Acts 14 Cross References - MSB

¹ At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue, where they spoke so well that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. ² But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. ³ So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who affirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. ⁴ The people of the city were divided. Some sided with the Jews, and others with the apostles. ⁵ But when the Gentiles and Jews, together with their rulers, set out to mistreat and stone them, ⁶ they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding region, ⁷ where they continued to preach the gospel. ⁸ In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. ⁹ This man was listening to the words of Paul, who looked intently at him and saw that he had faith to be healed. ¹⁰ In a loud voice Paul called out, “Stand up on your feet!” And the man jumped up and began to walk. ¹¹ When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices in the Lycaonian language: “The gods have come down to us in human form!” ¹² Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. ¹³ The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside their city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates, hoping to offer a sacrifice along with the crowds. ¹⁴ But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting, ¹⁵ “Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. ¹⁶ In past generations, He let all nations go their own way. ¹⁷ Yet He has not left Himself without testimony to His goodness: He gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” ¹⁸ Even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could hardly stop the crowds from sacrificing to them. ¹⁹ Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, presuming he was dead. ²⁰ But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. And the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. ²¹ They preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, ²² strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. ²³ Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed. ²⁴ After passing through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. ²⁵ And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. ²⁶ From Attalia they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had just completed. ²⁷ When they arrived, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them, and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸ And they spent a long time there with the disciples.

²⁶ Now she was a Greek woman of Syrophoenician origin, and she kept asking Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

³⁵ At this, the Jews said to one another, “Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him? Will He go where the Jews are dispersed among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?

²⁰ Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast.

²⁰ Saul promptly began to proclaim Christ in the synagogues, declaring, “He is the Son of God.”

²¹ The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

⁵ When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. And John was with them as their helper.

⁴³ After the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.

⁵¹ So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.

² But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.

²¹ They preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,

¹ Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where he found a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman and a Greek father.

¹ When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. ² As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

⁴ Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women.

¹² As a result, many of them believed, along with quite a few prominent Greek women and men.

¹⁷ So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace with those he met each day.

⁴ Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks alike.

⁸ Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his whole household believed in the Lord. And many of the Corinthians who heard the message believed and were baptized.

⁸ Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.

¹⁰ This continued for two years, so that everyone who lived in the province of Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord Jesus.

¹⁷ This became known to all the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, and fear came over all of them. So the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

²¹ testifying to Jews and Greeks alike about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus.

²⁸ crying out, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everywhere against our people and against our law and against this place. Furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”

¹⁶ I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.

¹² For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him,

²² Jews demand a sign and Greeks search for wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

³ Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.

²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

¹¹ Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.

¹⁰ For he knew it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over. ¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead.

³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”

⁴⁵ But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they blasphemously contradicted what Paul was saying.

⁵⁰ The Jews, however, incited the religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district.

¹⁹ Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, presuming he was dead.

⁵ The Jews, however, brought in some troublemakers they took from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people.

¹³ But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that Paul was also proclaiming the word of God in Berea, they went there themselves to incite the crowds.

¹² While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews coordinated an attack on Paul and brought him before the judgment seat.

²⁷ When the seven days were almost over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, ²⁸ crying out, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everywhere against our people and against our law and against this place. Furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” ²⁹ For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple. ³⁰ The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.

¹⁵ who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men, ¹⁶ hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.

²⁰ And they went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked through them, confirming His word by the signs that accompanied it. Amen.

⁴⁸ Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.”

²² Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.

²⁹ And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness, ³⁰ as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”

¹² The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and with one accord the believers gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade. ¹³ Although the people regarded them highly, no one else dared to join them. ¹⁴ Yet more and more believers were brought to the Lord—large numbers of both men and women.

³² We are His witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

⁹ One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent. ¹⁰ For I am with you and no one will lay a hand on you, because I have many people in this city.” ¹¹ So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching the word of God among the Corinthians.

¹⁰ This continued for two years, so that everyone who lived in the province of Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord Jesus. ¹¹ God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul, ¹² so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were brought to the sick, and the diseases and evil spirits left them.

