Chapter 231 of 257

Isaiah 40:11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd;

Therefore I, your fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a sharer of the glory that is going to be revealed, exhort the elders among you:

And after six days Jesus took along Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothing became bright as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him. 4 So Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here! If you want, I will make here three shelters, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

And I will also make every effort that you are able at any time, after my departure, to recall these things to mind.

shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not by compulsion but willingly, in accordance with God, and not greedily but eagerly,

Now when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs!” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Shepherd my sheep!” 17 He said to him a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed because he said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything! You know that I love you!” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep!

and not as lording it over those under your care, but being examples for the flock.

And a dispute also occurred among them as to which of them was recognized as being greatest. 25 So he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like this! But the one who is greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am in your midst as the one who serves.

28 “And you are the ones who have remained with me in my trials, 29 and I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred on me, 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

In the same way, younger men, be subject to the elders, and all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Now before the feast of Passover, Jesus, knowing that his hour had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, and having loved his own in the world, loved them to the end. 2 And as a dinner was taking place, when the devil had already put into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot that he should betray him, 3 because he knew that the Father had given him all things into his hands, and that he had come forth from God and was going away to God, 4 he got up from the dinner and took off his outer clothing, and taking a towel, tied it around himself. 5 Then he poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them dry with the towel which he had tied around himself.

6 Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will understand after these things.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet forever!” Jesus replied to him, “Unless I wash you, you do not have a share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed only needs to wash his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 (For he knew the one who would betray him; because of this he said, “Not all of you are clean.”)

12 So when he had washed their feet and taken his outer clothing and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done for you? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you speak correctly, for I am. 14 If then I—your Lord and Teacher—wash your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that just as I have done for you, you also do. 16 Truly, truly I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you understand these things, you are blessed if you do them.

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

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat,

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered for a short time, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

And going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them.

Practice these things. Be diligent in these things, in order that your progress may be evident to everyone.

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was condemned. 12 For before certain people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles, but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he was afraid of those who were of the circumcision, 13 and the rest of the Jews also joined in this hypocrisy with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with them in their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not being straightforward with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of them all, “If you, although you are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you try to compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

15 We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles, 16 but knowing that a person is not justified by the works of the law, if not by faith in Jesus Christ, and we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified. 17 But if while seeking to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also have been found to be sinners, then is Christ an agent of sin? May it never be! 18 For if I build up again these things which I destroyed, I show myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, in order that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, 20 and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not declare invalid the grace of God, for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died to no purpose.

shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not by compulsion but willingly, in accordance with God, and not greedily but eagerly, 3 and not as lording it over those under your care, but being examples for the flock.

He will feed his flock like a shepherd;

he will gather the lambs in his arm,

and he will carry them in his bosom;

he will lead those who nurse.

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the grassland and go after the one that was lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he returns to his home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!’

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he obtained through the blood of his own Son.

Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with every good thing to do his will, carrying out in us what is pleasing before him through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever. Amen.

For you were going astray like sheep, but you have turned back now to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

because the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them

and will lead them to springs of living waters,

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

For if, after they have escaped from the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and they are again entangled in these things and succumb to them, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment that had been delivered to them. 22 The statement of the true proverb has happened to them, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and “A sow, after washing herself, returns to wallowing in the mud.”

Even when I walk in a dark valley, I fear no evil

because you are with me.

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Therefore I exhort you, brothers, through the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 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.

shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not by compulsion but willingly, in accordance with God, and not greedily but eagerly,

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he obtained through the blood of his own Son. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 And from among you yourselves men will arise, speaking perversions of the truth in order to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears.

32 “And now I entrust you to God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have desired no one’s silver or gold or clothing! 34 You yourselves know that these hands served to meet my needs and the needs of those who were with me. 35 I have shown you with respect to all things that by working hard in this way it is necessary to help those who are in need, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

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

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he obtained through the blood of his own Son.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with groaning, for this would be unprofitable for you.

shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not by compulsion but willingly, in accordance with God, and not greedily but eagerly,

not while being watched, as people pleasers, but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart,

The elders who lead well must be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor by speaking and teaching. 18 For the scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox while it is threshing,” and “The worker is worthy of his wages.”

not addicted to wine, not a violent person, but gentle, peaceable, not loving money,

For it is necessary for the overseer to be blameless as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain,

No one who serves as a soldier is entangled in the activities of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him.

