Chapter 257 of 257

Genesis 3:14–19 Then Yahweh God said to the serpent,

Genesis 3:14–19 Then Yahweh God said to the serpent,

  And Yahweh God took the man and set him in the garden of Eden to cultivate it and to keep it. 16 And Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, “From every tree of the garden you may freely eat, 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.”

  And Yahweh God said, “Look—the man has become as one of us, to know good and evil. What if he stretches out his hand and takes also from the tree of life and eats, and lives forever?” 23 And Yahweh God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 So he drove the man out, and placed cherubim east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming, turning sword to guard the way to the tree of life.

  Then Yahweh God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,

you will be cursed

more than any domesticated animal

and more than any wild animal.

On your belly you shall go

and dust you shall eat

all the days of your life.

15 And I will put hostility

between you and between the woman,

and between your offspring and between her offspring;

he will strike you on the head,

and you will strike him on the heel.”

16 To the woman he said,

“I will greatly increase

your pain in childbearing;

in pain you shall bear children.

And to your husband shall be your desire.

And he shall rule over you.”

17 And to Adam he said, “Because you listened to the voice of your wife and you ate from the tree from which I forbade you to eat,

the ground shall be cursed on your account.

In pain you shall eat from it

all the days of your life.

18 And thorns and thistles shall sprout for you,

and you shall eat the plants of the field.

19 By the sweat of your brow

you shall eat bread,

until your return to the ground.

For from it you were taken;

for you are dust,

and to dust you shall return.”

  And he will bring back the hearts of the fathers to the sons, and the hearts of the sons to their fathers, so that I will not come and strike the land with a ban.”

  And there will not be any curse any longer, and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his slaves will serve him,

  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.

  And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true, and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his slaves the things which must take place in a short time.”

7 “And behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

8 And I, John, am the one who heard and who saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed these things to me. 9 And he said to me, “Do not do that! I am your fellow slave, and of your brothers the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!” 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near! 11 The one who does evil, let him do evil still, and the defiled, let him be defiled still, and the righteous, let him practice righteousness still, and the holy, let him be holy still.”

12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to repay each one according to what his deeds are! 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

14 Blessed are the ones who wash their robes, so that their authority will be over the tree of life and they may enter into the city through the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral people and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone who loves and who practices falsehood.

16 “I, Jesus, sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And the one who hears, let him say, “Come!” And the one who is thirsty, let him come. The one who wants, let him take the water of life freely.

18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues written in this book. 19 And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and from the holy city that are written in this book.

20 The one who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.

  For he was expecting the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

  These all died in faith without receiving the promises, but seeing them from a distance and welcoming them, and admitting that they were strangers and temporary residents on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 And if they remember that land from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they aspire to a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the originator and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

  And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true, and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his slaves the things which must take place in a short time.”

7 “And behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

8 And I, John, am the one who heard and who saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed these things to me. 9 And he said to me, “Do not do that! I am your fellow slave, and of your brothers the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!” 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near! 11 The one who does evil, let him do evil still, and the defiled, let him be defiled still, and the righteous, let him practice righteousness still, and the holy, let him be holy still.”

  I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues written in this book. 19 And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and from the holy city that are written in this book.

  And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and the one seated on it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and makes war.

  “And behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

  You must not add to the word that I am commanding you, and you shall not take away from it in order to keep the commands of Yahweh your God that I am commanding you to observe.

  Every word of God is flawless;

he is a shield for him who takes refuge in him.

6 Do not add to his words

lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.

  And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true, and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his slaves the things which must take place in a short time.”

  I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues written in this book. 19 And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and from the holy city that are written in this book.

  And I fell down before his feet to worship him, and he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow slave of you and of your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

  But you, Daniel, keep the words secret and seal the scroll until the time of the end; many will run back and forth and knowledge will increase.”

  The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his slaves the things which must take place in a short time, and communicated it by sending it through his angel to his slave John,

  The one who does evil, let him do evil still, and the defiled, let him be defiled still, and the righteous, let him practice righteousness still, and the holy, let him be holy still.”

  “And behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

  “Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to repay each one according to what his deeds are!

  And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near!

