Mark 13 Cross References - Twentieth_Century

¹ As Jesus was walking out of the Temple Courts, one of his disciples said to him: "Teacher, look what fine stones and buildings these are!" ² "Do you see these great buildings?" asked Jesus. "Not a single stone will be left here upon another, which shall not be thrown down." ³ When Jesus had sat down on the Mount of Olives, facing the Temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew questioned him privately: ⁴ "Tell us when this will be, and what will be the sign when all this is drawing to its close." ⁵ Then Jesus began: "See that no one leads you astray. ⁶ Many will take my name, and come saying 'I am He', and will lead many astray. ⁷ And, when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; such things must occur; but the end is not yet. ⁸ For 'nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom'; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This will be but the beginning of the birth-pangs. ⁹ See to yourselves! They will betray you to courts of law; and you will be taken to Synagogues and beaten; and you will be brought up before governors and kings for my sake, that you may bear witness before them. ¹⁰ But the Good News must first be proclaimed to every nation. ¹¹ Whenever they betray you and hand you over for trial, do not be anxious beforehand as to what you shall say, but say whatever is given you at the moment; for it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. ¹² Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; and children will turn against their parents, and cause them to be put to death; ¹³ And you will be hated by every one on account of my Name. Yet the man that endures to the end shall be saved. ¹⁴ As soon, however, as you see 'the Foul Desecration' standing where he ought not" (the reader must consider what this means) "then those of you who are in Judea must take refuge in the mountains; ¹⁵ And a man on the house-top must not go down, or go in to get anything out of his house: ¹⁶ Nor must one who is on his farm turn back to get his cloak. ¹⁷ And alas for the women that are with child, and for those that are nursing infants in those days! ¹⁸ Pray, too, that this may not occur in winter. ¹⁹ For those days will be a time of distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of God's creation until now-- and never will again. ²⁰ And, had not the Lord put a limit to those days, not a single soul would escape; but, for the sake of God's own chosen People, he did limit them. ²¹ And at that time if any one should say to you 'Look, here is the Christ!' 'Look, there he is!', do not believe it; ²² For false Christs and false Prophets will arise, and display signs and marvels, to lead astray, were it possible, even God's People. ²³ But see that you are on your guard! I have told you all this beforehand. ²⁴ In those days, after that time of distress, 'the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give her light, ²⁵ The stars will be falling from the heavens,' and 'the forces that are in the heavens will be convulsed.' ²⁶ Then will be seen the 'Son of Man coming in clouds' with great power and glory; ²⁷ And then he will send the angels, and gather his People from the four winds, from one end of the world to the other. ²⁸ Learn the lesson taught by the fig-tree. As soon as its branches are full of sap, and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ And so may you, as soon as you see these things happening, know that he is at your doors. ³⁰ I tell you that even the present generation will not pass away, until all these things have taken place. ³¹ The heavens and the earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. ³² But about 'That Day,' or 'The Hour,' no one knows--not even the angels in Heaven, nor yet the Son--but only the Father. ³³ See that you are on the watch; for you do not know when the time will be. ³⁴ It is like a man going on a journey, who leaves his home, puts his servants in charge--each having his special duty--and orders the porter to watch. ³⁵ Therefore watch, for you cannot be sure when the Master of the house is coming-- whether in the evening, at midnight, at daybreak, or in the morning-- ³⁶ Lest he should come suddenly and find you asleep. ³⁷ And what I say to you I say to all--Watch!"

¹¹ Blessed are you when people taunt you, and persecute you, and say everything evil about you--untruly, and on my account. ¹² Be glad and rejoice, because your reward in Heaven will be great; for so men persecuted the Prophets who lived before you.

¹⁸ For I tell you, until the heavens and the earth disappear, not even the smallest letter, nor one stroke of a letter, shall disappear from the Law until all is done.

¹⁵ Beware of false Teachers--men who come to you in the guise of sheep, but at heart they are ravenous wolves.

¹⁷ Be on your guard against your fellow men, for they will betray you to courts of law, and scourge you in their Synagogues;

¹⁷ Be on your guard against your fellow men, for they will betray you to courts of law, and scourge you in their Synagogues; ¹⁸ And you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, that you may witness for me before them and the nations. ¹⁹ Whenever they betray you, do not be anxious as to how you shall speak or what you shall say, for what you shall say will be given you at the moment; ²⁰ For it will not be you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaks within you. ²¹ Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; and children will turn against their parents, and cause them to be put to death;

²¹ Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; and children will turn against their parents, and cause them to be put to death; ²² And you will be hated by every one on account of my Name. Yet the man that endures to the end shall be saved.

⁴² At the Judgment the Queen of the South will rise up with the present generation, and will condemn it, because she came from the very ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon; and here is more than a Solomon!

¹⁰ Afterwards his disciples came to him, and said: "Why do you speak to them in parables?"

³⁶ Then Jesus left the crowd, and went into the house. Presently his disciples came to him, and said: "Explain to us the parable of the tares in the field."

⁴¹ The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all that hinders and those who live in sin,

⁴⁹ So will it be at the close of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous,

⁵¹ Have you understood all this?" Jesus asked. "Yes," they answered.

¹⁷ "Blessed are you, Simon, Son of Jonah," Jesus replied. "For no human being has revealed this to you, but my Father who is in Heaven.

¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be held in Heaven to be forbidden, and whatever you allow on earth will be held in Heaven to be allowed."

²⁷ For the Son of Man is to come in his Father's Glory, with his angels, and then he 'will give to every man what his actions deserve.' ²⁸ I tell you, some of those who are standing here will not know death till they have seen the Son of Man coming into his Kingdom."

¹ Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, and the brothers James and John, and led them up a high mountain alone.

⁷ Alas for the world because of such snares! There cannot but be snares; yet alas for the man who is answerable for the snare!

¹ When they had almost reached Jerusalem, having come as far as Bethphage, on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent on two disciples.

³⁴ That is why I send you Prophets, wise men, and Teachers of the Law, some of whom you will crucify and kill, and some of whom you will scourge in your Synagogues, and persecute from town to town; ³⁵ in order that upon your heads may fall every drop of innocent 'blood split on earth,' from the blood of innocent Abel down to that of Zechariah, Barachiah's son, whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar. ³⁶ All this, I tell you, will come home to the present generation.

³⁶ All this, I tell you, will come home to the present generation. ³⁷ Jerusalem! Jerusalem! She who slays the Prophets and stones the messengers sent to her--Oh, how often have I wished to gather your children round me, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not came!

¹ Leaving the Temple Courts, Jesus was walking away, when his disciples came up to draw his attention to the Temple buildings. ² "Do you see all these things?" was his answer. "I tell you, not a single stone will be left here upon another, which will not be throne down,"

² "Do you see all these things?" was his answer. "I tell you, not a single stone will be left here upon another, which will not be throne down," ³ So, while Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came up to him privately and said: "Tell us when this will be, and what will be the sign of your Coming, and of the close of the age."

³ So, while Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came up to him privately and said: "Tell us when this will be, and what will be the sign of your Coming, and of the close of the age." ⁴ Jesus replied to them as follows: "See that no one leads you astray;

⁴ Jesus replied to them as follows: "See that no one leads you astray; ⁵ for, many will take my name, and come saying 'I am the Christ,' and will lead many astray.

⁵ for, many will take my name, and come saying 'I am the Christ,' and will lead many astray.

⁵ for, many will take my name, and come saying 'I am the Christ,' and will lead many astray. ⁶ And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; take care not to be alarmed, for such things must occur; but the end is not yet here.

⁶ And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; take care not to be alarmed, for such things must occur; but the end is not yet here. ⁷ For 'nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom,' and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

⁷ For 'nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom,' and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All this, however, will be but the beginning of the birth pangs!

⁸ All this, however, will be but the beginning of the birth pangs! ⁹ When that time comes, they will give you up to persecution, and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations on account of my Name.

⁹ When that time comes, they will give you up to persecution, and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations on account of my Name.

⁹ When that time comes, they will give you up to persecution, and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations on account of my Name. ¹⁰ And then many will fall away, and will betray one another, and hate one another.

¹⁰ And then many will fall away, and will betray one another, and hate one another.

¹⁰ And then many will fall away, and will betray one another, and hate one another. ¹¹ Many false Prophets, also, will appear and lead many astray;

¹¹ Many false Prophets, also, will appear and lead many astray; ¹² and, owing to the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. ¹³ Yet the man that endures to the end shall be saved.

¹³ Yet the man that endures to the end shall be saved. ¹⁴ And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the world as a witness to all nations; and then will come the end.