²⁴ But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course with joy and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

³² And now I commit you, brothers, to God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified.

⁸ But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, ⁹ because a great door for effective work has opened to me, even though many oppose me.

¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints. ¹⁹ Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should.

² As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God.

⁴ and was affirmed by God through signs, wonders, various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.

⁶ For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies are the members of his own household.

³⁴ Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. ³⁶ A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary: “Behold, this Child is appointed to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,

²¹ When a strong man, fully armed, guards his house, his possessions are secure. ²² But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted, and then he divides up his plunder. ²³ He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

⁵¹ Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but division. ⁵² From now on, five in one household will be 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 daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

⁴³ So there was division in the crowd because of Jesus.

² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

¹⁴ But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting,

⁴ Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women. ⁵ The Jews, however, brought in some troublemakers they took from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people.

⁹ But when some of them stubbornly refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way, Paul took his disciples and left the synagogue to conduct daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

²⁴ Some of them were convinced by what he said, but others refused to believe.

⁵ Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?

¹ Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? ² The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One: ³ “Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords.”

⁵ For with one mind they plot together, they form an alliance against You—

⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,

²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

²⁵ You spoke through the mouth of Your servant, David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? ²⁶ The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.’ ²⁷ In fact, Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed. ²⁸ They carried out what Your hand and will had decided beforehand would happen. ²⁹ And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness,

¹¹ my persecutions, and the sufferings that came upon me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.

⁸ Now the king of Aram was at war against Israel. After consulting with his servants, he said, “My camp will be in such and such a place.” ⁹ Then the man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Be careful passing by this place, for the Arameans are going down there.” ¹⁰ So the king of Israel sent word to the place the man of God had pointed out. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. ¹¹ For this reason the king of Aram became enraged and called his servants to demand of them, “Tell me, which one of us is on the side of the king of Israel?” ¹² But one of his servants replied, “No one, my lord the king. For Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

²³ When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

²⁴ but Saul learned of their plot. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him.

²⁰ But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. And the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. ²¹ They preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,

¹ Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where he found a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman and a Greek father. ² The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.

¹³ But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that Paul was also proclaiming the word of God in Berea, they went there themselves to incite the crowds. ¹⁴ The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.

¹² When daylight came, some of the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. ¹³ More than forty of them were involved in this plot. ¹⁴ They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him down to you tomorrow on the pretext of examining his case more carefully. We are ready to kill him on the way.” ¹⁶ But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul. ¹⁷ Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” ¹⁸ So the centurion took him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner sent and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.” ¹⁹ The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside, and asked, “What do you need to tell me?” ²⁰ He answered, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul to the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of acquiring more information about him. ²¹ Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they are ready now, awaiting your consent.” ²² So the commander dismissed the young man and instructed him, “Do not tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”

⁴ Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

¹⁹ Meanwhile those scattered by the persecution that began with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message only to Jews.

¹⁵ “Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.

¹⁰ As soon as Paul had seen the vision, we got ready to leave for Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

² As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

² Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction.

³ On these walkways lay a great number of the sick, the blind, the lame, and the paralyzed, awaiting the moving of the water. ⁴ For from time to time an angel descended into the pool and stirred the water. As soon as the water was stirred, the first to enter the pool would be healed of his disease. ⁵ One man there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.

⁷ “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am on my way, someone else goes in before me.”

¹ Now as Jesus was passing by, He saw a man blind from birth, ² and His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

² And a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those entering the temple courts.

⁹ If we are being examined today about a kind service to a man who was lame, to determine how he was healed,

¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those following Him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found even in Israel such great faith.

²² Jesus turned around and saw her. “Take courage, daughter,” He said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was cured from that very hour.

²⁸ After Jesus had entered the house, the blind men came to Him. “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” He asked. “Yes, Lord,” they answered. ²⁹ Then He touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you.”

⁵⁸ And He did not do many miracles there, because of their unbelief.

²⁸ “O woman,” Jesus answered, “your faith is great! Let it be done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

⁴⁰ Then a leper came to Jesus, begging on his knees: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!”

⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

¹¹ “I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home.” ¹² And immediately the man got up, picked up his mat, and walked out in front of them all. As a result, they were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

²³ “If You can believe!” said Jesus. “All things are possible to him who believes!” ²⁴ Immediately the boy’s father cried out with tears, “Lord, I do believe; help my unbelief!”

⁵² “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

⁴ Peter looked directly at him, as did John. “Look at us!” said Peter.

⁶ Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.

¹⁴ Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. “Young man,” He said, “I tell you, get up!”

¹¹ and a woman there had been disabled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was hunched over and could not stand up straight. ¹² When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your disability.” ¹³ Then He placed His hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and began to glorify God.

⁸ Then Jesus told him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.” ⁹ Immediately the man was made well, and he picked up his mat and began to walk. Now this happened on the Sabbath day,

¹² Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to My Father.

⁶ But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” ⁷ Taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong. ⁸ He sprang to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and leaping and praising God.

³³ There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. ³⁴ “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and put away your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up,

¹⁰ and from the least to the greatest they heeded his words and said, “This man is the divine power called the Great Power.”

²² And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!”

⁶ The islanders were expecting him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

³⁵ Finally the city clerk quieted the crowd and declared, “Men of Ephesus, doesn’t everyone know that the city of Ephesus is guardian of the temple of the great goddess Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven?

⁴⁶ At this, King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, paid homage to Daniel, and ordered that an offering of incense be presented to him.

²⁵ As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him.

⁷ When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a leper? Surely you can see that he is seeking a quarrel with me!”

³⁷ Then Hilkiah’s son Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and Asaph’s son Joah the recorder came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and they relayed to him the words of the Rabshakeh.

³ When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled out some hair from my head and beard, and sat down in horror. ⁴ Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles, while I sat there in horror until the evening offering. ⁵ At the evening offering, I got up from my humiliation with my tunic and cloak torn, and I fell on my knees, spread out my hands to the LORD my God,

²⁴ Yet in hearing all these words, the king and his servants did not become frightened or tear their garments.

⁶⁵ At this, the high priest tore his clothes and declared, “He has blasphemed! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy.

⁶³ At this, the high priest tore his clothes and declared, “Why do we need any more witnesses?

⁴ The people of the city were divided. Some sided with the Jews, and others with the apostles.

⁵ Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? ⁶ Or are Barnabas and I the only apostles who must work for a living?

¹ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

¹⁶ “I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.”

¹¹ For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

²⁶ For who of all flesh has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the fire, as we have, and survived?

²¹ They have provoked My jealousy by that which is not God; they have enraged Me with their worthless idols. So I will make them jealous by those who are not a people; I will make them angry by a nation without understanding.

¹⁰ He continued, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will surely drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.

²¹ Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty.

²⁶ David asked the men who were standing with him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

³⁶ Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.”

¹³ This happened because of all the sins Baasha and his son Elah had committed and had caused Israel to commit, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger with their worthless idols.

²⁶ For he walked in all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in his sins, which he caused Israel to commit, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger with their worthless idols.

⁴ Perhaps the LORD your God will hear all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to defy the living God, and He will rebuke him for the words that the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up a prayer for the remnant that still survives.”

¹⁶ Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see. Listen to the words that Sennacherib has sent to defy the living God.

⁶ I hate those who cling to worthless idols, but in the LORD I trust.

⁶ By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all the stars by the breath of His mouth.

⁸ Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

⁵ Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, ⁶ the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He remains faithful forever.

²³ From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began. ²⁴ When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth, when no springs were overflowing with water. ²⁵ Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth, ²⁶ before He made the land or fields, or any of the dust of the earth. ²⁷ I was there when He established the heavens, when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep, ²⁸ when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth, ²⁹ when He set a boundary for the sea, so that the waters would not surpass His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth. ³⁰ Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side, and His delight day by day, rejoicing always in His presence. ³¹ I was rejoicing in His whole world, delighting together in the sons of men.

⁹ All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame. ¹⁰ Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing?

