For this reason, I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and will be given to a people who produce its fruits.

but you, you will belong to me as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you will speak to the Israelites.”

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s possession, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light,

For our commonwealth exists in heaven, from which also we eagerly await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our humble body to be conformed to his glorious body, in accordance with the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Consequently, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God,

from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,

so that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow,

of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth,

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are built up together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

And Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah three hundred years, and fathered sons and daughters.

And Enoch walked with God, and he was no more, for God took him.

These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, without defect in his generations. Noah walked with God.

And make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell in the midst of them,

And the cloud covered the tent of assembly, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was unable to go into the tent of assembly because the cloud settled on it and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle. 36 And when the cloud was lifted from the tabernacle, the Israelites set out on all their journeys. 37 But if the cloud was not lifted, they did not set out until the day of its being lifted. 38 For the cloud of Yahweh was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night before the eyes of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.

At that time, Solomon assembled the elders of Israel—all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the families of the Israelites—before King Solomon in Jerusalem, in order to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh from the city of David, that is, Zion. 2 All the men of Israel assembled before King Solomon at the festival in the month of Ethnaim, that is, the seventh month. 3 All the elders of Israel came, and the priests carried the ark. 4 So they brought up the ark of Yahweh and the tent of assembly and all of the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 King Solomon and all the assembly of Israel who were assembling with him in the presence of the ark were sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted nor numbered because of abundance. 6 The priests brought the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to its place in the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubim, 7 for the cherubim were spreading their wings over the place of the ark. The cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles from above. 8 The poles were long, and the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from the outside, and they are there until this day. 9 There was not anything in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses had placed there at Horeb, where Yahweh made a covenant with the Israelites after they went out from the land of Egypt. 10 When the priests went out from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of Yahweh. 11 The priests were not able to stand to minister because of the presence of the cloud, for the glory of Yahweh filled the house of Yahweh.

And the glory of Yahweh went out from the threshold of the temple, and it stood above the cherubim. 19 And the cherubim lifted up their wings, and they rose from the earth before my eyes. At their going out, the wheels were beside them. And he stood at the doorway of the eastern gate of the temple of Yahweh, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them.

And the Word became flesh and took up residence among us, and we saw his glory, glory as of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth.

But the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands, just as the prophet says,

49 ‘Heaven is my throne

and earth is the footstool for my feet.

What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,

or what is the place of my rest?

50 Did not my hand make all these things?’

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God with your body.

For no one is able to lay another foundation than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

The stone the builders rejected

has become the chief cornerstone.

And he will become like a sanctuary and a stumbling-stone,

and like a stumbling-rock for the two houses of Israel,

like a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it!

And so he brought me up from the roaring pit,

from the miry clay.

And he put my feet upon a rock;

he made my steps steady.

And you yourselves, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

in whom the whole building, joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,

from whom the whole body, joined together and held together by every supporting ligament, according to the working by measure of each single part, the growth of the body makes for the building up of itself in love.

that is, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so also we may live a new way of life.

And all these things are from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation,

Therefore we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as if God were imploring you through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

and binding shoes under your feet with the preparation of the good news of peace,

Blessed are the peacemakers,

because they will be called sons of God.

How delightful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news,

who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation,

who says to Zion, “Your God reigns as a king.”

On account of this I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles 2 —if indeed you have heard about the stewardship of God’s grace given to me for you. 3 According to revelation the mystery was made known to me, just as I wrote beforehand in brief, 4 so that you may be able when you read to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ 5 (which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit): 6 that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow sharers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, 7 of which I became a servant, according to the gift of God’s grace given to me, according to the working of his power.

8 To me, the least of all the saints, was given this grace: to proclaim the good news of the fathomless riches of Christ to the Gentiles, 9 and to enlighten everyone as to what is the administration of the mystery hidden from the ages by God, who created all things, 10 in order that the many-sided wisdom of God might be made known now to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places through the church, 11 according to the purpose of the ages which he carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through faith in him. 13 Therefore I ask you not to be discouraged at my afflictions on behalf of you, which are your glory.

On account of this I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles

Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to live in a manner worthy of the calling with which you were called:

for the sake of which I am an ambassador in chains, that in them I may speak freely, as it is necessary for me to speak.

that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow sharers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,

for the administration of the fullness of times, to bring together all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in him

Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, the so-called uncircumcision by the so-called circumcision in the flesh, made by hands,

in whom you also are built up together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

On account of this I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles

On account of this, I bend my knees before the Father,

On account of this I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles

of which I became a servant, according to the gift of God’s grace given to me, according to the working of his power.