Thus I am eager to proclaim the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

And from Miletus he sent word to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church. 18 And when they came to him, he said to them, “You know from the first day on which I set foot in Asia how I was the whole time with you—19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, and with the trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews—20 how I did not shrink from proclaiming to you anything that would be profitable, and from teaching you in public and from house to house, 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks with respect to repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.

22 “And now behold, bound by the Spirit I am traveling to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in town after town, saying that bonds and persecutions await me. 24 But I consider my life as worth nothing to myself, in order to finish my mission and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

25 “And now behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about proclaiming the kingdom, will see my face no more. 26 Therefore I testify to you on this very day that I am guiltless of the blood of all of you, 27 for I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the whole purpose of God. 28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he obtained through the blood of his own Son. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 And from among you yourselves men will arise, speaking perversions of the truth in order to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears.

36 And when he had said these things, he fell to his knees and prayed with them all. 37 And there was considerable weeping by all, and hugging Paul, they kissed him, 38 especially distressed at the statement that he had said, that they were going to see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.

and not as lording it over those under your care, but being examples for the flock.

For Yahweh’s portion was his people,

Jacob the share of his inheritance.

Blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh,

the people he has chosen for his inheritance.

Surely the land will be divided by lot. They will inherit according to the names of the tribes of their ancestors.

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

so that the genuineness of your faith, more valuable than gold that is passing away, but is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom, although you have not seen, you love; in whom now you believe, although you do not see him, and you rejoice greatly with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

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

into an inheritance imperishable and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for you

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,

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been in vain, but I labored even more than all of them, and not I, but the grace of God with me.

If anyone speaks, let it be as the oracles of God; if anyone serves, let it be as by the strength that God provides, so that in all things God will be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

In the same way, younger men, be subject to the elders, and all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the right time, 7 casting all your cares on him, because he cares for you.

8 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. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered for a short time, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

12 Through Silvanus, the faithful brother (as I consider him), I have written to you briefly to encourage you and to attest that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. 13 She who is in Babylon, chosen the same as you, greets you, and so does my son Mark. 14 Greet one another with a loving kiss. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

Subject yourselves to every human authority for the sake of the Lord, whether to a king as having supreme authority, 14 or to governors as those sent out by him for the punishment of those who do evil and the praise of those who do good. 15 For the will of God is as follows: by doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as free persons, and not using your freedom as a covering for evil, but as slaves of God. 17 Honor all people, love the community of believers, fear God, honor the king.

Domestic slaves, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unjust. 19 For this finds favor, if because of consciousness of God someone endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if you endure when you do good and suffer for it, this finds favor with God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his footsteps, 22 who did not commit sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth, 23 who when he was reviled, did not revile in return; when suffering, he did not threaten, but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly, 24 who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we may die to sins and live to righteousness, by whose wounds you were healed. 25 For you were going astray like sheep, but you have turned back now to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some are disobedient to the word, they may be won over without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful, pure conduct. 3 Let your adornment not be the external kind, braiding hair and putting on gold jewelry or putting on fine clothing, 4 but the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is highly valuable in the sight of God. 5 For in the same way formerly the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves by being subject to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose children you have become when you do good and are not frightened with respect to any terror.

7 Husbands, in the same way live with your wives knowledgeably, as with the weaker female vessel, showing them honor as fellow heirs also of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 complete my joy, so that you are in agreement, having the same love, united in spirit, having one purpose. 3 Do nothing according to selfish ambition or according to empty conceit, but in humility considering one another better than yourselves, 4 each of you not looking out for your own interests, but also each of you for the interests of others.

5 Think this in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

6 who, existing in the form of God,

did not consider being equal with God something to be grasped,

7 but emptied himself

by taking the form of a slave,

by becoming in the likeness of people.

And being found in appearance like a man,

8 he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to the point of death,

that is, death on a cross.

9 Therefore also God exalted him

and graciously granted him the name above every name,

10 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,

11 and every tongue confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

With those who scorn, he is scornful,

but to those who are humble, he gives favor.

But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says,

“God opposes the proud,

but gives grace to the humble.”

There are six things Yahweh hates,

and seven things are abominations of his soul:

17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,

and hands that shed innocent blood,

The fear of Yahweh is hatred of evil,

pride, and arrogance and an evil way.

And I hate a mouth of perversity.

How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of dawn!

You are cut down to the ground, conqueror of nations!

13 And you yourself said in your heart,

‘I will ascend to heaven;

I will raise up my throne above the stars of God;

and I will sit on the mountain of assembly

on the summit of Zaphon;

14 I will ascend to the high places of the clouds,

I will make myself like the Most High.’