¹⁹ And no one considers in his heart, no one has the knowledge or insight to say, “I burned half of it in the fire, and I baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make something detestable with the rest of it? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?” ²⁰ He feeds on ashes. His deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”

¹⁸ For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens—He is God; He formed the earth and fashioned it; He established it; He did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited: “I am the LORD, and there is no other.

²⁰ Come, gather together, and draw near, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry idols of wood and pray to a god that cannot save.

⁷ They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles.

¹⁹ Listen to the cry of the daughter of my people from a land far away: “Is the LORD no longer in Zion? Is her King no longer there?” “Why have they provoked Me to anger with their carved images, with their worthless foreign idols?”

³ For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman. ⁴ They adorn it with silver and gold and fasten it with hammer and nails, so that it will not totter. ⁵ Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.”

⁸ But they are altogether senseless and foolish, instructed by worthless idols made of wood!

¹⁰ But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and eternal King. The earth quakes at His wrath, and the nations cannot endure His indignation. ¹¹ Thus you are to tell them: “These gods, who have made neither the heavens nor the earth, will perish from this earth and from under these heavens.”

¹⁴ Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them. ¹⁵ They are worthless, a work to be mocked. In the time of their punishment they will perish.

²² Can the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies alone send showers? Is this not by You, O LORD our God? So we put our hope in You, for You have done all these things.

¹⁷ “Oh, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You!

²⁸ But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days. Your dream and the visions that came into your mind as you lay on your bed were these: ²⁹ As you lay on your bed, O king, your thoughts turned to the future, and the Revealer of Mysteries made known to you what will happen. ³⁰ And to me this mystery has been revealed, not because I have more wisdom than any man alive, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.

²⁶ I hereby decree that in every part of my kingdom, men are to tremble in fear before the God of Daniel: For He is the living God, and He endures forever; His kingdom will never be destroyed, and His dominion will never end.

⁴ This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Judah, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they reject the Law of the LORD and fail to keep His statutes; they are led astray by the lies in which their fathers walked.

⁸ Those who cling to worthless idols forsake His loving devotion.

¹ This is the burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares the LORD, who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundation of the earth, who forms the spirit of man within him:

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

²⁶ For as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.

¹⁸ He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is a man of truth; in Him there is no falsehood.

¹² And when Peter saw this, he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why are you surprised by this? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over and rejected Him before Pilate, even though he had decided to release Him.

²⁴ When the believers heard this, they lifted up their voices to God with one accord. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “You are God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them.

²⁶ The next day he came upon two Israelites who were fighting, and he tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you mistreating each other?’

²⁶ But Peter helped him up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”

²² And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!” ²³ Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

³² And now we proclaim to you the good news: What God promised our fathers

⁷ where they continued to preach the gospel.

³⁰ Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

¹⁶ While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols. ¹⁷ So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace with those he met each day. ¹⁸ Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.

²⁴ The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands. ²⁵ Nor is He served by the hands of men, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. ²⁶ From one blood He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands. ²⁷ The Lord intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. ²⁸ ‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’ ²⁹ Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination. ³⁰ Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.

¹⁷ I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them ¹⁸ to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’ ¹⁹ So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. ²⁰ First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone throughout the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance.

¹⁰ “Men, I can see that our voyage will be filled with disaster and great loss, not only to ship and cargo, but to our own lives as well.”

²¹ After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete. Then you would have averted this disaster and loss.

²⁵ So take courage, men, for I believe God that it will happen just as He told me.

²⁰ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse. ²¹ For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. ²² Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

⁴ So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no other God but one.

¹⁷ So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the other Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.

⁹ For they themselves report what kind of welcome you gave us, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God

¹⁵ in case I am delayed, so that you will know how each one must conduct himself in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

¹² See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God.

¹⁷ Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.

⁷ And he said in a loud voice, “Fear the Lord and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the One who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and the springs of waters.”

¹⁰ So I fell at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who rely on the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

¹⁹ Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies assembled to wage war against the One seated on the horse, and against His army.

⁹ But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”

¹² So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.

²⁰ He has done this for no other nation; they do not know His judgments. Hallelujah!

¹⁷ Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!

⁵ Though each of the peoples may walk in the name of his god, yet we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.

