Chapter 197 of 257

Psalm 34:11 Come, you children, listen to me;

in order that you may become blameless and innocent, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine as stars in the world,

just as you know how we treated each one of you, like a father his own children, 12 exhorting and consoling you and insisting that you live in a manner worthy of God, who calls you to his own kingdom and glory.

just as you know how we treated each one of you, like a father his own children,

who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in all affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Come, you children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.

exhorting and consoling you and insisting that you live in a manner worthy of God, who calls you to his own kingdom and glory.

I was very glad because I found some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.

so that you may live in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good deed and increasing in the knowledge of God,

Only lead your lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent I hear your circumstances, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul contending side by side for the faith of the gospel,

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

exhorting and consoling you and insisting that you live in a manner worthy of God, who calls you to his own kingdom and glory.

But we ought to give thanks to God always concerning you, brothers dearly loved by the Lord, because God has chosen you as first fruits for salvation by the sanctification of the Spirit and faith in the truth, 14 for which purpose he called you through our gospel for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

but as the one who called you is holy, you yourselves be holy in all your conduct, 16 for it is written, “You will be holy, because I am holy.”

And because of this we also give thanks to God constantly, that when you received God’s word that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe. 14 For you became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you also suffered the same things at the hands of your own people, just as they themselves did also at the hands of the Jews, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and who persecuted us, and who are not pleasing to God and are opposed to all people, 16 hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles in order that they may be saved, so that they always fill up their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the end.

17 But when we were made orphans by separation from you, brothers, for a short time (in face, not in heart), we were even more eager with great desire to see your face, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, on more than one occasion—and Satan hindered us. 19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, receiving the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

so that no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are appointed for this,

who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and who persecuted us, and who are not pleasing to God and are opposed to all people,

because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, on more than one occasion—and Satan hindered us.

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, receiving the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.

I have said these things to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction, but have courage! I have conquered the world.”

And indeed, all those who want to live in a godly manner in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, receiving the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness,

recognizing this above all, that every prophecy of scripture does not come about from one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

The law of Yahweh is perfect, reviving life.

The testimony of Yahweh is firm, making wise the simple.

8 The precepts of Yahweh are right, making the heart rejoice.

The command of Yahweh is pure, enlightening the eyes.

9 The fear of Yahweh is pure, enduring forever.

The ordinances of Yahweh are true; they are righteous altogether,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

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 he answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man will not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’ ”

I am the bread of life.

Your word is a lamp to my feet

and a light to my path.

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world! The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Sanctify them in the truth—your word is truth.

And the angel answered and said to her,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore also the one to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

who exchanged the truth of God with a lie, and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed for eternity. Amen.

Forever, O Yahweh,

your word is settled in heaven.

because you have been born again, not from perishable seed but imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is the word that has been proclaimed to you.

From the commandment of his lips, indeed I have not departed;

I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily food.

But he answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man will not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’ ”

Concerning this we have much to say and it is difficult to explain, since you have become sluggish in hearing. 12 For indeed, although you ought to be teachers by this time, you have need of someone to teach you again the beginning elements of the oracles of God, and you have need of milk, not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes of milk is unacquainted with the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have trained their faculties for the distinguishing of both good and evil.

How smooth are your words to my palate,

more than honey in my mouth.

Now as they traveled along, he entered into a certain village. And a certain woman named Martha welcomed him. 39 And she had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the feet of Jesus and was listening to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much preparation, so she approached and said, “Lord, is it not a concern to you that my sister has left me alone to make preparations? Then tell her that she should help me!” 41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things! 42 But few things are necessary, or only one thing, for Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

In the way of your testimonies I have rejoiced

as I would over all riches.

The law of your mouth is better to me

than thousands of gold and silver coins.

Therefore I love your commands

more than gold, even fine gold.

I am rejoicing over your word,

like one who finds great spoil.

My eyes anticipate the night watches,

that I may meditate on your word.

The one who has ears, let him hear!”

And he said to them, “Take care what you hear! With the measure by which you measure out, it will be measured out to you, and will be added to you.

Therefore consider how you listen, for whoever has, to him more will be given, and whoever does not have, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away from him.”

For there will be a time when they will not put up with sound teaching, but in accordance with their own desires, they will accumulate for themselves teachers, because they have an insatiable curiosity,

Concerning this we have much to say and it is difficult to explain, since you have become sluggish in hearing.

Look, the days are coming,” declares my Lord Yahweh, “when I will send a famine in the land, not a famine for bread and not a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of Yahweh!