15 But you are brought down to Sheol,

to the depths of the pit.

because everything that is in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance of material possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world.

James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion. Greetings!

2 Consider it all joy, my brothers, whenever you encounter various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.

5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask for it from God, who gives to all without reservation and not reproaching, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask for it in faith, without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed about.

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

casting all your cares on him, because he cares for you.

And so then he departed from the synagogue and came into the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down, suffering with a fever, and at once they told him about her. 31 And he came and raised her up by taking hold of her hand, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around him and hearing the word of God, he was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats there beside the lake, but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 And he got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out from the land a little. And he sat down and began to teach the crowds from the boat. 4 And when he stopped speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered and said, “Master, although we worked hard through the whole night, we caught nothing. But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they did this, they caught a very large number of fish, and their nets began to tear. 7 And they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both the boats so that they began to sink. 8 And when he saw it, Simon Peter fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, Lord, because I am a sinful man!” 9 For amazement had seized him and all those who were with him at the catch of fish that they had caught, 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were business partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid! From now on you will be catching people!” 11 And after they brought their boats to the land, they left everything and followed him.

Now when they arrived in Capernaum, the ones who collected the double drachma tax came up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the double drachma tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect tolls or taxes—from their own sons, or from foreigners?” 26 And when he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 But so that we do not give offense to them, go out to the sea, cast a line with a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. And when you open its mouth, you will find a four-drachma coin. Take that and give it to them for me and you.”

And immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent away the crowds. 23 And after he sent away the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. So when evening came, he was there alone. 24 But the boat was already many stadia distant from the land, being beaten by the waves, because the wind was against it. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But the disciples, when they saw him walking on the sea, were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Have courage, I am he! Do not be afraid!” 28 And Peter answered him and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water!” 29 So he said, “Come!” And getting out of the boat, Peter walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind, he was afraid. And beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 And immediately Jesus extended his hand and caught him and said to him, “You of little faith! Why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind abated. 33 So those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God!”

And a certain one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered and said, “Stop! No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him.

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. (Now the name of the slave was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into its sheath! The cup that the Father has given me—shall I not drink it?”

You must not fear, for I am with you;

you must not be afraid, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you, indeed I will help you,

indeed I will take hold of you with the right hand of my salvation.

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask for it from God, who gives to all without reservation and not reproaching, and it will be given to him.

I am able to do all things by the one who strengthens me.

Commit to Yahweh your way;

Trust also on him and he will act.

Cast your burden on Yahweh,

and he will sustain you.

He will never allow the righteous to be moved.

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.

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.

with respect to which they are surprised when you do not run with them into the same flood of dissipation, and so they revile you.

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.

And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Yahweh; and Satan was standing on his right to accuse him. 2 But Yahweh said to Satan, “Yahweh rebukes you, O Satan! Yahweh who has chosen Jerusalem rebukes you! Is this not a stick snatched from the fire?” 3 And Joshua was clothed in filthy garments and was standing before the angel. 4 And he answered and said to the ones standing before him, saying, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And he said to him, “See, I have taken away your guilt from you, and will clothe you with rich garments.” 5 And I said, “Let them put a clean headband on his head.” And they put a clean headband on his head, and they clothed him with garments. And the angel of Yahweh was standing by.

And the great dragon was thrown down, the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying,

“Now the salvation and the power

and the kingdom of our God

and the authority of his Christ have come,

because the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down,

the one who accuses them before our God day and night.

11 And they conquered him by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony,

and they did not love their lives until death.

Finally, become strong in the Lord and in the might of his strength. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the stratagems of the devil, 12 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. 13 Because of this, take up the full armor of God, in order that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, girding your waist with truth, and putting on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and binding shoes under your feet with the preparation of the good news of peace, 16 in everything taking up the shield of faith, with which you are able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one, 17 and receive the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 with all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit, and to this end being alert with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints, 19 and for me, that a word may be given to me at the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 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.

21 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, 22 whom I have sent to you for this very reason, that you may know our circumstances, and he may encourage your hearts.

23 Peace to the brothers and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruptibility.

And this woman, who is a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan bound eighteen long years—is it not necessary that she be released from this bond on the day of the Sabbath?”