¹⁴ And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the world as a witness to all nations; and then will come the end. ¹⁵ As soon, then, as you see 'the Foul Desecration,' mentioned by the Prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place," (the reader must consider what this means)

¹⁵ As soon, then, as you see 'the Foul Desecration,' mentioned by the Prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place," (the reader must consider what this means) ¹⁶ "then those of you who are in Judea must take refuge in the mountains;

¹⁶ "then those of you who are in Judea must take refuge in the mountains;

¹⁶ "then those of you who are in Judea must take refuge in the mountains; ¹⁷ and a man on the housetop must not go down to get the things that are in his house;

¹⁷ and a man on the housetop must not go down to get the things that are in his house;

¹⁷ and a man on the housetop must not go down to get the things that are in his house; ¹⁸ nor must one who is on his farm turn back to get his cloak.

¹⁸ nor must one who is on his farm turn back to get his cloak.

¹⁸ nor must one who is on his farm turn back to get his cloak. ¹⁹ And alas for the women that are with child, and for those that are nursing infants in those days!

¹⁹ And alas for the women that are with child, and for those that are nursing infants in those days!

¹⁹ And alas for the women that are with child, and for those that are nursing infants in those days! ²⁰ Pray, too, that your flight may not take place in winter, nor on a Sabbath;

²⁰ Pray, too, that your flight may not take place in winter, nor on a Sabbath;

²⁰ Pray, too, that your flight may not take place in winter, nor on a Sabbath; ²¹ for that will be 'a time of great distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of the world down to the present time'--no, nor ever will again.

²¹ for that will be 'a time of great distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of the world down to the present time'--no, nor ever will again.

²¹ for that will be 'a time of great distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of the world down to the present time'--no, nor ever will again.

²¹ for that will be 'a time of great distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of the world down to the present time'--no, nor ever will again. ²² And had not those days been limited, not a single soul would escape; but for the sake of 'God's People' a limit will be put to them.

²² And had not those days been limited, not a single soul would escape; but for the sake of 'God's People' a limit will be put to them.

²² And had not those days been limited, not a single soul would escape; but for the sake of 'God's People' a limit will be put to them. ²³ And, at that time, if any one should say to you 'Look! here is the Christ!' or 'Here he is!', do not believe it;

²³ And, at that time, if any one should say to you 'Look! here is the Christ!' or 'Here he is!', do not believe it;

²³ And, at that time, if any one should say to you 'Look! here is the Christ!' or 'Here he is!', do not believe it;

²³ And, at that time, if any one should say to you 'Look! here is the Christ!' or 'Here he is!', do not believe it; ²⁴ For false Christs and false Prophets will arise, and will display great signs and marvels, so that, were it possible, even God's People would be led astray.

²⁴ For false Christs and false Prophets will arise, and will display great signs and marvels, so that, were it possible, even God's People would be led astray.

²⁴ For false Christs and false Prophets will arise, and will display great signs and marvels, so that, were it possible, even God's People would be led astray.

²⁴ For false Christs and false Prophets will arise, and will display great signs and marvels, so that, were it possible, even God's People would be led astray.

²⁴ For false Christs and false Prophets will arise, and will display great signs and marvels, so that, were it possible, even God's People would be led astray. ²⁵ Remember, I have told you beforehand.

²⁵ Remember, I have told you beforehand.

²⁵ Remember, I have told you beforehand. ²⁶ Therefore, if people say to you 'He is in the Wilderness!', do not go out there; or 'He is in an inner room!', do not believe it;

²⁶ Therefore, if people say to you 'He is in the Wilderness!', do not go out there; or 'He is in an inner room!', do not believe it; ²⁷ For, just as lightning will start from the east and flash across to the west, so will it be with the Coming of the Son of Man.

²⁷ For, just as lightning will start from the east and flash across to the west, so will it be with the Coming of the Son of Man. ²⁸ Wherever a dead body lies, there will the vultures flock.'

²⁸ Wherever a dead body lies, there will the vultures flock.' ²⁹ Immediately after the distress of those days, 'the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give her light, the stars will fall from the heavens,' and 'the forces of the heavens will be convulsed.'

²⁹ Immediately after the distress of those days, 'the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give her light, the stars will fall from the heavens,' and 'the forces of the heavens will be convulsed.' ³⁰ Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in the heavens; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the heavens,' with power and great glory;

³⁰ Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in the heavens; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the heavens,' with power and great glory;

³⁰ Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in the heavens; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the heavens,' with power and great glory; ³¹ And he will send his angels, with a great trumpet, and they will gather his People round him from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

³¹ And he will send his angels, with a great trumpet, and they will gather his People round him from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

³¹ And he will send his angels, with a great trumpet, and they will gather his People round him from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. ³² Learn the lesson taught by the fig tree. As soon as its branches are full of sap, and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near.

³² Learn the lesson taught by the fig tree. As soon as its branches are full of sap, and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near. ³³ And so may you, as soon as you see all these things, know that he is at your doors.

³³ And so may you, as soon as you see all these things, know that he is at your doors. ³⁴ I tell you, even the present generation will not pass away, till all these things have taken place.

³⁴ I tell you, even the present generation will not pass away, till all these things have taken place. ³⁵ The heavens and the earth will pass away, but my words shall never pass away.

³⁵ The heavens and the earth will pass away, but my words shall never pass away. ³⁶ But about that Day and Hour, no one knows--not even the angels of Heaven, nor yet the Son--but only the Father himself.

³⁶ But about that Day and Hour, no one knows--not even the angels of Heaven, nor yet the Son--but only the Father himself. ³⁷ For, just as in the days of Noah, so will it be at the Coming of the Son of Man.

³⁷ For, just as in the days of Noah, so will it be at the Coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸ In those days before the flood they went on eating and drinking, marrying and being married, up to the very day on which Noah entered the ark,

³⁸ In those days before the flood they went on eating and drinking, marrying and being married, up to the very day on which Noah entered the ark, ³⁹ Taking not notice till the flood came and swept them one and all away; and so will it be at the Coming of the Son of Man.

³⁹ Taking not notice till the flood came and swept them one and all away; and so will it be at the Coming of the Son of Man. ⁴⁰ At that time, of two men on a farm one will be taken and one left;

⁴⁰ At that time, of two men on a farm one will be taken and one left; ⁴¹ Of two women grinding with the hand-mill one will be taken and one left.

⁴¹ Of two women grinding with the hand-mill one will be taken and one left. ⁴² Therefore watch; for you cannot be sure on what day your Master is coming.

⁴² Therefore watch; for you cannot be sure on what day your Master is coming.

⁴² Therefore watch; for you cannot be sure on what day your Master is coming.

⁴² Therefore watch; for you cannot be sure on what day your Master is coming. ⁴³ But this you do know, that, had the owner of the house known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have been on the watch, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

⁴³ But this you do know, that, had the owner of the house known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have been on the watch, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁴ Therefore, do you also prepare, since it is just when you are least expecting him that the Son of Man will come.

⁴⁴ Therefore, do you also prepare, since it is just when you are least expecting him that the Son of Man will come.

⁴⁴ Therefore, do you also prepare, since it is just when you are least expecting him that the Son of Man will come. ⁴⁵ Who, then is that trustworthy, careful servant, who has been placed by his master over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?

⁴⁵ Who, then is that trustworthy, careful servant, who has been placed by his master over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? ⁴⁶ Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, shall find doing this.

⁴⁶ Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, shall find doing this. ⁴⁷ I tell you that his master will put him in charge of the whole of his property.

⁴⁷ I tell you that his master will put him in charge of the whole of his property. ⁴⁸ But, should he be a bad servant, and say to himself 'My master is a long time in coming,' ⁴⁹ And begin to beat his fellow-servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, ⁵⁰ That servant's master will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour of which he is unaware, ⁵¹ And will flog him severely, and assign him his place among the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.

⁵ As the bridegroom was late in coming, they all became drowsy, and slept. ⁶ But at midnight a shout was raised--'The Bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!'

¹³ Therefore watch, since you know neither the Day nor the Hour. ¹⁴ For it is as though a man, going on his travels, called his servants, and gave his property into their charge. ¹⁵ He gave three thousand pounds to one, twelve hundred to another, and six hundred to a third, in proportion to the ability of each. Then he set out on his travels. ¹⁶ The man who had received the three thousand pounds went at once and traded with it, and made another three thousand. ¹⁷ So, too, the man who had received the twelve hundred pounds made another twelve hundred. ¹⁸ But the man who had received the six hundred went and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money. ¹⁹ After a long time the master of those servants returned, and settled accounts with them.