  The one who does evil, let him do evil still, and the defiled, let him be defiled still, and the righteous, let him practice righteousness still, and the holy, let him be holy still.”

  “Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to repay each one according to what his deeds are! 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

14 Blessed are the ones who wash their robes, so that their authority will be over the tree of life and they may enter into the city through the gates.

  Blessed are the ones who wash their robes, so that their authority will be over the tree of life and they may enter into the city through the gates.

  “You must be prepared for action and your lamps burning. 36 And you, be like people who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that when he comes back and knocks, they can open the door for him immediately. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he returns! Truly I say to you that he will dress himself for service and have them recline at the table and will come by and serve them. 38 Even if he should come back in the second or in the third watch of the night and find them like this, blessed are they! 39 But understand this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not think he will come.”

41 And Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us, or also for everyone?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful wise manager whom the master will put in charge over his servants to give them their food allowance at the right time? 43 Blessed is that slave whom his master will find so doing when he comes back. 44 Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that slave should say to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time to return,’ and he begins to beat the male slaves and the female slaves and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in two and assign his place with the unbelievers. 47 And that slave who knew the will of his master and did not prepare or do according to his will will be given a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know and did things deserving blows will be given a light beating. And from everyone to whom much has been given, much will be demanded, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will ask him for even more.

49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish that it had been kindled already! 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how I am distressed until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to grant peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 52 For from now on there will be five in one household, divided three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

54 And he also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud coming up in the west, you say at once, ‘A rainstorm is coming,’ and so it happens. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be burning heat,’ and it happens. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to evaluate the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it you do not know how to evaluate this present time?

57 And why do you not also judge for yourselves what is right? 58 For as you are going with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to come to a settlement with him on the way, so that he will not drag you to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the bailiff, and the bailiff will throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid back even the last cent!”

  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

  convinced of this same thing, that the one who began a good work in you will finish it until the day of Christ Jesus,

  Therefore my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For the one at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure, is God.

  Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral people and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone who loves and who practices falsehood.

16 “I, Jesus, sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

  But as for the cowards and unbelievers and detestable persons and murderers and sexually immoral people and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their share is in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.

  And every unclean thing and one who practices detestable things and falsehood will never enter into it, except those who are written in the book of life of the Lamb.

  “I, Jesus, sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

  Now while the Pharisees were assembled, Jesus asked them, 42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “David’s.” 43 He said to them, “How then does David, by the Spirit, call him ‘Lord,’ saying,

44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at my right hand

until I put your enemies

under your feet” ’?

45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how is he his son?” 46 And no one was able to answer him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask him any more questions.

  “For look! The day is about to come, burning like an oven, and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble. The coming day will consume them,” says Yahweh of hosts. “It will not leave behind for them root or branch. 2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise, with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like fattened calves. 3 You will trample down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I am going to act,” says Yahweh of hosts.

  And he measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubits according to human measure, which is the angel’s.

  the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each one of the gates was from a single pearl. And the street of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass.

  “And behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

  “Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to repay each one according to what his deeds are!

  The one who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

  Dear friends, this is already the second letter I am writing to you, in both of which I am attempting to stir up your sincere mind by a reminder, 2 to remember the words proclaimed beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3 above all knowing this, that in the last days scoffers will come with scoffing, following according to their own desires 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued just as they have been from the beginning of creation.” 5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that the heavens existed long ago and the earth held together out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 by means of which things the world that existed at that time was destroyed by being inundated with water. 7 But by the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.

8 Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your notice, that one day with the Lord is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day. 9 The Lord is not delaying the promise, as some consider slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will disappear with a rushing noise, and the celestial bodies will be destroyed by being burned up, and the earth and the deeds done on it will be disclosed. 11 Because all these things are being destroyed in this way, what sort of people must you be in holy behavior and godliness, 12 while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by being burned up and the celestial bodies will melt as they are consumed by heat! 13 But according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness resides.

14 Therefore, dear friends, because you are waiting for these things, make every effort to be found at peace, spotless and unblemished in him. 15 And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom that was given to him, 16 as he does also in all his letters, speaking in them about these things, in which there are some things hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, as they also do the rest of the scriptures. 17 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. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

  The one who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

↑ Back to top

↑