You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father! That one was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand firm in the truth, because truth is not in him. Whenever he speaks the lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not a great thing if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

He put before them another parable, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while his people were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed darnel in the midst of the wheat and went away. 26 So when the wheat sprouted and yielded grain, then the darnel appeared also. 27 So the slaves of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have darnel?’ 28 And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ So the slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, “No, lest when you gather the darnel you uproot the wheat together with it. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the season of the harvest I will tell the reapers, “First gather the darnel and tie it into bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my storehouse.” ’ ”

Then he left the crowds and came into the house, and his disciples came to him saying, “Explain the parable of the darnel in the field to us.” 37 So he answered and said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, 38 and the field is the world. And the good seed—these are the sons of the kingdom, but the darnel are the sons of the evil one. 39 And the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Thus just as the darnel is gathered and burned with fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all the causes of sin and those who do lawless deeds, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth! 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears, let him hear!

Children, it is the last hour, and just as you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us. But they went out, in order that it might be shown that all of them are not of us.

20 And you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because every lie is not of the truth. 22 Who is the liar except the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This person is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.

24 As for you, what you have heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise which he himself promised us: eternal life. 26 These things I have written to you concerning the ones who are trying to deceive you.

27 And as for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you do not have need that anyone teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you reside in him.

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

4 You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. The one who knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.

and receive the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 with all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit, and to this end being alert with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,

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.

Therefore subject yourselves to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered for a short time, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace meant for you sought and made careful inquiry,

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and for sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

if you have tasted that the Lord is kind,

Just as each one has received a gift, use it for serving one another, as good stewards of the varied grace of God.

Therefore let us approach with confidence to the throne of grace, in order that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says,

“God opposes the proud,

but gives grace to the humble.”

Through Silvanus, the faithful brother (as I consider him), I have written to you briefly to encourage you and to attest that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.

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.

into an inheritance imperishable and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for you

Because Yahweh God is a sun and a shield;

Yahweh gives grace and honor.

He does not withhold good from those who walk blamelessly.

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.

in which you rejoice greatly, although now for a short time, if necessary, you are distressed by various trials,

For our momentary light affliction is producing in us an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure and proportion,

And going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them.

All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, 17 in order that the person of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

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, 14 so that we may no longer be infants, tossed about by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching, by the trickery of people, by craftiness with reference to the scheming of deceit. 15 But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow into him with reference to all things, who is the head, Christ, 16 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.

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.

You also be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is near.

Therefore I intend to remind you continually concerning these things, although you know them and are established in the truth that you have.

Therefore, dear friends, because you know this beforehand, guard yourselves so that you do not lose your own safe position because you have been led away by the error of lawless persons.

And,

“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,

and the heavens are the works of your hands;

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain came down and the rivers came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it did not collapse, because its foundation was laid on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain came down and the rivers came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it collapsed, and its fall was great.”

if indeed you remain in the faith, established and steadfast and not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

so that we may no longer be infants, tossed about by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching, by the trickery of people, by craftiness with reference to the scheming of deceit.

And not only this, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces patient endurance, 4 and patient endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope,

Through Silvanus, the faithful brother (as I consider him), I have written to you briefly to encourage you and to attest that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. 13 She who is in Babylon, chosen the same as you, greets you, and so does my son Mark.

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.

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and for sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.

Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

2 Peter

because his divine power has bestowed on us all things that are necessary for life and godliness, through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence of character,

Simeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith equal in value to ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 because his divine power has bestowed on us all things that are necessary for life and godliness, through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence of character, 4 through which things he has bestowed on us his precious and very great promises, so that through these you may become sharers of the divine nature after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire,

and for this same reason, and by applying all diligence, supply with your faith excellence of character, and with excellence of character, knowledge, 6 and with knowledge, self-control, and with self-control, patient endurance, and with patient endurance, godliness, 7 and with godliness, brotherly love, and with brotherly love, love.

8 For if these things are yours and are increasing, this does not make you useless or unproductive in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For the one for whom these things are not present is blind, being nearsighted, having forgotten the cleansing of his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be zealous even more to make your calling and election secure, because if you do these things, you will never ever stumble. 11 For in this way entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly supplied for you.

Therefore I intend to remind you continually concerning these things, although you know them and are established in the truth that you have. 13 But I consider it right, for as long as I am in this habitation, to stir you up by a reminder, 14 because I know that the removal of my habitation is imminent, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. 15 And I will also make every effort that you are able at any time, after my departure, to recall these things to mind.

16 For we did not make known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ by following ingeniously concocted myths, but by being eyewitnesses of that one’s majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when a voice such as this was brought to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 And we ourselves heard this voice brought from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain, 19 and we possess as more reliable the prophetic word, to which you do well if you pay attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 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.

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