For I make known to you, brothers, the gospel that has been proclaimed by me, that it is not of human origin. 12 For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard about my former way of life in Judaism, that to an extraordinary degree I was persecuting the church of God, and trying to destroy it, 14 and was progressing in Judaism beyond many contemporaries in my nation, because I was a far more zealous adherent of the traditions handed down by my forefathers.

15 But when the one who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me in order that I would proclaim the gospel about him among the Gentiles, immediately I did not consult with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away to Arabia and I returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and I stayed with him fifteen days, 19 but I did not see any others of the apostles except James, the brother of the Lord. 20 (Now the things which I am writing to you, behold, I assure you before God that I am not lying.) 21 Then I came to the regions of Syria and of Cilicia, 22 but I was unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ, 23 and they were only hearing, “The one formerly persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith that formerly he was attempting to destroy,” 24 and they were glorifying God because of me.

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is not troublesome to me, but is a safeguard for you. 2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the mutilation. 3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and do not put confidence in the flesh, 4 although I could have confidence even in the flesh.

If anyone else thinks to put confidence in the flesh, I can do so more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, from the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born from Hebrews, according to the law a Pharisee, 6 according to zeal persecuting the church, according to the righteousness in the law being blameless. 7 But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have considered loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I even consider all things to be loss because of the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for the sake of whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and consider them dung, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and may be found in him, not having my righteousness which is from the law, but which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith, 10 so that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, 11 if somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, proclaiming the message to no one except Jews alone. 20 But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they came to Antioch, began to speak to the Hellenists also, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 And the report came to the attention of the church that was in Jerusalem about them, and they sent out Barnabas as far as Antioch, 23 who, when he arrived and saw the grace of God, rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with devoted hearts, 24 because he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a large number were added to the Lord. 25 So he departed for Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 And when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it happened to them also that they met together for a whole year with the church and taught a large number of people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking along Titus also. 2 Now I went up there because of a revelation and laid out to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles, but in private to the influential people, lest somehow I was running, or had run, in vain. 3 But not even Titus who was with me, although he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 Now this was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, in order that they might enslave us, 5 to whom not even for an hour did we yield in subjection, in order that the truth of the gospel might remain continually with you. 6 But from those who were influential (whatever they were, it makes no difference to me, God does not show partiality)—for those who were influential added nothing to me. 7 But these, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcision, just as Peter to the circumcision 8 (for the one who was at work through Peter for his apostleship to the circumcision was at work also through me for the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John—those thought to be pillars—acknowledged the grace given to me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, in order that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcision. 10 They asked only that we should remember the poor, the very thing I was also eager to do.

But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel.

In the middle of the day along the road, O king, I saw a light from heaven, more than the brightness of the sun, shining around me and those who were traveling with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Aramaic language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads!’ 15 So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet, because for this reason I have appeared to you, to appoint you a servant and witness both to the things in which you saw me and to the things in which I will appear to you, 17 rescuing you from the people and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you, 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Therefore, inasmuch as I am apostle to the Gentiles, I promote my ministry,

But I have written to you more boldly on some points, so as to remind you again because of the grace that has been given to me by God, 16 with the result that I am a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving the gospel of God as a priest, in order that the offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

To me, the least of all the saints, was given this grace: to proclaim the good news of the fathomless riches of Christ to the Gentiles,

for which I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am speaking the truth, I am not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

But now I am traveling to Jerusalem, serving the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 For they were pleased to do so, and they are obligated to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they ought also to serve them in material things. 28 Therefore, after I have accomplished this and sealed this fruit for delivery to them, I will depart by way of you for Spain, 29 and I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

30 Now I exhort you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to contend along with me in your prayers on my behalf to God, 31 that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and my ministry in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 so that, coming to you with joy by the will of God, I may rest with you. 33 Now may the God of peace be with all of you. Amen.

And when we came to Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. 18 And on the next day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19 And after greeting them, he began to relate one after the other the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

And the whole city was stirred up, and the people came running together, and they seized Paul and dragged him outside of the temple courts, and immediately the doors were shut.

31 And as they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the military tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32 He immediately took along soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the military tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the military tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what it was that he had done.

Now they were listening to him until this word, and they raised their voices, saying, “Away with such a man from the earth! For it is not fitting for him to live!” 23 And while they were screaming and throwing off their cloaks and throwing dust into the air,

On account of this I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles

making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in him, 10 for the administration of the fullness of times, to bring together all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in him

And he himself gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers

that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow sharers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, 7 of which I became a servant, according to the gift of God’s grace given to me, according to the working of his power.