³⁰ Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.

²¹ For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. ²² Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. ²⁴ Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another. ²⁵ They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.

²⁸ Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

¹² remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

³ For we have spent enough of our past lifetime carrying out the same desires as the Gentiles: living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry.

⁴ I will give you rains in their season, and the land will yield its produce, and the trees of the field will bear their fruit.

¹² Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses in which to dwell, ¹³ and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all that you have is multiplied, ¹⁴ then your heart will become proud, and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

¹⁴ then I will provide rain for your land in season, the autumn and spring rains, that you may gather your grain, new wine, and oil.

¹² The LORD will open the heavens, His abundant storehouse, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations, but borrow from none.

¹ After a long time, in the third year of the drought, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the face of the earth.”

²⁵ They captured fortified cities and fertile land and took houses full of all goods, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled; they grew fat and delighted in Your great goodness.

¹⁰ He gives rain to the earth and sends water upon the fields.

⁶ For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the gentle rain, ‘Pour out a mighty downpour.’

²⁶ to bring rain on a barren land, on a desert where no man lives, ²⁷ to satisfy the parched wasteland and make it sprout with tender grass? ²⁸ Does the rain have a father? Who has begotten the drops of dew?

¹ For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. ² Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. ³ Without speech or language, without a sound to be heard, ⁴ their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens He has pitched a tent for the sun.

⁵ Your loving devotion, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds. ⁶ Your righteousness is like the highest mountains; Your judgments are like the deepest sea. O LORD, You preserve man and beast. ⁷ How precious is Your loving devotion, O God, that the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings!

¹ For the choirmaster. A Maskil of David. After Doeg the Edomite went to Saul and told him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.” Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The loving devotion of God endures all day long.

⁹ You attend to the earth and water it; with abundance You enrich it. The streams of God are full of water, for You prepare our grain by providing for the earth. ¹⁰ You soak its furrows and level its ridges; You soften it with showers and bless its growth. ¹¹ You crown the year with Your bounty, and Your paths overflow with plenty. ¹² The pastures of the wilderness overflow; the hills are robed with joy. ¹³ The pastures are clothed with flocks, and the valleys are decked with grain. They shout in triumph; indeed, they sing.

⁹ You sent abundant rain, O God; You refreshed Your weary inheritance. ¹⁰ Your flock settled therein; O God, from Your bounty You provided for the poor.

²⁴ How many are Your works, O LORD! In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures. ²⁵ Here is the sea, vast and wide, teeming with creatures beyond number, living things both great and small. ²⁶ There the ships pass, and Leviathan, which You formed to frolic there. ²⁷ All creatures look to You to give them their food in due season. ²⁸ When You give it to them, they gather it up; when You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good things.

⁹ The LORD is good to all; His compassion rests on all He has made.

¹⁵ The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in season. ¹⁶ You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

⁷ Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music on the harp to our God, ⁸ who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass to grow on the hills.

⁶ I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and thorns and briers will grow up. I will command the clouds that rain shall not fall on it.”

¹³ But look, there is joy and gladness, butchering of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

²⁴ They have not said in their hearts, ‘Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives the rains, both autumn and spring, in season, who keeps for us the appointed weeks of harvest.’

²⁶ I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season—showers of blessing.

²³ Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains for your vindication. He sends you showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.

⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

³⁵ But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

²⁷ The Lord intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. ²⁸ ‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’

¹⁹ For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.

¹⁷ Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in the living God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy.

¹⁷ Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. ¹⁸ Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth yielded its crops.

⁶ And the LORD said, “If they have begun to do this as one people speaking the same language, then nothing they devise will be beyond them.

⁹ “Get out of the way!” they replied. And they declared, “This one came here as a foreigner, and he is already acting like a judge! Now we will treat you worse than them.” And they pressed in on Lot and moved in to break down the door.

²¹ “What did this people do to you,” Moses asked Aaron, “that you have led them into so great a sin?” ²² “Do not be enraged, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil. ²³ They told me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!’

