Chapter 210 of 257

Philemon

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him.

so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

looking forward to the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist concerning these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and beneficial for people.

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and contentions and quarrels about the law, for they are useless and fruitless. 10 Reject a divisive person after a first and second admonition, 11 knowing that such a person is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.

idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, factions,

Reject a divisive person after a first and second admonition,

knowing that such a person is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.

When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make haste to come to me in Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Diligently send on their way Zenas the lawyer and Apollos, so that they may lack nothing. 14 But also our people must learn to engage in good deeds for necessary needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. 15 All those with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with all of you.

But also our people must learn to engage in good deeds for necessary needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.

And Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, and Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, and Gaius from Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia, were accompanying him.

Now, so that you also may know my circumstances, what I am doing, Tychicus, my dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make known to you all things,

Tychicus, my dear brother and faithful servant and fellow slave in the Lord, will make known to you all my circumstances, 8 whom I have sent to you for this very reason, in order that you may know our circumstances and he may encourage your hearts, 9 together with Onesimus, my faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all the circumstances here.

I am appealing to you concerning my child whom I became the father of during my imprisonment, Onesimus.

Now a certain Jew named Apollos, a native Alexandrian, arrived in Ephesus—an eloquent man who was well-versed in the scriptures. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and being enthusiastic in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things about Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John. 26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately. 27 And when he wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he assisted greatly those who had believed through grace. 28 For he was vigorously refuting the Jews in public, demonstrating through the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

Diligently send on their way Zenas the lawyer and Apollos, so that they may lack nothing.

The greeting is by my hand, Paul’s, which is a sign of genuineness in every letter: this is how I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.

Philemon

For perhaps because of this, he was separated from you for a time, in order that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our dear friend and fellow worker, 2 and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house. 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I thank my God, always making mention of you in my prayers, 5 because I hear about your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints. 6 I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing that is in us for Christ. 7 For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

I thank my God, always making mention of you in my prayers, 5 because I hear about your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints.

For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing that is in us for Christ.

Therefore, although I have great confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, 9 instead I appeal to you because of love, since I am such a one as Paul, now an old man and also a prisoner of Christ Jesus. 10 I am appealing to you concerning my child whom I became the father of during my imprisonment, Onesimus. 11 Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful to you and to me, 12 whom I have sent back to you himself, that is, my heart, 13 whom I wanted to keep with me, in order that he might serve me on behalf of you during my imprisonment for the gospel. 14 But apart from your consent, I wanted to do nothing, in order that your good deed might be not as according to necessity, but according to your own free will. 15 For perhaps because of this, he was separated from you for a time, in order that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

I am appealing to you concerning my child whom I became the father of during my imprisonment, Onesimus. 11 Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful to you and to me, 12 whom I have sent back to you himself, that is, my heart, 13 whom I wanted to keep with me, in order that he might serve me on behalf of you during my imprisonment for the gospel. 14 But apart from your consent, I wanted to do nothing, in order that your good deed might be not as according to necessity, but according to your own free will.

If therefore you consider me a partner, receive him as you would me. 18 But if in anything he has caused you loss or owes you anything, charge this to my account. 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will pay it back, lest I mention to you that you owe me even your very self besides. 20 Yes, brother, I ought to have some benefit of you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

21 Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you because I know that you will do even beyond what I say. 22 At the same time also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. 25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Yes, brother, I ought to have some benefit of you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. 25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

8 Therefore, although I have great confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, 9 instead I appeal to you because of love, since I am such a one as Paul, now an old man and also a prisoner of Christ Jesus. 10 I am appealing to you concerning my child whom I became the father of during my imprisonment, Onesimus. 11 Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful to you and to me, 12 whom I have sent back to you himself, that is, my heart, 13 whom I wanted to keep with me, in order that he might serve me on behalf of you during my imprisonment for the gospel. 14 But apart from your consent, I wanted to do nothing, in order that your good deed might be not as according to necessity, but according to your own free will. 15 For perhaps because of this, he was separated from you for a time, in order that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

17 If therefore you consider me a partner, receive him as you would me. 18 But if in anything he has caused you loss or owes you anything, charge this to my account. 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will pay it back, lest I mention to you that you owe me even your very self besides. 20 Yes, brother, I ought to have some benefit of you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. 25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ in Colossae. Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