¹⁹ After a long time the master of those servants returned, and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ The man who had received the three thousand pounds came up and brought three thousand more. 'Sir,' he said, 'you entrusted me with three thousand pounds; look, I have made another three thousand!' ²¹ 'Well done, good, trustworthy servant!' said his master. 'You have been trustworthy with a small sum; now I will place a large one in your hands; come and share your master's joy!' ²² Then the one who had received the twelve hundred pounds came up and said 'Sir, you entrusted me with twelve hundred pounds; look, I have made another twelve hundred!' ²³ 'Well done, good, trustworthy servant!' said his master. 'You have been trustworthy with a small sum; now I will place a large one in your hands; come and share your master's joy!' ²⁴ The man who had received the six hundred pounds came up, too, and said 'Sir, I knew that you were a hard man; you reap where you have not sown, and gather up where you have not winnowed; ²⁵ And, in my fear, I went and hid your money in the ground; look, here is what belongs to you!' ²⁶ 'You lazy, worthless servant!' was his master's reply. 'You knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather up where I have not winnowed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have placed my money in the hands of bankers, and I, on my return, should have received my money, with interest. ²⁸ 'Therefore,' he continued, 'take away from him the six hundred pounds, and give it to the one who has the six thousand. ²⁹ For, to him who has, more will be given, and he shall have abundance; but, as for him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away from him. ³⁰ As for the useless servant, 'put him out into the darkness' outside, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.' ³¹ When the Son of Man has come in his glory and all the angels with him, then he 'will take his seat on his throne of glory';

³¹ When the Son of Man has come in his glory and all the angels with him, then he 'will take his seat on his throne of glory'; ³² And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people--just as a shepherd separates sheep from goats- -

⁴⁰ Then he came to his disciples, and found them asleep. "What!" he said to Peter, "could none of you watch with me for one hour? ⁴¹ Watch and pray, that you may not fall into temptation. True, the spirit is eager, but human nature is weak."

¹⁸ Then Jesus came up, and spoke to them thus: "All authority in heaven and on the earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the Faith of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

¹⁶ As Jesus was going along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the Sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ "Come and follow me," Jesus said, "and I will set you to fish for men." ¹⁸ They left their nets at once, and followed him. ¹⁹ Going on a little further, he saw James, Zebediah's son, and his brother John, who also were in their boat mending the nets.

⁴⁴ "Be careful not to say anything to any one; but go and show yourself to the Priest, and make the offerings for your cleansing directed by Moses, as evidence of your cure."

³⁴ And to them he never used to speak except in parables; but in private to his own disciples he explained everything.

³⁷ And he allowed no one to accompany him, except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.

¹¹ And if a place does not welcome you, or listen to you, as you go out of it shake off the dust that is on the soles of your feet, as a protest against them."

⁴⁸ Seeing them laboring at the oars--for the wind was against them--about three hours after midnight Jesus came towards them, walking on the water, intending to join them.

³⁸ Whoever is ashamed of me and of my teaching, in this unfaithful and wicked generation, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed, when he comes in his Father's Glory with the holy angels."

¹ "I tell you," he added, "that some of those who are standing here will not know death till they have seen the Kingdom of God come in power." ² Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain alone by themselves. There his appearance was transformed before their eyes,

⁶ But, at the beginning of the Creation, God 'made them male and female.'

³⁵ James and John, the two sons of Zebediah, went to Jesus, and said: "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask."

⁵ Then Jesus began: "See that no one leads you astray. ⁶ Many will take my name, and come saying 'I am He', and will lead many astray.

⁹ See to yourselves! They will betray you to courts of law; and you will be taken to Synagogues and beaten; and you will be brought up before governors and kings for my sake, that you may bear witness before them.

²⁰ And, had not the Lord put a limit to those days, not a single soul would escape; but, for the sake of God's own chosen People, he did limit them.

²² For false Christs and false Prophets will arise, and display signs and marvels, to lead astray, were it possible, even God's People. ²³ But see that you are on your guard! I have told you all this beforehand.

²⁶ Then will be seen the 'Son of Man coming in clouds' with great power and glory; ²⁷ And then he will send the angels, and gather his People from the four winds, from one end of the world to the other.

³³ See that you are on the watch; for you do not know when the time will be.

³⁵ Therefore watch, for you cannot be sure when the Master of the house is coming-- whether in the evening, at midnight, at daybreak, or in the morning--

³⁵ Therefore watch, for you cannot be sure when the Master of the house is coming-- whether in the evening, at midnight, at daybreak, or in the morning-- ³⁶ Lest he should come suddenly and find you asleep. ³⁷ And what I say to you I say to all--Watch!"

³⁰ "I tell you," answered Jesus, "that you yourself today--yes, this very night--before the cock crows twice, will disown me three times."

³³ He took with him Peter, James, and John; and began to show signs of great dismay and deep distress of mind.

³⁷ Then he came and found the three Apostles asleep. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could not you watch for one hour?

³⁷ Then he came and found the three Apostles asleep. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could not you watch for one hour? ³⁸ Watch and pray," he said to them all, "that you may not fall into temptation. True, the spirit is eager, but human nature is weak."

⁴⁰ And coming back again he found them asleep, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to say to him.

⁶² "I am," replied Jesus, "and you shall all see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the Almighty; and 'coming in the clouds of heaven'."

¹⁵ Then he said to them: "Go into all the world, and proclaim the Good News to all creation.

²² Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they expel you from among them, and taunt you, and reject your Name as an evil thing--on account of the Son of Man.

⁵ If people do not welcome you, as you leave that town, shake even the dust off your feet, as a protest against them."

¹¹ Whenever they take you before the Synagogue Courts or the magistrates or other authorities, do not be anxious as to how you will defend yourselves, or what your defense will be, or what you will say; ¹² For the Holy Spirit will show you at the moment what you ought to say."

³⁶ And be like men who are waiting for their Master's return from his wedding, so that, when he comes and knocks, they may open the door for him at once. ³⁷ Happy are those servants whom, on his return, the Master will find watching. I tell you that he will make himself ready, and bid them take their places at table, and will come and wait upon them. ³⁸ Whether it is late at night, or in the early morning that he comes, if he finds all as it should be, then happy are they. ³⁹ This you do know, that, had the owner of the house known at what time the thief was coming, he would have been on the watch, and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁰ Do you also prepare, for when you are least expecting him the Son of Man will come."

⁴⁰ Do you also prepare, for when you are least expecting him the Son of Man will come." ⁴¹ "Master," said Peter, "are you telling this parable with reference to us or to every one?" ⁴² "Who, then," replied the Master, "is that trustworthy steward, the careful man, who will be placed by his master over his establishment, to give them their rations at the proper time? ⁴³ Happy will that servant be whom his master, when he comes home, shall find doing this. ⁴⁴ His master, I tell you, will put him in charge of the whole of his property. ⁴⁵ But should that servant say to himself 'My master is a long time coming,' and begin to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, ⁴⁶ That servant's master will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour of which he is unaware, and will flog him severely and assign him his place among the untrustworthy.

⁵² For from this time, if there are five people in a house, they will be divided, three against two, and two against three. ⁵³ 'Father will be opposed to son and son to father, mother to daughter and daughter to mother, mother-in-law to her daughter-in- law and daughter-in-law to her mother-in-law.'"

²² After a time the beggar died, and was taken by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.

²³ People will say to you 'There he is! or 'Here he is!' Do not go and follow them. ²⁴ For, just as lightning will lighten and flare from one side of the heavens to the other, so will it be with the Son of Man.

³¹ On that day, if a man is on his house-top and his goods in the house, he must not go down to get them; nor again must one who is on the farm turn back. ³² Remember Lot's wife. ³³ Whoever is eager to get the most out of his life will lose it; but whoever will lose it shall preserve it.

⁷ And God--will not he see that his own People, who cry to him night and day, have justice done them--though he holds his hand?

¹² He said: "A nobleman once went to a distant country to receive his appointment to a Kingdom and then return. ¹³ He called ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds each, and told them to trade with them during his absence. ¹⁴ But his subjects hated him and sent envoys after him to say 'We will not have this man as our King.' ¹⁵ On his return, after having been appointed King, he directed that the servants to whom he had given his money should be summoned, so that he might learn what amount of trade they had done. ¹⁶ The first came up, and said 'Sir, your ten pounds have made a hundred.' ¹⁷ 'Well done, good servant!' exclaimed the master. 'As you have proved trustworthy in a very small matter, I appoint you governor over ten towns.'

⁴¹ When he drew near, on seeing the city, he wept over it, and said: ⁴² "Would that you had known, while yet there was time--even you--the things that make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your sight. ⁴³ For a time is coming upon you when your enemies will surround you with earthworks, and encircle you, and hem you in on all sides; ⁴⁴ They will trample you down and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know 'the time of your visitation.'"

⁵ When some of them spoke about the Temple being decorated with beautiful stones and offerings, Jesus said: ⁶ "As for these things that you are looking at, a time is coming when not one stone will be left upon another here, which will not be thrown down."

⁶ "As for these things that you are looking at, a time is coming when not one stone will be left upon another here, which will not be thrown down." ⁷ So the disciples questioned Jesus: "But, Teacher, when will this be? and what sign will there be when this is near?"