8 To me, the least of all the saints, was given this grace: to proclaim the good news of the fathomless riches of Christ to the Gentiles,

Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, the so-called uncircumcision by the so-called circumcision in the flesh, made by hands, 12 that you were at that time apart from Christ, alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, not having hope, and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you, the ones who once were far away, have become near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of the partition, the enmity, in his flesh, 15 invalidating the law of commandments in ordinances, in order that he might create the two in himself into one new man, thus making peace, 16 and might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, killing the enmity in himself. 17 And coming, he proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to the ones who were near, 18 because through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 Consequently, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are built up together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

And if you are Christ’s, then you are descendants of Abraham, heirs according to the promise.

one body and one Spirit (just as also you were called with one hope of your calling),

For just as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of the body, although they are many, are one body, thus also Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free persons, and all were made to drink one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many.

—wives to their own husbands as to the Lord, 23 because the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church (he himself being the Savior of the body).

The one who descended himself is also the one who ascended above all the heavens, in order that he might fill all things.

11 And he himself gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers 12 for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all reach the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to a measure of the maturity of the fullness of Christ,

that you were at that time apart from Christ, alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, not having hope, and without God in the world.

Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Therefore, inasmuch as I am apostle to the Gentiles, I promote my ministry, 14 if somehow I may provoke my people to jealousy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean except life from the dead?

Therefore I say, God has not rejected his people, has he? May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, from the descendants of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people, whom he foreknew! Or do you not know, in the passage about Elijah, what the scripture says—how he appeals to God against Israel? 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have torn down your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life!” 4 But what does the divine response say to him? “I have left for myself seven thousand people who have not bent the knee to Baal.” 5 So in this way also at the present time, there is a remnant selected by grace. 6 But if by grace, it is no longer by works, for otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

7 What then? What Israel was searching for, this it did not obtain. But the elect obtained it, and the rest were hardened, 8 just as it is written,

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,

eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear,

until this very day.”

9 And David says,

“Let their table become a snare and a trap,

and a cause for stumbling and a retribution to them;

10 let their eyes be darkened so that they do not see,

and cause their backs to bend continually.”

11 I say then, they did not stumble so that they fell, did they? May it never be! But by their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles, in order to provoke them to jealousy. 12 And if their trespass means riches for the world and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness mean?

of which I became a servant, according to the gift of God’s grace given to me, according to the working of his power.

and what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his mighty strength 20 which he has worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name named, not only in this age but also in the coming one, 22 and he subjected all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

Now to the one who is able to do beyond all measure more than all that we ask or think, according to the power that is at work in us,

To me, the least of all the saints, was given this grace: to proclaim the good news of the fathomless riches of Christ to the Gentiles,

in order that he might show in the coming ages the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness upon us in Christ Jesus.

To me, the least of all the saints, was given this grace: to proclaim the good news of the fathomless riches of Christ to the Gentiles,

But Saul (also called Paul), filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him

For I am the least of the apostles, not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

To me, the least of all the saints, was given this grace: to proclaim the good news of the fathomless riches of Christ to the Gentiles,

The saying is trustworthy and worthy of all acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

and to enlighten everyone as to what is the administration of the mystery hidden from the ages by God, who created all things, 10 in order that the many-sided wisdom of God might be made known now to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places through the church,

above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name named, not only in this age but also in the coming one,

because our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

because all things in the heavens and on the earth were created by him, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers, all things were created through him and for him,

When he had disarmed the rulers and the authorities, he made a display of them in public, triumphing over them by it.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace meant for you sought and made careful inquiry, 11 investigating for what person or which time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he testified beforehand to the sufferings with reference to Christ and the glories after these things, 12 to whom it was revealed that they were serving not themselves but you with reference to the same things which now have been announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels desire to look.

In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Because of this, the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, on account of the angels.

For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as condemned to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to people.

in order that the many-sided wisdom of God might be made known now to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places through the church,

For the message about 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,

and the intelligence of the intelligent I will confound.”

20 Where is the wise person? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater 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 God, God was pleased through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. 22 For indeed, Jews ask for sign miracles and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a cause for stumbling, but to the Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

26 For consider your calling, brothers, that not many were wise according to human standards, not many were powerful, not many were well born. 27 But the foolish things of the world God chose in order that he might put to shame the wise, and the weak things of the world God chose in order that he might put to shame the strong, 28 and the insignificant of the world, and the despised, God chose, the things that are not, in order that he might abolish the things that are, 29 so that all flesh may not boast before God. 30 But from him you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom to us from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, “The one who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”

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