¹⁶ “As for the word you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you! ¹⁷ Instead, we will do everything we vowed to do: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and offer drink offerings to her, just as we, our fathers, our kings, and our officials did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and good things, and we saw no disaster.

¹⁵ Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew to a mountain by Himself.

¹⁹ He will be buried like a donkey, dragged away and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem.

²⁰ But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death. ²¹ “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they replied. ²² “What then should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify Him!” ²³ “Why?” asked the governor. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!” ²⁴ When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this righteous man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.” ²⁵ All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”

¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead. ¹² So Pilate asked them again, “What then do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?” ¹³ And they shouted back, “Crucify Him!” ¹⁴ “Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”

⁵⁸ They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.”

⁵⁰ The Jews, however, incited the religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district. ⁵¹ So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.

⁵ But when the Gentiles and Jews, together with their rulers, set out to mistreat and stone them,

²⁰ And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval to his death and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’

³¹ I face death every day, as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord.

¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of the Lord Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

²³ Are they servants of Christ? I am speaking like I am out of my mind, but I am so much more: in harder labor, in worse beatings, in more imprisonments, in frequent danger of death.

²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea.

¹² And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate, to sanctify the people by His own blood. ¹³ Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore.

²⁶ and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So for a full year they met together with the church and taught large numbers of people. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.

¹⁷ Peter motioned with his hand for silence, and he described how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Send word to James and to the brothers,” he said, and he left for another place.

⁶ they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding region,

²² strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

²⁸ And they spent a long time there with the disciples.

⁴⁰ After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house to see the brothers and encourage them. Then they left the city.

¹ When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples. And he said goodbye to them and left for Macedonia.

⁹ And a certain young man named Eutychus, seated in the window, was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell from the third story and was picked up dead. ¹⁰ But Paul went down, threw himself on the young man, and embraced him. “Do not be alarmed!” he said. “He is still alive!” ¹¹ Then Paul went back upstairs, broke bread, and ate. And after speaking until daybreak, he departed. ¹² And the people were greatly relieved to take the boy home alive.

⁹ Indeed, we felt we were under the sentence of death, in order that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead. ¹⁰ He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He continues to deliver us. In Him we have placed our hope that He will yet again deliver us,

⁹ as unknown, yet well-known; dying, and yet we live on; punished, yet not killed;

⁷ When the two witnesses have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will wage war with them, and will overpower and kill them. ⁸ Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city—figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where their Lord was also crucified. ⁹ For three and a half days all peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will view their bodies and will not permit them to be laid in a tomb. ¹⁰ And those who dwell on the earth will gloat over them, and will celebrate and give one another gifts, because these two prophets had tormented them. ¹¹ But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered the two witnesses, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell upon those who saw them. ¹² And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched them.

¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,

¹⁴ And from Perga, they traveled inland to Pisidian Antioch, where they entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and sat down.

¹ At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue, where they spoke so well that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed.

⁸ In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked.

³⁶ Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit our brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.”

² The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.

³ Strengthen the limp hands and steady the feeble knees!

²¹ Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. ²² You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.

³⁸ and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.

²⁴ Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.

²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

⁴⁷ And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell,

²⁴ And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

³⁰ will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.

²⁸ You are the ones who have stood by Me in My trials. ²⁹ And I bestow on you a kingdom, just as My Father has bestowed one on Me,

²⁶ Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and then to enter His glory?”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

³¹ So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

²⁵ Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

⁴ Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. ⁵ I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.

⁹ As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love. ¹⁰ If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.

²⁰ Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.

¹ “I have told you these things so that you will not fall away. ² They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.

³³ I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”

⁷ So the word of God continued to spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem grew rapidly, and a great number of priests became obedient to the faith.

²³ When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to abide in the Lord with all their hearts.

³² Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.

⁴¹ And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

²³ After Paul had spent some time in Antioch, he traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

¹⁷ And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.

⁸ He will sustain you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

²³ if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

² We sent Timothy, our brother and minister for God, and our fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, ³ so that none of you would be shaken by these trials. For you know that we are destined for this. ⁴ Indeed, when we were with you, we kept warning you that we would suffer persecution; and as you know, it has come to pass.