⁷ So the disciples questioned Jesus: "But, Teacher, when will this be? and what sign will there be when this is near?" ⁸ And Jesus said: "See that you are not led astray; for many will take my name, and come saying 'I am He,' and 'The time is close at hand.' Do not follow them.

⁸ And Jesus said: "See that you are not led astray; for many will take my name, and come saying 'I am He,' and 'The time is close at hand.' Do not follow them. ⁹ And, when you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified, for these things must occur first; but the end will not be at once."

⁹ And, when you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified, for these things must occur first; but the end will not be at once." ¹⁰ Then he said to them: "'Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom,'

¹⁰ Then he said to them: "'Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom,' ¹¹ And there will be great earthquakes, and plagues and famines in various places, and there will be terrible appearances and signs in the heavens.

¹¹ And there will be great earthquakes, and plagues and famines in various places, and there will be terrible appearances and signs in the heavens. ¹² Before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you, and they will betray you to Synagogues and put you in prison, when you will be brought before kings and governors for the sake of my Name. ¹³ Then will be your opportunity of witnessing for me. ¹⁴ Make up your minds, therefore, not to prepare your defense;

¹⁴ Make up your minds, therefore, not to prepare your defense; ¹⁵ For I will myself give you words, and a wisdom which all your opponents together will be unable to resist or defy.

¹⁵ For I will myself give you words, and a wisdom which all your opponents together will be unable to resist or defy. ¹⁶ You will be betrayed even by your parents and brothers and relations and friends, and they will cause some of you to be put to death,

¹⁶ You will be betrayed even by your parents and brothers and relations and friends, and they will cause some of you to be put to death,

¹⁶ You will be betrayed even by your parents and brothers and relations and friends, and they will cause some of you to be put to death, ¹⁷ And you will be hated by every one on account of my Name.

¹⁷ And you will be hated by every one on account of my Name.

¹⁷ And you will be hated by every one on account of my Name. ¹⁸ Yet not a single hair of your heads shall be lost!

¹⁸ Yet not a single hair of your heads shall be lost! ¹⁹ By your endurance you shall win yourselves Life. ²⁰ As soon, however, as you see Jerusalem surrounded by armed camps, then you may know that the hour of her desecration is at hand.

²⁰ As soon, however, as you see Jerusalem surrounded by armed camps, then you may know that the hour of her desecration is at hand. ²¹ Then those of you who are in Judea must take refuge in the mountains, those who are in Jerusalem must leave at once, and those who are in the country places must not go into it.

²¹ Then those of you who are in Judea must take refuge in the mountains, those who are in Jerusalem must leave at once, and those who are in the country places must not go into it. ²² For these are to be the Days of Vengeance, when all that Scripture says will be fulfilled.

²² For these are to be the Days of Vengeance, when all that Scripture says will be fulfilled. ²³ Alas for the women that are with child, and for those that are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great suffering in the land, and anger against this people.

²³ Alas for the women that are with child, and for those that are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great suffering in the land, and anger against this people.

²³ Alas for the women that are with child, and for those that are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great suffering in the land, and anger against this people. ²⁴ They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be taken prisoners to every land, and 'Jerusalem will be under the heel of the Gentiles,' until their day is over--as it shall be.

²⁴ They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be taken prisoners to every land, and 'Jerusalem will be under the heel of the Gentiles,' until their day is over--as it shall be. ²⁵ There will be signs, too, in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth despair among the nations, in their dismay at the roar of the sea and the surge.

²⁵ There will be signs, too, in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth despair among the nations, in their dismay at the roar of the sea and the surge. ²⁶ Men's hearts will fail them through dread of what is coming upon the world; for 'the forces of the heavens will be convulsed.'

²⁶ Men's hearts will fail them through dread of what is coming upon the world; for 'the forces of the heavens will be convulsed.' ²⁷ Then will be seen the 'Son of Man coming in a cloud' with power and great glory.

²⁷ Then will be seen the 'Son of Man coming in a cloud' with power and great glory. ²⁸ And, when these things begin to occur, look upwards and lift your heads, for your deliverance will be at hand." ²⁹ Then he taught them a lesson thus-- "Look at the fig tree and all the other trees.

²⁹ Then he taught them a lesson thus-- "Look at the fig tree and all the other trees. ³⁰ As soon as they shoot, you know, as you look at them, without being told, that summer is near.

³⁰ As soon as they shoot, you know, as you look at them, without being told, that summer is near. ³¹ And so may you, as soon as you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near.

³¹ And so may you, as soon as you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. ³² I tell you that even the present generation will not pass away till all has taken place.

³² I tell you that even the present generation will not pass away till all has taken place. ³³ The heavens and the earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

³³ The heavens and the earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. ³⁴ Be on your guard lest your minds should ever be dulled by debauches or drunkenness or the anxieties of life, and lest 'That Day' should come suddenly upon you, like a snare.

³⁴ Be on your guard lest your minds should ever be dulled by debauches or drunkenness or the anxieties of life, and lest 'That Day' should come suddenly upon you, like a snare. ³⁵ For come it will upon all who are living upon the face of the whole earth. ³⁶ Be on the watch at all times, and pray that you may have strength to escape all that is destined to happen, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man."

⁴⁵ Then he rose from praying, and came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow.

²⁹ A time, I tell you, is coming, when it will be said--'Happy are the women who are barren, and those who have never borne children or nursed them!'

⁴⁰ One of the two, who heard what John said and followed Jesus, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. ⁴¹ He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him: "We have found the Messiah!" (a word which means 'Christ,' or 'Consecrated'.)

²⁷ John's answer was--"A man can gain nothing but what is given him from Heaven.

⁴⁸ Jesus answered: "Unless you all see signs and wonders, you will not believe."

⁴³ I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.

²⁴ And so I told you that you would die in your sins, for, unless you believe that I am what I am, you will die in your sins."

³ For him the watchman opens the door; and the sheep listen to his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.

¹⁶ I have other sheep besides, which do not belong to this fold; I must lead them also, and they will listen to my voice; and they shall become one flock under 'one Shepherd.'

²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me; ²⁸ And I give them Immortal Life, and they shall not be lost; nor shall any one snatch them out of my hands.

⁵² And not for the nation only, but also that he might unite in one body the Children of God now scattered far and wide.

¹ Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

²⁷ Peace be with you! My own peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, or dismayed.

²⁹ And this I have told you now before it happens, that, when it does happen, you may still believe in me.

¹⁸ If the world hates you, you know that it has first hated me. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world--that is why the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember what I said to you--'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have laid my Message to heart, they will lay yours to heart also. ²¹ But they will do all this to you, because you believe in my Name, for they do not know him who sent me.

¹ I have spoken to you in this way so that you may not falter. ² They will expel you from their Synagogues; indeed the time is coming when any one who kills you will think that he is making an offering to God.

² They will expel you from their Synagogues; indeed the time is coming when any one who kills you will think that he is making an offering to God. ³ They will do this, because they have not learned to know the Father, or even me. ⁴ But I have spoken to you of these things that, when the time for them comes, you may remember that I told you about them myself.

¹⁴ I have given them thy Message; and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world, even as I do not belong to the world.

²¹ Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus: "Master, what about this man?" ²² "If it is my will that he should wait till I come," answered Jesus, "what has that to do with you? Follow me yourself."

⁶ So, when the Apostles had met together, they asked Jesus this question--"Master, is this the time when you intend to re-establish the Kingdom for Israel?" ⁷ His answer was: "It is not for you to know times or hours, for the Father has reserved these for his own decision;

⁷ His answer was: "It is not for you to know times or hours, for the Father has reserved these for his own decision;

¹¹ And said: "Men of Galilee, why are you standing here looking up into the heavens? This very Jesus, who has been taken from you into the heavens, will come in the very way in which you have seen him go into the heavens."

⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with strange 'tongues' as the Spirit prompted their utterances.

¹⁹ And I will show wonders in the heavens above, and signs on the earth below--Blood and fire and mist of smoke; ²⁰ The sun shall become darkness, and the moon blood-red, Before the Day of the Lord comes--that great and awful day.

¹³ The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has done honor to his Servant Jesus--him whom you gave up and disowned before Pilate, when he had decided to set him free.

