Chapter 239 of 257

Ephesians 5:1 Therefore become imitators of God, as beloved children,

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.’ ”

for I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the whole purpose of God.

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

Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, a worker having no need to be ashamed, guiding the word of truth along a straight path.

Give no offense both to Jews and to Greeks and to the church of God,

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess Jesus Christ coming in the flesh. This person is the deceiver and the antichrist! 8 Watch yourselves that you do not lose what we have worked for, but receive a full reward.

9 Everyone who goes too far and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God. The one who remains in the teaching—this person has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house and do not speak a greeting to him, 11 because the one who speaks a greeting to him shares in his evil deeds.

Watch yourselves that you do not lose what we have worked for, but receive a full reward.

Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the message which you have heard. 8 Again, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light already is shining. 9 The one who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother resides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you on account of his name. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known the One who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the evil one. 14 I have written to you, children, because you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have known the One who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God resides in you, and you have conquered the evil one.

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, 16 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. 17 And the world is passing away, and its desire, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.

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.

And now, little children, remain in him, so that whenever he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming.

If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been fathered by him.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, so that he will forgive us our sins and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

By this love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because just as that one is, so also are we in this world.

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

According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must direct his attention to how he is building upon it. 11 For no one is able to lay another foundation than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw, 13 the work of each one will become evident. For the day will reveal it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the work of each one, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work that he has built upon it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but so as through fire.

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.

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.

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 I saw a great white throne and the one who was seated on it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled, and a place was not found for them. 12 And I saw the dead—the great and the small—standing before the throne, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and each one was judged according to their deeds. 14 And Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

And now, little children, remain in him, so that whenever he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming.

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

And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as that one is pure.

If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been fathered by him.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

Therefore become imitators of God, as beloved children,

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former desires you used to conform to in your ignorance, 15 but as the one who called you is holy, you yourselves be holy in all your conduct,

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are unqualified?

See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called children of God, and we are! Because of this the world does not know us: because it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever he is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as that one is pure.

4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that that one was revealed in order that he might take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 Everyone who resides in him does not sin. Everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you: the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as that one is righteous. 8 The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this reason the Son of God was revealed: in order to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Everyone who is fathered by God does not practice sin, because his seed resides in him, and he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God. 10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are evident: everyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, namely, the one who does not love his brother.

By this the children of God and the children of the devil are evident: everyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, namely, the one who does not love his brother.

For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one and violently murdered his brother. And for what reason did he violently murder him? Because his deeds were evil and the deeds of his brother were righteous.

13 Do not marvel, brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed over from death to life because we love the brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that every murderer does not have eternal life residing in him. 16 We have come to know love by this: that he laid down his life on behalf of us, and we ought to lay down our lives on behalf of the brothers. 17 But whoever has the world’s material possessions and observes his brother in need and shuts his heart against him, how does the love of God reside in him?

18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 19 By this we know that we are of the truth and will convince our heart before him, 20 that if our heart condemns us, that God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 21 Dear friends, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God, 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what is pleasing in his sight. 23 And this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he commanded us. 24 And the one who keeps his commandments resides in him, and he in him. And by this we know that he resides in us: by the Spirit whom he has given to us.

If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been fathered by him.

Everyone who is fathered by God does not practice sin, because his seed resides in him, and he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God.

Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been fathered by God and knows God.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been fathered by God, and everyone who loves the father also loves the child fathered by him.

because everyone who is fathered by God conquers the world.

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

We know that everyone who is fathered by God does not sin, but the one fathered by God, he protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

Everyone who resides in him does not sin. Everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him.

Everyone who is fathered by God does not practice sin, because his seed resides in him, and he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God.

If we say that we do not have sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, so that he will forgive us our sins and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Everyone who resides in him does not sin. Everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him.

Everyone who is fathered by God does not practice sin, because his seed resides in him, and he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God.

And there was a famine in the land. And Abram went down to Egypt to dwell as an alien there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 And it happened that as he drew near to enter into Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “Look now, I know that you are a woman beautiful of appearance, 12 and it shall happen that, if the Egyptians see you, then they will say, ‘This is his wife,’ then they will kill me but let you live. 13 Please say you are my sister so that it will go well for me on your account. Then I will live on account of you.” 14 And it happened that as Abram came into Egypt, the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. 15 And the officials of Pharaoh saw her, and they praised her beauty to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to the house of Pharaoh. 16 And he dealt well with Abram on account of her, and he had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male slaves, female slaves, female donkeys, and camels.