Understand this, my dear brothers: every person must be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 20 for human anger does not accomplish the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, putting aside all moral uncleanness and wicked excess, welcome with humility the implanted message which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the message and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves, 23 because if anyone is a hearer of the message and not a doer, this one is like someone staring at his own face in a mirror, 24 for he looks at himself and goes away and immediately forgets what sort of person he was. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues to do it, not being a forgetful hearer but a doer who acts, this one will be blessed in what he does.

For nothing will be impossible with God.”

And he entered into the synagogue again, and a man who had a withered hand was there. 2 And they were watching him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath, in order that they could accuse him. 3 And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come into the middle.” 4 And he said to them, “Is it permitted on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 And looking around at them with anger, grieved at the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

For you became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you also suffered the same things at the hands of your own people, just as they themselves did also at the hands of the Jews, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and who persecuted us, and who are not pleasing to God and are opposed to all people, 16 hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles in order that they may be saved, so that they always fill up their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the end.

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, receiving the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

But the Jews were filled with jealousy and, taking along some worthless men from the rabble in the marketplace and forming a mob, threw the city into an uproar. And attacking Jason’s house, they were looking for them to bring them out to the popular assembly.

But when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that the message of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there too, inciting and stirring up the crowds.

If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also. 21 But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin. But now they do not have a valid excuse for their sin. 23 The one who hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin. But now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But this happened so that the word that is written in their law would be fulfilled, ‘They hated me without a reason.’

26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father—that one will testify about me. 27 And you also will testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.

All of us have wandered about like sheep;

we each have turned to his own way;

and Yahweh let fall on him

the iniquity of us all.

So after many years, I came to practice charitable giving and offerings to my people,

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.

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.”

All the nations of the earth will be blessed through your offspring, because you have listened to my voice.”

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

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

because theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are you

when they insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you, lying on account of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

And the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered to him. 2 And they saw that some of his disciples were eating their bread with unclean—that is, unwashed—hands. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands ritually, thus holding fast to the traditions of the elders. 4 And when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions which they have received and hold fast to—for example, the washing of cups and pitchers and bronze kettles and dining couches.) 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unclean hands?” 6 So he said to them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written,

‘This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far, far away from me.

7 And they worship me in vain,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

8 Abandoning the commandment of God, you hold fast to the tradition of men.”

And he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, and leased it to tenant farmers, and went on a journey for a long time. 10 And at the proper time he sent a slave to the tenant farmers, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenant farmers sent him away empty-handed after beating him. 11 And he proceeded to send another slave, but they beat and dishonored that one also, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 And he proceeded to send a third, but they wounded and threw out this one also. 13 So the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 But when the tenant farmers saw him, they began to reason with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him so that the inheritance will become ours!’ 15 And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those tenant farmers and give the vineyard to others.” And when they heard this, they said, “May this never happen!” 17 But he looked intently at them and said, “What then is this that is written:

‘The stone which the builders rejected,

this has become the cornerstone.’

18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and the one on whom it falls—it will crush him!” 19 And the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay their hands on him at that same hour, and they were afraid of the people, for they knew that he had told this parable with reference to them.

hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles in order that they may be saved, so that they always fill up their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the end.

And the fourth generation shall return here, for the guilt of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

And you—fill up the measure of your fathers!

“And then if you do not listen to the voice of Yahweh your God by diligently observing all of his commandments and his statutes that I am commanding you today, then all of these curses shall come upon you, and they shall overtake you:

16 “You shall be cursed in the city, and you shall be cursed in the field.

17 “Your basket shall be cursed and your kneading trough.

18 “The fruit of your womb shall be cursed and the fruit of your ground, the calves of your cattle and the lambs of your flock.

19 “You shall be cursed when you come in, and you shall be cursed when you go out.

20 “Yahweh will send upon you the curse, the panic, and the threat in everything that you undertake, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly because of the evil of your deeds in that you have forsaken me. 21 Yahweh will cause the plague to cling to you until it consumes you from the land that you are going to, to take possession of it. 22 Yahweh will afflict you with the wasting diseases and with the fever and with the inflammation and with the scorching heat and with the sword and with the blight and with the mildew, and they shall pursue you until you perish. 23 And your heavens that are over your heads shall be like bronze, and the earth that is under you shall be like iron. 24 Yahweh will change the rain of your land to fine dust and to sand; from the heaven it shall come down upon you until you are destroyed.