3 We give thanks always to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ when we pray for you, 4 since we heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope reserved for you in heaven, which you have heard about beforehand in the word of truth, the gospel, 6 that has come to you, just as also in all the world it is bearing fruit and increasing, just as also among you from the day you heard about and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow slave who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 who also made clear to us your love in the Spirit.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on behalf of you, and those in Laodicea, and all those who have not seen my face in person,

And this took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

In this way the word of the Lord was growing in power and was prevailing.

and you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this man Paul has persuaded and turned away a large crowd by saying that the gods made by hands are not gods.

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

And tell Archippus, “Direct your attention to the ministry that you received in the Lord, in order that you may complete it.”

instead I appeal to you because of love, since I am such a one as Paul, now an old man and also a prisoner of Christ Jesus. 10 I am appealing to you concerning my child whom I became the father of during my imprisonment, Onesimus.

whom I wanted to keep with me, in order that he might serve me on behalf of you during my imprisonment for the gospel.

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,

Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.

Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, and Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my compatriots.

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

But I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, but your messenger and servant of my need,

Yes, I ask also you, true yokefellow, help them, who struggled along with me in the gospel with both Clement and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the book of life.

and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only ones who are fellow workers for the kingdom of God from the circumcision, who have been a comfort to me.

also greet the church in their house. Greet Epenetus my dear friend, who is the first convert of Asia for Christ.

Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. Erastus the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus the brother.

The churches of the province of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you in the Lord many times, together with the church in their house.

Greet the brothers in Laodicea, and Nympha and the church in her house.

I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will pay it back, lest I mention to you that you owe me even your very self besides.

For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

And the military tribune replied, “I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I indeed was born a citizen.

Therefore, although I have great confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper,

instead I appeal to you because of love, since I am such a one as Paul, now an old man and also a prisoner of Christ Jesus.

I am appealing to you concerning my child whom I became the father of during my imprisonment, Onesimus.

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.

Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful to you and to me, 12 whom I have sent back to you himself, that is, my heart, 13 whom I wanted to keep with me, in order that he might serve me on behalf of you during my imprisonment for the gospel. 14 But apart from your consent, I wanted to do nothing, in order that your good deed might be not as according to necessity, but according to your own free will.

Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful to you and to me,

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. 25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing that is in us for Christ.

whom I have sent back to you himself, that is, my heart,

to the praise of the glory of his grace that he bestowed on us in the beloved,

He made the one who did not know sin to be sin on our behalf, in order that we could become the righteousness of God in him.

If therefore you consider me a partner, receive him as you would me.

I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will pay it back, lest I mention to you that you owe me even your very self besides.

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 it is not from works, so that no one can boast.

What then shall we say that Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the scripture say? “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his pay is not credited according to grace, but according to his due.

And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may approve what is the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God.

For the one who serves Christ in this way is well-pleasing to God and approved by people.

Therefore indeed we have as our ambition, whether at home in the body or absent from the body, to be acceptable to him.

Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be thankful, through which let us serve God acceptably, with awe and reverence.

I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will pay it back, lest I mention to you that you owe me even your very self besides.

I am appealing to you concerning my child whom I became the father of during my imprisonment, Onesimus.

For if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I fathered you through the gospel.

Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you because I know that you will do even beyond what I say.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ, 6 not while being watched, as people pleasers, but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart, 7 serving with goodwill as to the Lord and not to people, 8 because you know that each one of you, whatever good he should do, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free. 9 And masters, do the same things to them, giving up threats, knowing that both their Lord and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with him.

All those who are under the yoke as slaves must regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, lest the name of God and the teaching be slandered. 2 And those who have believing masters must not look down on them because they are brothers, but rather they must serve, because those who benefit by their service are believers and dearly loved.

Teach and encourage these things.

Slaves must be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not to talk back, 10 not stealing, but demonstrating all good faith, in order that they may do credit to the teaching of God our Savior in everything.