¹ While Peter and John were still speaking to the people, the Chief Priest, with the Officer in charge at the Temple and the Sadducees, came up to them, ² Much annoyed because they were teaching the people, and because, through Jesus, they were preaching the resurrection from the dead. ³ They arrested the Apostles and, as it was already evening, had them placed in custody till the next day. ⁴ Many, however, of those who had heard the Apostles' Message became believers in Christ, the number of the men alone amounting to about five thousand. ⁵ The next day, a meeting of the leading men, the Councillors, and the Teachers of the Law was held in Jerusalem. ⁶ There were present Annas the High Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were of High-Priestly rank. ⁷ They had Peter and John brought before them, and questioned them. "By what power," they asked, "Or in whose name have men like you done this thing?" ⁸ On this, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke as follows: "Leaders of the people and Councillors,

⁸ On this, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke as follows: "Leaders of the people and Councillors, ⁹ Since we are on our trial to-day for a kind act done to a helpless man, and are asked in what way the man here before you has been cured,

⁹ Since we are on our trial to-day for a kind act done to a helpless man, and are asked in what way the man here before you has been cured, ¹⁰ Let me tell you all and all the people of Israel, that it is by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead--it is, I say, by his Name that this man stands here before you lame no longer.

¹⁰ Let me tell you all and all the people of Israel, that it is by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead--it is, I say, by his Name that this man stands here before you lame no longer. ¹¹ Jesus is 'the stone which, scorned by you the builders, has yet become the corner stone.'

¹¹ Jesus is 'the stone which, scorned by you the builders, has yet become the corner stone.' ¹² And Salvation is in him alone; for there is no other Name in the whole world, given to men, to which we must look for our Salvation."

¹² And Salvation is in him alone; for there is no other Name in the whole world, given to men, to which we must look for our Salvation." ¹³ When the Council saw how boldly Peter and John spoke, and found that they were uneducated men of humble station, they were surprised, and realized that they had been companions of Jesus.

¹³ When the Council saw how boldly Peter and John spoke, and found that they were uneducated men of humble station, they were surprised, and realized that they had been companions of Jesus. ¹⁴ But, when they looked at the man who had been healed, standing there with them, they had nothing to say.

¹⁴ But, when they looked at the man who had been healed, standing there with them, they had nothing to say. ¹⁵ So they ordered them out of court, and then began consulting together.

¹⁵ So they ordered them out of court, and then began consulting together. ¹⁶ "What are we to do to these men?" they asked one another. "That a remarkable sign has been given through them is obvious to every one living in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

¹⁶ "What are we to do to these men?" they asked one another. "That a remarkable sign has been given through them is obvious to every one living in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ But, to prevent this thing from spreading further among the people, let us warn them not to speak in this Name any more to any one whatever."

¹⁷ But, to prevent this thing from spreading further among the people, let us warn them not to speak in this Name any more to any one whatever." ¹⁸ So they called the Apostles in, and ordered them not to speak or teach in the Name of Jesus.

¹⁸ So they called the Apostles in, and ordered them not to speak or teach in the Name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But Peter and John replied: "Whether it is right, in the sight of God, to listen to you rather than to him--

¹⁹ But Peter and John replied: "Whether it is right, in the sight of God, to listen to you rather than to him-- ²⁰ Judge for yourselves, for we cannot help speaking of what we have seen and heard."

²⁰ Judge for yourselves, for we cannot help speaking of what we have seen and heard." ²¹ However, after further warnings, the Council set them at liberty, not seeing any safe way of punishing them, because of the people, for they were all praising God for what had occurred;

²¹ However, after further warnings, the Council set them at liberty, not seeing any safe way of punishing them, because of the people, for they were all praising God for what had occurred; ²² For the man who was the subject of this miraculous cure was more than forty years old.

³¹ When their prayer was ended, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to tell God's Message fearlessly.

¹⁷ At this the High Priest was roused to action, and he and all his supporters (who formed the party of the Sadducees), moved by jealousy, ¹⁸ Arrested the Apostles, and had them placed in custody. ¹⁹ An angel of the Lord, however, opened the prison doors at night and led them out. ²⁰ "Go," he said, "and stand in the Temple Courts, and tell the people the whole Message of this new Life." ²¹ When they heard this, they went at daybreak into the Temple Courts, and began to teach. The High Priest and his party, on their arrival, summoned the High Council, including all the leading men among the Israelites, and sent to the jail to fetch the Apostles. ²² But, when the officers got there, they did not find them in the prison; so they returned and reported that, ²³ While they had found the goal barred securely and the guards posted at the doors, yet, on opening them, they had not found any one inside. ²⁴ When the Officer in charge at the Temple and the Chief Priests heard their story, they were perplexed about the Apostles and as to what all this would lead to. ²⁵ Presently, however, some one came and told them, that the men whom they had put in prison were actually standing in the Temple Courts, teaching the people. ²⁶ On this, the Officer went with his men and fetched the Apostles--without using violence, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people-- ²⁷ And then brought them before the Council. The High Priest demanded an explanation from them. ²⁸ "We gave you strict orders," he said, "not to teach in this Name. Yet you have actually flooded Jerusalem with your teaching, and you want to make us responsible for the death of this man." ²⁹ To this Peter and the Apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men. ³⁰ The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, whom you put to death by hanging him on a cross. ³¹ It is this Jesus whom God has exalted to his right hand, to be a Guide and a Savior, to give Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. ³² And we are witness to the truth of this, and so is the Holy Spirit--the gift of God to those who obey him." ³³ The members of the Council became frantic with rage on hearing this, and were for putting the Apostles to death. ³⁴ But Gamaliel, a Pharisee, who was a Doctor of the Law and who was held in universal respect, rose in the Council, and directed that the men should be taken out of court for a little while. ³⁵ He then said: "Men of Israel, take care as to what you intend to do with these men. ³⁶ For not long ago Theudas appeared, professing to be somebody, and was joined by a body of some four hundred men. But he was killed; and all his followers scattered and dwindled away.

³⁶ For not long ago Theudas appeared, professing to be somebody, and was joined by a body of some four hundred men. But he was killed; and all his followers scattered and dwindled away. ³⁷ After him, Judas the Galilean appeared at the time of the census, and induced people to follow him; Yet he, too, perished and all his followers were dispersed.

³⁷ After him, Judas the Galilean appeared at the time of the census, and induced people to follow him; Yet he, too, perished and all his followers were dispersed. ³⁸ And, in this present case, my advice to you is not to interfere with these men, but to let them alone, for, if their designs and their work are merely of human origin, they will come to an end;

³⁸ And, in this present case, my advice to you is not to interfere with these men, but to let them alone, for, if their designs and their work are merely of human origin, they will come to an end; ³⁹ But, if they are of divine origin, you will be powerless to put an end to them--or else you may find yourselves fighting against God!"

³⁹ But, if they are of divine origin, you will be powerless to put an end to them--or else you may find yourselves fighting against God!" ⁴⁰ The Council followed his advice, and, calling the Apostles in, had them flogged, and then, after cautioning them not to speak in the Name of Jesus, set them free.

¹⁰ Yet they were quite unable to withstand the wisdom and the inspiration with which he spoke. ¹¹ Then they induced some men to assert that they had heard Stephen saying blasphemous things against Moses, and against God; ¹² And they stirred up the people, as well as the Councillors and the Teachers of the Law, and set upon Stephen, and arrested him, and brought him before the High Council. ¹³ There they produced witnesses who gave false evidence. "This man," they said, "is incessantly saying things against this Holy Place and the Law; ¹⁴ Indeed, we have heard him declare that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this Place, and change the customs handed down to us by Moses."

¹⁴ Indeed, we have heard him declare that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this Place, and change the customs handed down to us by Moses." ¹⁵ The eyes of all the members of the Council were riveted upon Stephen, and they saw his face looking like the face of an angel.

¹⁵ The eyes of all the members of the Council were riveted upon Stephen, and they saw his face looking like the face of an angel.

⁵⁴ As they listened to this, the Council grew frantic with rage, and gnashed their teeth at Stephen. ⁵⁵ He, filled as he was with the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes intently on the heavens, and saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing at God's right hand.

³⁰ So Philip ran up, and he heard the Abyssinian reading the Prophet Isaiah. "Do you understand what you are reading?" he asked. ³¹ "How can I," the other answered, "unless some one will explain it to me?" and he invited Philip to get up and sit by his side.

¹ Meanwhile Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the High Priest, ² And asked him to give him letters to the Jewish congregations at Damascus, authorizing him, if he found there any supporters of the Cause, whether men or women, to have them put in chains and brought to Jerusalem.

¹³ "Lord," exclaimed Ananias, "I have heard from many people about this man--how much harm he has done at Jerusalem to your People there. ¹⁴ And, here, too, he holds authority from the Chief Priests to put in chains all those who invoke your Name."

¹⁶ I will myself show him all that he has to suffer for my Name."

²⁸ One of them, named Agabus, came forward and, under the influence of the Spirit, foretold a great famine that was to spread over all the world--a famine which occurred in the reign of Claudius.

¹ It was at that time that King Herod began to ill-treat some of the members of the Church. ² He had James, the brother of John, beheaded; ³ And, when he saw that the Jews were pleased with this, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the Festival of the Unleavened Bread.)