25 “Yahweh shall cause you to be defeated before your enemies; on one road you shall go against them, but you will flee on seven roads before them, and you shall become a thing of horror to all of the kingdoms of the earth. 26 And your dead bodies shall be as food for all of the birds of the heaven and to the animals of the earth, and there shall not be anyone to frighten them away.

27 “Yahweh shall afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors and with the scurvy and with the skin rash that cannot be healed. 28 Yahweh shall afflict you with madness and with blindness and with confusion of heart. 29 And you shall be groping at noon just as the blind person gropes in the dark, and you shall not succeed in finding your way, and you shall only be abused and robbed all the time, and there will not be anyone who will rescue you. 30 You shall become engaged to a woman, but another man shall sleep with her; you shall build a house, but you shall not live in it; a vineyard you shall plant, but you shall not enjoy it. 31 Your ox shall be slaughtered before your eyes, and you shall not eat it; your donkey shall be stolen right before you, and it shall not be returned to you; your sheep and your goats shall be given to your enemies, and there shall not be anyone who rescues you. 32 Your sons and your daughters shall be given to other people, and you will be looking on longingly for them all day, but you will be powerless to do anything. 33 A people that you do not know shall consume the harvest of your land and all your labor, and you will be only oppressed and crushed for the rest of your lives. 34 You shall become mad because of what your eyes shall see. 35 Yahweh shall strike you with grievous boils on the knees and on the upper thighs from which you will not be able to be healed, from the sole of your foot and up to your crown. 36 Yahweh will bring you and your king whom you set up over you to a nation that you or your ancestors have not known, and there you will serve other gods of wood and stone. 37 And you will become a horror and a proverb and ridicule among all the peoples where Yahweh drives you there.

38 “You shall carry out much seed to the field, but you shall gather little produce, for the locust shall devour it. 39 You shall plant vineyards and you shall dress them, but you shall not drink wine and you shall not gather grapes, for the worm shall eat it. 40 There shall be olive trees for you in all of your territory, but you shall not anoint yourself, for your olives shall drop off. 41 You shall bear sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours, for they shall go into captivity. 42 The cricket shall take possession of all your trees and the fruit of your ground. 43 The alien that is in your midst shall ascend over you, higher and higher, but you shall go down lower and lower. 44 He shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, but you shall be the tail.

45 “And all of these curses shall come over you, and they shall pursue you, and they shall overtake you until you are destroyed, because you did not listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, by observing his commandments and his statutes that he commanded you. 46 And they shall be among you as a sign and as a wonder and among your offspring forever.

47 “Because of the fact that you did not serve Yahweh your God with joy and with gladness of heart for the abundance of everything, 48 then you shall serve your enemies, whom Yahweh will send against you under conditions of famine, in thirst, in nakedness, and in a lack of everything; and he shall place a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you. 49 Yahweh will raise up against you a nation from far off, from the end of the earth, attacking as the eagle swoops down, a nation whose language you will not understand, 50 a grim-faced nation who does not show respect to the old and the young and does not show pity. 51 And it shall consume the fruit of your livestock and the fruit of your ground until you are destroyed, and who will not leave for you any grain, wine, and olive oil, calves of your herds, and lambs of your flock until it has destroyed you. 52 And it shall besiege you in all your towns until your high and fortified walls fall, which you are trusting in throughout your land; and it shall besiege you in all of your towns in all of your land that Yahweh your God has given to you. 53 And you shall eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of your sons and your daughters, whom Yahweh your God gave to you, during the siege and during the distress your enemy inflicts upon you. 54 The most refined and the very sensitive man among you shall be mean with his brother and against his beloved wife and against the rest of his children that he has left over, 55 by refraining from giving to even one of them any of the meat of his children that he eats, because there is not anything that is left over for him during the siege and distress that your enemy inflicts upon you. 56 The most refined and the most delicate woman among you, who shall not venture to put the sole of her foot on the ground from being so delicate and from such gentleness, shall be mean to her beloved husband and against her son and against her daughter, 57 and even concerning her afterbirth that goes out from between her feet and also concerning her children that she bears, because she eats them for lack of anything in secret during the siege and during the distress that your enemy inflicts upon her in your towns.