Were you called while a slave? Do not let it be a concern to you. But if indeed you are able to become free, rather make use of it. 22 For the one who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedperson. Likewise the one who is called while free is a slave of Christ. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Each one in the situation in which he was called, brothers—in this he should remain with God.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, by what will it be made salty? It is good for nothing any longer except to be thrown outside and trampled under foot by people. 14 You are the light of the world. A city located on top of a hill cannot be hidden, 15 nor do they light a lamp and place it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it shines on all those in the house. 16 In the same way let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

At the same time also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions—if he should come to you, welcome him),

And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John (who is also called Mark), where many people were gathered together and were praying.

So Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had completed their service, having taken along with them John (who is also called Mark).

And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, “Come then, let us return and visit the brothers in every town in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.” 37 Now Barnabas wanted to take John who was called Mark along also, 38 but Paul held the opinion they should not take this one along, who departed from them in Pamphylia and did not accompany them in the work. 39 And a sharp disagreement took place, so that they separated from one another. And Barnabas took along Mark and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, after being commended to the grace of the Lord by the brothers. 41 And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Luke alone is with me. Take along Mark and bring him with you, because he is useful to me for ministry.

And the city was filled with the tumult, and with one purpose they rushed into the theater, seizing Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were traveling companions of Paul.

And we went aboard a ship from Adramyttium that was about to sail to the places along the coast of Asia and put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.

and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

Luke the physician, our dear friend, greets you, as does Demas.

For Demas deserted me, because he loved the present age, and went to Thessalonica. Crescens went to Galatia; Titus went to Dalmatia.

Luke the physician, our dear friend, greets you, as does Demas.

The greeting is by my hand, Paul’s, which is a sign of genuineness in every letter: this is how I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.

And you, although you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all formerly lived in the desires of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the mind, and we were children of wrath by nature, as also the rest of them were.

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, 5 and we being dead in trespasses, he made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved), 6 and raised us together and seated us together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that he might show in the coming ages the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 it is not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, so that we may walk in them.

Hebrews

Therefore, leaving behind the elementary message about Christ, let us move on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith in God,

Although God spoke long ago in many parts and in many ways to the fathers by the prophets, 2 in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the world, 3 who is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, sustaining all things by the word of power. When he had made purification for sins through him, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Because of this, it is all the more necessary that we pay attention to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels was binding and every transgression and act of disobedience received a just penalty, 3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation which had its beginning when it was spoken through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 while God was testifying at the same time by signs and wonders and various miracles and distributions of the Holy Spirit according to his will.

For if we keep on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire that is about to consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment do you think the person will be considered worthy of who treats with disdain the Son of God and who considers ordinary the blood of the covenant by which he was made holy and who insults the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know the one who said,

“Vengeance is mine, I will repay,”

and again,

“The Lord will judge his people.”

31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32 But remember the former days in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed both to insults and to afflictions, and sometimes becoming sharers with those who were treated in this way. 34 For you both sympathized with the prisoners and put up with the seizure of your belongings with joy because you knew that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, in order that after you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. 37 For yet

“a very, very little while,

and the one who is coming will come and will not delay.

38 But my righteous one will live by faith,

and if he shrinks back, my soul is not well pleased with him.”

39 But we are not among those who shrink back to destruction, but among those who have faith to the preservation of our souls.

Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. 15 Take care that no one falls short of the grace of God; that no one growing up like a root of bitterness causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one be a sexually immoral or totally worldly person like Esau, who for one meal traded his own birthright. 17 For you know that also afterwards, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, because he did not find an occasion for repentance, although he sought it with tears.

18 For you have not come to something that can be touched, and to a burning fire, and to darkness, and to gloom, and to a whirlwind, 19 and to the noise of a trumpet, and to the sound of words which those who heard begged that not another word be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” 21 And the spectacle was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to tens of thousands of angels, to the festal gathering 23 and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous people made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks better than Abel’s does.

25 Watch out that you do not refuse the one who is speaking! For if those did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, much less will we escape, if we reject the one who warns from heaven, 26 whose voice shook the earth at that time, but now he has promised, saying,

“Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also heaven.”

27 Now the phrase “yet once more” indicates the removal of what is shaken, namely, things that have been created, in order that the things that are not shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be thankful, through which let us serve God acceptably, with awe and reverence. 29 For indeed our God is a consuming fire.

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