²⁰ And took them before the Magistrates. "These men are causing a great disturbance in our town," they complained; ²¹ "They are Jews, and they are teaching customs which it is not right for us, as Romans, to sanction or adopt." ²² On this the mob rose as one man against them, and the Magistrates stripped them of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods. ²³ After beating them severely, the Magistrates put them in prison, with orders to the Governor of the Jail to keep them in safe custody. ²⁴ On receiving so strict an order, the Governor put them into the inner cell, and secured their feet in the stocks.

³ He laid before them and explained that the Christ must undergo suffering and rise from the dead; and "It is this man," he declared, "who is the Christ--this Jesus about whom I am telling you."

²⁹ I know that, after my departure, merciless wolves will get in among you, who will not spare the flock; ³⁰ And from among yourselves, too, men will arise, who will teach perversions of truth, so as to draw away the disciples after them. ³¹ Therefore, be on your guard, remembering how for three years, night and day, I never ceased, even with tears, to warn each one of you.

¹¹ He came to see us, and, taking Paul's girdle, and binding his own feet and hands with it, said: "This is what the Holy Spirit says--'The man to whom this girdle belongs will be bound like this at Jerusalem by the Jews, and they will give him up to the Gentiles'."

³¹ They were bent upon killing him, when it was reported to the Officer commanding the garrison, that all Jerusalem was in commotion. ³² He instantly got together some officers and men, and charged down upon the crowd, who, when they saw the Commanding Officer and his men, stopped beating Paul. ³³ Then he went up to Paul, arrested him, ordered him to be doubly chained, and proceeded to inquire who he was, and what he had been doing. ³⁴ Some of the crowd said one thing, and some another; and, as he could get no definite reply on account of the uproar, he ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks. ³⁵ When Paul reached the steps, he was actually being carried by the soldiers, owing to the violence of the mob; ³⁶ For the people were following in a mass, shouting out: "Kill him!" ³⁷ Just as he was about to be taken into the Fort, Paul said to the Commanding Officer: "May I speak to you?" "Do you know Greek?" asked the Commanding Officer. ³⁸ "Are not you, then, the Egyptian who some time ago raised an insurrection and led the four thousand Bandits out into the Wilderness?" ³⁹ "No," said Paul, "I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of a city of some note; and I beg you to give me permission to speak to the people." ⁴⁰ The Commanding Officer gave his permission, and Paul, standing on the steps, made signs with his hand to the people, and, when comparative silence had been obtained, he spoke to them in Hebrew, as follows:

¹⁹ 'Lord,' I answered, 'these people know that I used to imprison and scourge, in Synagogue after Synagogue, those who believed in you; ²⁰ And, when the blood of your martyr, Stephen, was being shed, I was myself standing by, approving of his death, and took charge of the clothes of those who were murdering him.

¹ Paul fixed his eyes upon the Council, and began: "Brothers, for my part, I have always ordered my life before God, with a clear conscience, up to this very day." ² At this, the High Priest Ananias ordered the men standing near to strike him on the mouth;

¹ Five days afterwards the High Priest Ananias came down with some of the Councillors and a barrister named Tertullus. They laid an information with the Governor against Paul; ² And, when the hearing came on, Tertullus began his speech for the prosecution. ³ "We owe it to your Excellency," he said, "that we are enjoying profound peace, and we owe it to your foresight that this nation is constantly securing reforms--advantages which we very gratefully accept at all times and places. ⁴ But--not to be tedious--I beg you, with your accustomed fairness, to listen to a brief statement of our case. ⁵ We have found this man a public pest; he is one who stirs up disputes among the Jews all the world over, and is a ringleader of the Nazarene heretics. ⁶ He even attempted to desecrate the Temple itself, but we caught him; ⁷ OMITTED TEXT ⁸ And you will be able, by examining him on all these points, to satisfy yourself as to the charges which we are bringing against him." ⁹ The Jews also joined in the attack and bore out his statements.

¹ Three days after Festus had entered upon his province, he left Caesarea and went up to Jerusalem. ² There the Chief Priests and the leading men among the Jews laid an information before him against Paul, ³ And asked a favor of him, to Paul's injury--to have Paul brought to Jerusalem. All the while they were plotting to make away with him on the road. ⁴ But Festus answered that Paul was in prison at Caesarea, and that he himself would be leaving for that place shortly. ⁵ "So let the influential men among you," he said, "go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, charge him formally with it." ⁶ After staying among them some eight or ten days, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he took his seat on the Bench, and ordered Paul to be brought before him. ⁷ On Paul's appearance, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him, and made many serious charges, which they failed to establish. ⁸ Paul's answer to the charge was--'I have not committed any offence against the Jewish Law, or the Temple, or the Emperor.' ⁹ But, as Festus wished to gain popularity with the Jews, he interrupted Paul with the question: "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried on these charges before me there?" ¹⁰ "No," replied Paul, "I am standing at the Emperor's Bar, where I ought to be tried. I have not wronged the Jews, as you yourself are well aware. ¹¹ If, however, I am breaking the law and have committed any offence deserving death, I do not ask to escape the penalty; but, if there is nothing in the accusations of these people, no one has the power to give me up to them. I appeal to the Emperor." ¹² Upon that, Festus, after conferring with his Council, answered: "You have appealed to the Emperor; to the Emperor you shall go." ¹³ Some days later King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea, and paid a visit of congratulation to Festus; ¹⁴ And, as they were staying there for several days, Festus laid Paul's case before the King. "There is a man here," he said, "left a prisoner by Felix, ¹⁵ About whom, when I came to Jerusalem, the Jewish Chief Priest and the Councillors laid an information, demanding judgment against him. ¹⁶ My answer to them was, that it was not the practice of Romans to give up any man to his accusers till the accused had met them face to face, and had also had an opportunity of answering the charges brought against him. ¹⁷ So they met here, and without loss of time I took my seat on the Bench the very next day, and ordered the man to be brought before me. ¹⁸ But, when his accusers came forward, they brought no charge of wrong-doing such as I had expected; ¹⁹ But I found that there were certain questions in dispute between them about their own religion, and about some dead man called Jesus, whom Paul declared to be alive. ²⁰ And, as I was at a loss how to enquire into questions of this kind, I asked Paul if he were willing to go up to Jerusalem, and there be put upon his trial. ²¹ Paul, however, appealed to have his case reserved for the consideration of his August Majesty, so I ordered him to be detained in custody, until I could send him to the Emperor." ²² "I should like to hear this man myself," Agrippa said to Festus. "You shall hear him to-morrow," Festus answered. ²³ So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come in full state and had entered the Audience Chamber, with the superior officers and the principal people of the city, by the order of Festus Paul was brought before them. ²⁴ Then Festus said: "King Agrippa, and all here present, you see before you the man about whom the whole Jewish people have applied to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly asserting that he ought not to be allowed to live. ²⁵ I found, however, that he had not done anything deserving death; so, as he had himself appealed to his August Majesty, I decided to send him. ²⁶ But I have nothing definite to write about him to my Imperial Master; and for that reason I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examining him, I may have something to write.

¹⁸ So violently were we tossed about by the storm, that the next day they began throwing the cargo overboard, ¹⁹ And, on the following day, threw out the ship's tackle with their own hands.

³⁸ After satisfying their hunger, they further lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

⁸ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ about you all, because the report of your faith is spreading throughout the world.

⁷ To those who, by perseverance in doing good, aim at glory, honor, and all that is imperishable, he will give Immortal Life;

³³ Who will bring a charge against any of God's People? He who pronounces them righteous is God!

¹⁸ But I ask 'Is it possible that men have never heard?' No, indeed, for--'Their voices spread through all the earth, and their Message to the very ends of the world.'

⁵ And so in our own time, too, there is to be found a remnant of our nation selected by God in love. ⁶ But if in love, then no longer as a result of obedience. Otherwise love would cease to be love. ⁷ What follows from this? Why, that Israel as a nation failed to secure what it was seeking, while those whom God selected did secure it.

²³ And they, too, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in; for God has it in his power to graft them in again. ²⁴ If you were cut off from your natural stock--a wild olive-- and were grafted, contrary to the course of nature, upon a good olive, much more will they--the natural branches--be grafted back into their parent tree.

²⁸ From the stand-point of the Good News, the Jews are God's enemies on your account; but from the stand-point of God's selection, they are dear to him on account of the Patriarchs. ²⁹ For God never regrets his gifts or his Call. ³⁰ Just as you at one time were disobedient to him, but have now found mercy in the day of their disobedience; ³¹ So, too, they have now become disobedient in your day of mercy, in order that they also in their turn may now find mercy. ³² For God has given all alike over to disobedience, that to all alike he may show mercy.