58 “If you do not diligently observe all the words of this law written in this scroll by revering this glorious and awesome name, Yahweh your God, 59 then Yahweh shall overwhelm you with your plagues and the plagues of your offspring, severe plagues and lasting illnesses, grievous and enduring. 60 And he shall bring back upon you all the diseases of Egypt concerning which you were in dread because of them. 61 Also any illness and any plague that is not written in the scroll of this law, he shall bring them, Yahweh, upon you until you are destroyed. 62 And you shall remain only a few people in place of the fact you were formerly as the stars of heaven as far as number is concerned, because you did not listen to the voice of Yahweh your God. 63 And then as Yahweh delighted over you to make you prosperous to make you numerous, so Yahweh shall delight over you to exterminate you and to destroy you, and so you shall be plucked from the land that you are going there to take possession of it. 64 And Yahweh shall scatter you among all the nations from one end of the earth up to the other end of the earth, and there you shall serve other gods that you have not known nor your ancestors, gods of wood and stone. 65 And among these nations you shall not find rest, and there shall not be a resting place for the sole of your foot, and Yahweh shall give you there an anxious heart and a weakening of eyes and a languishing of your inner self. 66 And your life shall hang in doubt before you, and you shall be startled night and day, and you shall not be confident of your life. 67 In the morning you shall say, ‘If only it was evening!’ and in the evening you shall say ‘If only it was morning!’ because of the dread of your heart that you shall feel, and because of the sight of your eyes that you shall see. 68 And Yahweh shall bring you back to Egypt in ships by the route that I promised to you that ‘You shall not see it again!’ And you shall sell yourself there to your enemies as slaves and as female slaves, but there will not be a buyer.”

And continuing, Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man—a king—who gave a wedding celebration for his son. 3 And he sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the wedding celebration, and they did not want to come. 4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding celebration!” ’ 5 But they paid no attention and went away—this one to his own field, that one to his business. 6 And the others, seizing his slaves, mistreated them and killed them. 7 And the king was angry and sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding celebration is ready, but those who had been invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore, go out to the places where the roads exit the city and invite to the wedding celebration as many people as you find.’ 10 And those slaves went out into the roads and gathered everyone whom they found, both evil and good, and the wedding celebration was filled with dinner guests. 11 But when the king came in to see the dinner guests, he saw a man there not dressed in wedding clothes.

Therefore also he is able to save completely those who draw near to God through him, because he always lives in order to intercede on their behalf.

hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles in order that they may be saved, so that they always fill up their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the end.

Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we determined to be left behind in Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, in order to strengthen and to encourage you about your faith, 3 so that no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are appointed for this, 4 for indeed when we were with you we told you beforehand that we were about to be afflicted, just as indeed it happened, and you know.

But when we were made orphans by separation from you, brothers, for a short time (in face, not in heart), we were even more eager with great desire to see your face, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, on more than one occasion—and Satan hindered us. 19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.

But when we were made orphans by separation from you, brothers, for a short time (in face, not in heart), we were even more eager with great desire to see your face,

Although we could have insisted on our own importance as apostles of Christ, yet we became infants in your midst, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

just as you know how we treated each one of you, like a father his own children,

just as it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you are sharers of grace with me.

because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, on more than one occasion—and Satan hindered us.

And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

In this case, moreover, it is sought in stewards that one be found faithful.

But why do you judge your brother? Or also, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me,

and every tongue will praise God.”

12 So each one of us will give an account concerning himself.

Thus let a person consider us as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. 2 In this case, moreover, it is sought in stewards that one be found faithful. 3 But to me it is a very little matter that I be judged by you or by a human court, but I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am conscious of nothing against myself, but not by this am I vindicated. But the one who judges me is the Lord. 5 Therefore do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord should come, who will both enlighten the hidden things of darkness and will reveal the counsels of hearts, and then praise will come to each one from God.

Therefore indeed we have as our ambition, whether at home in the body or absent from the body, to be acceptable to him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, in order that each one may receive back the things through the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

and to await his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, the one who delivers us from the coming wrath.

But the ones having insight will shine like the brightness of the expanse, and the ones providing justice for the many will be like the stars forever and ever.

Do you not know that those who run in the stadium all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 And everyone who competes exercises self-control in all things. Thus those do so in order that they may receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. 26 Therefore I run in this way, not as running aimlessly; I box in this way, not as beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and subjugate it, lest somehow after preaching to others, I myself should become disqualified.

gentleness, self control. Against such things there is no law.

Do not be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested, and you will experience affliction ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Finally, the crown of righteousness is reserved for me, that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.

And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

And around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders dressed in white clothing, and on their heads were gold crowns.

the twenty-four elders fall down before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and put down their crowns before the throne, saying,

6 But now, because Timothy has come to us from you and has brought good news to us of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, desiring to see us just as also we desire to see you, 7 because of this, brothers, we have been comforted because of you in all our distress and affliction through your faith, 8 because now we live, if you stand firm in the Lord. 9 For what thanks can we repay to God concerning you, because of all the joy with which we rejoice because of you before our God, 10 night and day praying beyond all measure that we may see your face and complete what is lacking in your faith?