¹³ so that He may establish your hearts in blamelessness and holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

⁸ So do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me, His prisoner. Instead, join me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.

¹¹ This is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; ¹² if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us;

¹² Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

¹² Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³ But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory. ¹⁴ If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Indeed, on their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. ¹⁵ Indeed, none of you should suffer as a murderer or thief or wrongdoer, or even as a meddler. ¹⁶ But if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but glorify God in this matter.

¹⁰ And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish you.

¹¹ and you will receive a lavish reception into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

³ Beloved, although I made every effort to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt it necessary to write and urge you to contend earnestly for the faith entrusted once for all to the saints.

²⁰ But you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life.

⁹ I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and my testimony about Jesus Christ.

¹⁰ Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

¹⁴ “Sir,” I answered, “you know.” So he replied, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

¹⁴ He appointed twelve of them to accompany Him, to be sent out to preach,

⁴⁶ Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” And when He had said this, He breathed His last.

²² beginning from John’s baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

³⁰ This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.

¹ Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

²⁶ From Attalia they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had just completed.

⁴ On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they reported all that God had done through them.

⁶ So the apostles and elders met to look into this matter.

²³ and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.

¹⁷ From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.

¹² And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone else, just as our love for you overflows, ¹³ so that He may establish your hearts in blamelessness and holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

¹⁶ Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and our God and Father, who by grace has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope, ¹⁷ encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good word and deed.

¹ Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as to a father. Treat younger men as brothers,

¹⁷ Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. ¹⁸ For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.” ¹⁹ Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

²² Do not be too quick in the laying on of hands and thereby share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

¹² For this reason, even though I suffer as I do, I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day.

² And the things that you have heard me say among many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be qualified to teach others as well.

⁵ The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

¹⁴ Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.

¹ As a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and a partaker of the glory to be revealed, I appeal to the elders among you:

¹ The elder, To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I alone, but also all who know the truth—

¹ The elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth:

¹³ After setting sail from Paphos, Paul and his companions came to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And from Perga, they traveled inland to Pisidian Antioch, where they entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and sat down.

³⁸ But Paul thought it best not to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work.

²³ Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.

²² Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, two leaders among the brothers,

³⁰ So the men were sent off and went to Antioch, where they assembled the congregation and delivered the letter.

⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of God.

¹⁹ by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.

¹² And this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the integrity and sincerity that are from God—not in worldly wisdom, but in the grace of God.

¹¹ When Peter came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood to be condemned.

²⁵ I became its servant by the commission God gave me to fully proclaim to you the word of God,

²⁸ We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ Jesus.

¹⁷ Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”

⁵ But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. ⁶ For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who crave His appearing.

⁶ They have testified to the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. ⁷ For they went out on behalf of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. ⁸ Therefore we ought to receive such men, so that we may be fellow workers for the truth.

¹⁰ “How were your eyes opened?” they asked.

¹⁸ When they heard this, their objections were put to rest, and they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”

³ Sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers. ⁴ On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they reported all that God had done through them. ⁵ But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and declared, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.” ⁶ So the apostles and elders met to look into this matter.

¹² The whole assembly fell silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.

¹⁹ Paul greeted them and recounted one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. ²⁰ When they heard this, they glorified the Lord. Then they said to Paul, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. ²¹ But they are under the impression that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or observe our customs. ²² What then should we do? Certainly a multitude will gather, for they will hear that you have come.

¹⁸ I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed,

⁵ Who then is Paul? And who is Apollos? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role. ⁶ I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. ⁷ So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ⁸ He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. ⁹ For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

⁴ When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and I am with you in spirit, along with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

¹⁸ First of all, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.

²³ So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who are uninstructed or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds?

¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

⁹ because a great door for effective work has opened to me, even though many oppose me.

¹² Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and a door stood open for me in the Lord,

³ as you pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.

⁷ To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the One who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut (except Him who opens) and no one can open. ⁸ I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door, which no one can shut. For you have only a little strength, yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name.

³⁵ But Paul and Barnabas remained at Antioch, along with many others, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.