⁴ For, just as in the human body there is a union of many parts, and each part has its own function, ⁵ So we, by our union in Christ, many though we are, form but one body, and individually we are related one to another as its parts. ⁶ Since our gifts differ in accordance with the particular charge entrusted to us, if our gift is to preach, let our preaching correspond to our faith; ⁷ If it is to minister to others, let us devote ourselves to our ministry; the teacher to his teaching, ⁸ The speaker to his exhortation. Let the man who gives in charity do so with a generous heart; let him who is in authority exercise due diligence; let him who shows kindness do so in a cheerful spirit.

⁶ This, too, is the reason for your paying taxes; for the officials are God's officers, devoting themselves to this special work.

¹¹ This I say, because you know the crisis that we have reached, for the time has already come for you to rouse yourselves from sleep; our Salvation is nearer now than when we accepted the Faith.

¹¹ This I say, because you know the crisis that we have reached, for the time has already come for you to rouse yourselves from sleep; our Salvation is nearer now than when we accepted the Faith. ¹² The night is almost gone; the day is near. Therefore let us have done with the deeds of Darkness, and arm ourselves with the weapons of Light.

¹² The night is almost gone; the day is near. Therefore let us have done with the deeds of Darkness, and arm ourselves with the weapons of Light. ¹³ Being in the light of Day, let us live becomingly, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lust and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. ¹⁴ No! Arm yourselves with the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, and spend no thought on your earthly nature, to satisfy its cravings.

¹⁴ No! Arm yourselves with the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, and spend no thought on your earthly nature, to satisfy its cravings.

¹⁹ By my words and actions, through the power displayed in signs and marvels, and through the power of the Holy Spirit. And so, starting from Jerusalem and its neighborhood, and going as far as Illyria, I have told in full the Good News of the Christ;

¹³ And we speak of these gifts, not in language taught by human philosophy, but in language taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things in spiritual words.

⁵ What, I ask, is Apollos? or what is Paul? Servants through whom you were led to accept the Faith; and that only as the Lord helped each of you. ⁶ I planted, and Apollos watered, but it was God who caused the growth. ⁷ Therefore neither the man who plants, nor the man who waters, is of any account, but only God who causes the growth. ⁸ In this the man who plants and the man who waters are one; yet each will receive his own reward in proportion to his own labor. ⁹ For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's harvest field, God's building. ¹⁰ In fulfillment of the charge which God had entrusted to me, I laid the foundation like a skillful master-builder; but another man is now building upon it. Let every one take care how he builds;

⁹ For, as it seems to me, God has exhibited us, the Apostles, last of all, as men doomed to death. We are made a spectacle to the universe, both to angels and to men! ¹⁰ We, for Christ's sake, are 'fools,' but you, by your union with Christ, are men of discernment. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are despised. ¹¹ To this very hour we go hungry, thirsty, and naked; we are beaten; we are homeless; ¹² We work hard, toiling with our own hands. We meet abuse with blessings, we meet persecution with endurance, ¹³ We meet slander with gentle appeals. We have been treated as the scum of the earth, the vilest of the vile, to this very hour.

⁴ Gifts differ, but the Spirit is the same; ⁵ Ways of serving differ, yet the Master is the same; ⁶ Results differ, yet the God who brings about every result is in every case the same. ⁷ To each man there is given spiritual illumination for the general good. ⁸ To one is given the power to speak with wisdom through the Spirit; to another the power to speak with knowledge, due to the same Spirit; ⁹ To another faith by the same Spirit; to another power to cure diseases by the one Spirit; to another supernatural powers; ¹⁰ To another the gift of preaching; to another the gift of distinguishing between true and false inspiration; to another varieties of the gift of 'tongues'; to another the power to interpret 'tongues.' ¹¹ All these result from one and the same Spirit, who distributes his gifts to each individually as he wills. ¹² For just as the human body is one whole, and yet has many parts, and all its parts, many though they are, form but one body, so it is with the Christ; ¹³ For it was by one Spirit that we were all baptized to form one Body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free men, and were all imbued with one Spirit. ¹⁴ The human body, I repeat, consists not of one part, but of many. ¹⁵ If the foot says 'Since I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' it does not on that account cease to belong to the body. ¹⁶ Or if the ear says 'Since I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' it does not on that account cease to belong to the body. ¹⁷ If all the body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If it were all hearing, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed each individual part just where he thought fit in the body. ¹⁹ If, however, they all made up only one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ But in fact, although it has many parts, there is only one body. ²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand 'I do not need you,' nor, again, the head to the feet 'I do not need you.' ²² No! Those parts of the body that seem naturally the weaker are indispensable; ²³ And those parts which we deem less honorable we surround with special honor; and our ungraceful parts receive a special grace which our graceful parts do not require. ²⁴ Yes, God has so constructed the body--by giving a special honor to the part that lacks it- ²⁵ As to secure that there should be no disunion in the body, but that the parts should show the same care for one another. ²⁶ If one part suffers, all the others suffer with it, and if one part has honor done it, all the others share its joy. ²⁷ Together you are the Body of Christ, and individually its parts. ²⁸ In the Church God has appointed, first, Apostles, secondly Preachers, thirdly Teachers; then he has given supernatural powers, then power to cure diseases, aptness for helping others, capacity to govern, varieties of the gift of 'tongues.' ²⁹ Can every one be an Apostle? can every one be a Preacher? can every one be a Teacher? can every one have supernatural powers? ³⁰ Can every one have power to cure diseases? can every one speak in 'tongues'? can every one interpret them? ³¹ Strive for the greater gifts. Yet I can still show you a way beyond all comparison the best.

⁷ Even with inanimate things, such as a flute or a harp, though they produce sounds, yet unless the notes are quite distinct, how can the tune played on the flute or the harp be recognized? ⁸ If the bugle sounds a doubtful call, who will prepare for battle?

²⁰ Brothers, do not show yourselves children in understanding. In wickedness be infants, but in understanding show yourselves men.

³³ Do not be deceived. 'Good character is marred by evil company.'

⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear Brothers, stand firm, unshaken, always diligent in the Lord's work, for you know that, in union with him, your toil is not in vain.

¹³ Be watchful; stand firm in your faith; show yourselves men; be strong.

²³ Are they 'Servants of Christ'? Though it is madness to talk like this, I am more so than they! I have had more of toil, more of imprisonment! I have been flogged times without number. I have been often at death's door. ²⁴ Five times I received at the hands of the Jews forty lashes, all but one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a whole day and night in the deep. ²⁶ My journeys have been many. I have been through dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in towns, dangers in the country, dangers on the sea, dangers among false Brothers. ²⁷ I have been through toil and hardship. I have passed many a sleepless night; I have endured hunger and thirst; I have often been without food; I have known cold and nakedness.

⁹ Let us never tire of doing right, for at the proper season we shall reap our harvest, if we do not grow weary.

⁵ In former generations it was not made known to mankind, as fully as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to the Apostles and Prophets among Christ's People--

⁶ Do not let any one deceive you with specious arguments. Those are the sins that bring down the Wrath of God upon the disobedient.

¹⁴ For everything that has its true character made manifest is clear as light. And that is why it is said--'Sleeper, awake! Arise from the dead, and the Christ shall give thee light!'

¹⁸ Pray in spirit at all times. Be intent upon this, with unwearying perseverance and supplication for all Christ's People- - ¹⁹ And on my behalf also, that, when I begin to speak, words may be given me, so that I may fearlessly make known the inmost truth of the Good News, ²⁰ On behalf of which I am an Ambassador--in chains! Pray that, in telling it, I may speak fearlessly as I ought.

²⁹ For, on behalf of Christ, you have had the privilege granted you, not only of trusting in him, but also of suffering on his behalf.

⁷ But all the things which I once held to be gains I have now, for the Christ's sake, come to count as loss. ⁸ More than that, I count everything as loss, for the sake of the exceeding value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. And for his sake I have lost everything, and count it as refuse, if I may but gain Christ and be found in union with him;

⁶ Bearing fruit and growing, as it does, through all the world, just as it did among you, from the very day that you heard of God's loving-kindness, and understood what that loving-kindness really is.

²³ If only you remain true to your Faith, firm and immovable, never abandoning the hope held out in the Good News to which you listened, which has been proclaimed among all created things under Heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

⁸ Take care there is not some one who will carry you away by his 'philosophy'--a hollow sham!--following, as it does, mere human traditions, and dealing with puerile questions of this world, and not with Christ.

¹² Therefore, as God's People, consecrated and dear to him, clothe yourselves with tenderness of heart, kindliness, humility, gentleness, forbearance;

²⁴ Since you know that it is from the Master that you will receive the inheritance which will be your recompense. You are serving Christ, the Master.

¹ Masters, do what is right and fair by your slaves, for you know that you also have a Master--in Heaven.