11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and to abound in love for one another and for all, just as also we do for you, 13 so that your hearts may be established blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

and we sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, in order to strengthen and to encourage you about your faith,

so that your hearts may be established blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

because now we live, if you stand firm in the Lord.

Now the brothers sent away both Paul and Silas at once, during the night, to Berea. They went into the synagogue of the Jews when they arrived. 11 Now these were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica. They accepted the message with all eagerness, examining the scriptures every day to see if these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, and not a few of the prominent Greek women and men. 13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that the message of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there too, inciting and stirring up the crowds. 14 So then the brothers sent Paul away at once to go to the sea, and both Silas and Timothy remained there. 15 And those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving an order for Silas and Timothy that they should come to him as soon as possible, they went away.

Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we determined to be left behind in Athens alone,

But when we were made orphans by separation from you, brothers, for a short time (in face, not in heart), we were even more eager with great desire to see your face,

The hired hand, who is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf approaching and abandons the sheep and runs away—and the wolf seizes them and scatters them—13 because he is a hired hand and he is not concerned about the sheep.

But if it is to live in the flesh, this is fruitful work for me, and which I will prefer I do not know. 23 But I am hard pressed between the two options, having the desire to depart and to be with Christ, for this is very much better. 24 But to stay on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 And because I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that what you can be proud of may increase in Christ Jesus because of me through my return again to you.

But I will spend and be expended most gladly for your lives. If I love you much more, am I to be loved less?

and we sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, in order to strengthen and to encourage you about your faith,

But if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without cause to fear, for he is carrying out the Lord’s work, as I also am. 11 Therefore do not let anyone disdain him, but send him on his way in peace in order that he may come to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.

But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I also may be encouraged when I know your circumstances. 20 For I have no one like-minded who will sincerely be concerned about your circumstances. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know his proven character, that like a child with a father he served with me for the gospel. 23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see my circumstances.

and we sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, in order to strengthen and to encourage you about your faith,

to Timothy, my true child in the faith. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

But you know his proven character, that like a child with a father he served with me for the gospel.

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

For the one at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure, is God.

For I have no one like-minded who will sincerely be concerned about your circumstances.

so that no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are appointed for this, 4 for indeed when we were with you we told you beforehand that we were about to be afflicted, just as indeed it happened, and you know. 5 Because of this, I also, when I could endure it no longer, sent in order to know your faith, lest somehow the tempter tempted you and our labor should be in vain.

because to you has been graciously granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on behalf of him,

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, when it takes place to test you, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 But to the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, so that also at the revelation of his glory you may rejoice and be glad. 14 If you are reviled on account of the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 By all means do not let anyone of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 But if someone suffers as a Christian, he must not be ashamed, but must glorify God with this name. 17 For it is the time for the judgment to begin out from the household of God. But if it begins out from us first, what will be the outcome for those who are disobedient to the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous are saved with difficulty, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? 19 So then also those who suffer according to the will of God must entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing good.

Because of this, I also, when I could endure it no longer, sent in order to know your faith, lest somehow the tempter tempted you and our labor should be in vain.

night and day praying beyond all measure that we may see your face and complete what is lacking in your faith?

Be sober; be on the alert. Your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in your faith, because you know the same kinds of sufferings are being accomplished by your community of believers in the world.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God indeed say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

But I am afraid lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds may be led astray from the sincerity and the purity of devotion to Christ.

Be sober; be on the alert. Your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

because everyone who is fathered by God conquers the world.

And this is the victory which has conquered the world: our faith.

But now, because Timothy has come to us from you and has brought good news to us of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, desiring to see us just as also we desire to see you, 7 because of this, brothers, we have been comforted because of you in all our distress and affliction through your faith, 8 because now we live, if you stand firm in the Lord.

Now when both Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began to be occupied with the message, solemnly testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus.

I wrote to you in the letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.

So then, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions which you were taught, whether by spoken word or by letter from us.

Then Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil, 2 and after he had fasted forty days and forty nights, then he was hungry. 3 And the tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, order that these stones become bread.” 4 But he answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man will not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’ ”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the highest point of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down! For it is written,

‘He will command his angels concerning you,’

and

‘On their hands they will lift you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”

7 Jesus said to him, “On the other hand it is written, ‘You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

8 Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, 9 and he said to him, “I will give to you all these things, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan, for it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’ ” 11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and began ministering to him.

and receive the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

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