17 Then Yahweh afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues on account of the matter of Sarai the wife of Abram. 18 Then Pharaoh called for Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to myself as a wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go.” 20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him, and then sent him and his wife and all that was with him away.

Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the staff and summon the community, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will give water. Bring out for them water from the rock, and let the community and their livestock drink.”

9 So Moses took the staff from before Yahweh just as he command him, 10 and Moses and Aaron summoned the assembly to the presence of the rock, and he said to them, “Please listen, you rebels; can we bring out water for you from this rock?” 11 Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice. And abundant water went out, and the community and their livestock drank. 12 But Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you have not trusted in me, to regard me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land that I have given to them.” 13 Those were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with Yahweh, and he showed himself holy among them.

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a female slave came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it in the presence of them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean!” 71 And when he went out to the gateway, another female slave saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man!” 73 And after a little while those who were standing there came up and said to Peter, “You really are one of them also, because even your accent reveals who you are.” 74 Then he began to curse and to swear with an oath, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the statement Jesus had said, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times,” and he went outside and wept bitterly.

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.

See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called children of God, and we are! Because of this the world does not know us: because it did not know him.

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever he is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is.

And now, little children, remain in him, so that whenever he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming.

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

And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as that one is pure.

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.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, 12 training us in order that, denying impiety and worldly desires, we may live self-controlled and righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking forward to the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us, in order that he might redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good deeds. 15 Speak these things and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power and love and self-discipline.

Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that that one was revealed in order that he might take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 Everyone who resides in him does not sin. Everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you: the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as that one is righteous. 8 The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this reason the Son of God was revealed: in order to destroy the works of the devil.

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever he is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is.

And you know that that one was revealed in order that he might take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

Little children, let no one deceive you: the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as that one is righteous. 8 The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this reason the Son of God was revealed: in order to destroy the works of the devil.

But the one who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin.

Devising folly is a sin,

and an abomination to humankind is a scoffer.

Therefore, to the one who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.)

Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.

and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what is pleasing in his sight.

By this we know that we love the children of God: whenever we love God and keep his commandments.

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Look! I, Paul, tell you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing! 3 And again I testify to every man who becomes circumcised, that he is under obligation to keep the whole law. 4 You are estranged from Christ, you who are attempting to be justified by the law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For through the Spirit by faith we eagerly await the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

To those outside the law I became as outside the law (although I am not outside the law of God, but subject to the law of Christ) in order that I may gain those outside the law.

For many live, of whom I spoke about to you many times, but now speak about even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose God is the stomach, and whose glory is in their shame, the ones who think on earthly things.

Everyone who resides in him does not sin. Everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him.

And you know that that one was revealed in order that he might take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

Sheol below is getting excited over you,

to meet you when you come;

it arouses the dead spirits for you,

all of the leaders of the earth.

It raises all of the kings of the nations from their thrones.

10 All of them will respond and say to you,

‘You yourself also were made weak like us!

You have become the same as us!’

11 Your pride is brought down to Sheol,

and the sound of your harps;

maggots are spread out beneath you like a bed,

and your covering is worms.

12 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.

16 Those who see you will stare at you,

they will look closely at you:

‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,

who caused kingdoms to shake,

17 who made the world like the desert

and destroyed its cities,

who would not let his prisoners go home?’

“Son of man, raise a lament over the king of Tyre, and you must say to him, ‘thus says the Lord Yahweh:

“You were a perfect model of an example,

full of wisdom and perfect of beauty.

13 You were in Eden, the garden of God,

and every precious stone was your adornment:

carnelian, topaz and moonstone,

turquoise, onyx and jasper,

sapphire, malachite and emerald.

And gold was the craftsmanship of your settings

and your mountings in you;

on the day when you were created they were prepared.

14 You were an anointed guardian cherub,

and I placed you on God’s holy mountain;

you walked in the midst of stones of fire.

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.

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to the point of death,

that is, death on a cross.

The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this reason the Son of God was revealed: in order to destroy the works of the devil.

And he was expelling a mute demon. Now it happened that when the demon came out, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were astonished. 15 But some of them said, “By Beelzebul the ruler of demons he expels demons!” 16 And others, in order to test him, were demanding from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 So if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I expel demons by Beelzebul. 19 But if I expel demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons expel them? For this reason they will be your judges! 20 But if I expel demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you! 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are safe. 22 But when a stronger man attacks him and conquers him, he takes away his full armor in which he trusted and distributes his plunder. 23 The one who is not with me is against me, and the one who does not gather with me scatters.

Everyone who is fathered by God does not practice sin, because his seed resides in him, and he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God. 10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are evident: everyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, namely, the one who does not love his brother.

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,

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been fathered by God, and everyone who loves the father also loves the child fathered by him.

What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

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

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.

Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the word about Christ.

knowing this, that our old man was crucified together with him, in order that the body of sin may be done away with, that we may no longer be enslaved to sin.

and have put on the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created him,

Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh together with its feelings and its desires.

For the flesh desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, for these are in opposition to one another, so that whatever you want, you may not do these things.

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

Everyone who is fathered by God does not practice sin, because his seed resides in him, and he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God.

Therefore we do not lose heart, but even if our outer person is being destroyed, yet our inner person is being renewed day after day.

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.’ ”

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and do not make provision for the desires of the flesh.

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.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, so that he will forgive us our sins and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Return, O apostate children,

I will heal your backsliding.

‘Look, we come to you,

for you are Yahweh our God.

But each one is tempted when he is dragged away and enticed by his own desires.

But reject those worthless myths told by elderly women, and train yourself for godliness.

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the speechless idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed,” and no one is able to say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit, 5 and there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord, 6 and there are varieties of activities, but the same God, who works all things in all people. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for what is beneficial to all. 8 For to one is given a word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another a word of knowledge by the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing of spirits, to another kinds of tongues, to another interpretation of tongues. 11 But in all these things one and the same Spirit is at work, distributing to each one individually just as he wishes.

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

No one who is being tempted should say, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each one is tempted when he is dragged away and enticed by his own desires. 15 Then desire, after it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is brought to completion, gives birth to death.

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.’ ”

But each one is tempted when he is dragged away and enticed by his own desires.

But I say, live by the Spirit, and you will never carry out the desire of the flesh.

By this the children of God and the children of the devil are evident: everyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, namely, the one who does not love his brother.

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.

The one who says “I have come to know him,” and does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in this person.

Little children, let no one deceive you: the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as that one is righteous.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires, 13 and do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness.

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.

In my heart I have hidden your word,

so that I may not sin against you.

Temptation has not come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful, who will not permit you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but will also make a way out together with the temptation, so that you may be able to endure it.

Thus also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

By this the children of God and the children of the devil are evident: everyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, namely, the one who does not love his brother.

We know that we have passed over from death to life because we love the brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.

Do not marvel, brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed over from death to life because we love the brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that every murderer does not have eternal life residing in him.

We have come to know love by this: that he laid down his life on behalf of us, and we ought to lay down our lives on behalf of the brothers. 17 But whoever has the world’s material possessions and observes his brother in need and shuts his heart against him, how does the love of God reside in him?

Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 19 By this we know that we are of the truth and will convince our heart before him, 20 that if our heart condemns us, that God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 21 Dear friends, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God, 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what is pleasing in his sight. 23 And this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he commanded us. 24 And the one who keeps his commandments resides in him, and he in him. And by this we know that he resides in us: by the Spirit whom he has given to us.

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.

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain. And she said, “I have given birth to a man with the help of Yahweh.” 2 Then she bore his brother Abel. And Abel became a keeper of sheep, and Cain became a tiller of the ground. 3 And in the course of time Cain brought an offering from the fruit of the ground to Yahweh, 4 and Abel also brought an offering from the choicest firsthngs of his flock. And Yahweh looked with favor to Abel and to his offering, 5 but to Cain and to his offering he did not look with favor. And Cain became very angry, and his face fell. 6 And Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why is your face fallen? 7 If you do well will I not accept you? But if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. And its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

8 Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out into the field.” And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then Yahweh said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And he said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground. 11 So now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive the blood of your brother from your hand. 12 When you till the ground it shall no longer yield its strength to you. You shall be a wanderer and a fugitive on the earth.” 13 And Cain said to Yahweh, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Look, you have driven me out today from the face of the ground, and from your face I must hide. I will be a wanderer and a fugitive on the earth, and it will happen that whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 Then Yahweh said to him, “Therefore, whoever kills Cain will be avenged sevenfold.” Then Yahweh put a sign on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him. 16 And Cain went out from the presence of Yahweh, and he settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Then Yahweh said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”

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