¹⁴ For, as we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also we believe that God will bring, with Jesus, those who through him have passed to their rest. ¹⁵ This we tell you on the authority of the Lord--that those of us who are still living at the Coming of the Lord will not anticipate those who have passed to their rest. ¹⁶ For, with a loud summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the trumpet-call of God, the Lord himself will come down from Heaven.

¹⁶ For, with a loud summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the trumpet-call of God, the Lord himself will come down from Heaven. ¹⁷ Then those who died in union with Christ shall rise first; and afterwards we who are still living shall be caught up in the clouds, with them, to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall be for ever with the Lord.

¹ But as to the times and the moments, there is no need, Brothers, for any one to write to you. ² You yourselves know well that the Day of the Lord will come just as a thief comes in the night. ³ When people are saying 'All is quiet and safe,' it is then that, like birth-pains upon a woman with child, Ruin comes suddenly upon them, and there will be no escape!

⁵ For you all are 'Sons of Light' and 'Sons of the Day.' We have nothing to do with night, or darkness. ⁶ Therefore let us not sleep as others do. No, let us be watchful and self-controlled.

⁶ Therefore let us not sleep as others do. No, let us be watchful and self-controlled. ⁷ It is at night that men sleep, and at night that drunkards get drunk.

⁷ It is at night that men sleep, and at night that drunkards get drunk. ⁸ But let us, who belong to the Day, control ourselves, and put on faith and love as a breast plate, and the hope of Salvation as a helmet.

⁵ These persecutions will vindicate the justice of God's judgment, and will result in your being reckoned worthy of God's Kingdom, for the sake of which you are now afflicted;

⁷ And to give relief to you who are suffering, as well as to us, at the Appearing of the Lord Jesus from Heaven with his mighty angels, 'in flaming fire.' ⁸ Then he will 'inflict punishment upon those who refuse to know God, and upon those who turn a deaf ear' to the Good News of Jesus, our Lord. ⁹ These men will pay the penalty of unutterable Ruin--banished 'from the presence of the Lord and from the glorious manifestation of his might, ¹⁰ When he comes to be honour ed in his People,' and to be revered in all who have learned to believe in him (for you also believed our testimony)--as he will be on 'That Day.'

¹ As to the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our being gathered to meet him, we beg you, Brothers,

³ Do not let any one deceive you, whatever he may do. For it will not come until after the Great Apostasy, and the appearing of that Incarnation of Wickedness, that the Lost soul,

⁸ Then will 'Wickedness Incarnate' appear, but the Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of his lips, and annihilate him by the splendor of his Coming. ⁹ For at the Coming of the Lord there will be great activity on the part of Satan, in the form of all kinds of deceptive miracles, signs, and marvels, as well as of wicked attempts to delude-- ¹⁰ to the ruin of those who are on the path to destruction, because they have never received and loved the Truth to their own Salvation. ¹¹ That is why God places them under the influence of a delusion, to cause them to believe a lie; ¹² So that sentence may be passed on all those who refuse to believe the Truth, but delight in wickedness. ¹³ But, Brothers, whom the Lord loves, it is our duty always to thank God about you, for, from the first, God chose you for Salvation through the purifying influence of the Spirit, and your belief in the Truth. ¹⁴ To this you were called by the Good News which we brought you, to attain to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁰ and that is why I submit to anything for the sake of God's People, that they also may obtain the Salvation which comes from union with Christ Jesus, and imperishable glory.

¹³ If we lose our trust, he is still to be trusted, for he cannot be false to himself!'

¹⁹ Yet God's firm foundation still stands unmoved, and it bears this inscription-- 'THE LORD KNOWS THOSE WHO ARE HIS'; and this-- 'LET ALL THOSE WHO USE THE NAME OF THE LORD TURN AWAY FROM WICKEDNESS.'

² and is based on the hope of Immortal Life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began,

¹⁰ Again-- 'Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands. ¹¹ They shall perish, but thou remainest; As a garment they shall all grow old; ¹² As a mantle thou wilt fold them up, And as a garment they shall be changed, But thou art the same, and thy years shall know no end.'

¹⁴ For we now all share in the Christ, if indeed we retain, unshaken to the end, the confidence that we had at the first.

²⁵ And let us not, as some do, cease to meet together; but, on the contrary, let us encourage one another, and all the more, now that you see the Day drawing near. ²⁶ Remember, if we sin willfully after we have gained a full knowledge of the Truth, there can be no further sacrifice for sin; ²⁷ there is only a fearful anticipation of judgment, and a burning indignation which will destroy all opponents. ²⁸ When a man disregarded the Law of Moses, he was, on the evidence of two or three witnesses, put to death without pity. ²⁹ How much worse then, think you, will be the punishment deserved by those who have trampled underfoot the Son of God, who have treated the blood that rendered the Covenant valid--the very blood by which they were purified--as of no account, and who have outraged the Spirit of Love? ³⁰ We know who it was that said-- 'It is for me to avenge, I will requite'; and again-- 'The Lord will judge his people.' ³¹ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. ³² Call to mind those early days in which, after you had received the Light, you patiently underwent a long and painful conflict. ³³ Sometimes, in consequence of the taunts and injuries heaped upon you, you became a public spectacle; and sometimes you suffered through having shown yourselves to be the friends of men who were in the very position in which you had been. ³⁴ For you not only sympathized with those who were in prison, but you even took the confiscation of your possessions joyfully, knowing, as you did, that you had in yourselves a greater possession and a lasting one. ³⁵ Do not, therefore, abandon the confidence that you have gained, for it has a great reward awaiting it. ³⁶ You still have need of patient endurance, in order that, when you have done God's will, you may obtain the fulfillment of his promise. ³⁷ 'For there is indeed but a very little while ere He who is coming will have come, without delay;

³⁹ But we do not belong to those who draw back, to their Ruin, but to those who have faith, to the saving of their souls.

⁷ It was faith that enabled Noah, after he had received the divine warning about what could not then be foreseen, to build, in reverent obedience, an ark in which to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world, and became possessed of that righteousness which follows upon faith.

¹⁵ Take care that no one fails to use the loving help of God, 'that no bitterness is allowed to take root and spring up, and cause trouble,' and so poison the whole community.

⁵ If one of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask wisdom from the God who gives freely to every one without reproaches, and it will be given to him.

¹² Blessed is the man who remains firm under temptation, for, when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of Life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him.

⁹ Do not make complaints against one another, Brothers, or judgment will be passed upon you. The Judge is already standing at the door!

² and who were chosen in accordance with the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the consecration of the Spirit, to learn obedience, and to be purified by the sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ, from Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ. May blessing and peace be yours in ever-increasing measure.

¹² And it was revealed to them that it was not for themselves, but for you, that they were acting as Ministers of the truths which have now been told to you, by those who, with the help of the Holy Spirit sent from Heaven, have brought you the Good News--truths into which even angels long to look.

⁷ But the end of all things is near. Therefore exercise self-restraint and be calm, that you may be able to pray.

¹⁷ For the time has come for judgment to begin with the House of God; and, if it begins with us, what will be the end of those who reject God's Good News? ¹⁸ If 'a good man is saved only with difficulty, what will become of the godless and the sinful?'

⁸ Exercise self-control, be watchful. Your adversary, the Devil, like a roaring lion, is prowling about, eager to devour you.

¹⁰ The Day of the Lord will come like a thief; and on that day the heavens will pass away with a crash, the elements will be burnt up and dissolved, and the earth and all that is in it will be disclosed.

¹⁰ The Day of the Lord will come like a thief; and on that day the heavens will pass away with a crash, the elements will be burnt up and dissolved, and the earth and all that is in it will be disclosed. ¹¹ Now, since all these things are in the process of dissolution, think what you yourselves ought to be--what holy and pious lives you ought to lead, ¹² while you await and hasten the coming of the Day of God. At its coming the heavens will be dissolved in fire, and the elements melted by heat,

¹² while you await and hasten the coming of the Day of God. At its coming the heavens will be dissolved in fire, and the elements melted by heat,

¹⁷ Do you, therefore, dear friends, now that you know this beforehand, be on your guard against being led away by the errors of reckless people, and so lapsing from your present steadfastness;

¹⁹ From us, it is true, they went out, but they had never belonged to us; for, if they had belonged to us, they would have remained among us. They left us that it might be made clear that they do not, any of them, belong to us.

²⁶ In writing thus to you, I have in mind those who are trying to mislead you.

¹³ Do not wonder, Brothers, if the world hates you.

¹ Dear friends, do not trust every inspiration, but test each inspiration, to see whether it proceeds from God; because many false Prophets have gone out into the world.

¹ The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him to make known to his servants, concerning what must shortly take place, and which he sent and revealed by his angel to his servant John,

³ Blessed is he who reads, and blessed are they who listen to, the words of this prophecy, and lay to heart what is here written; for The Time is near.

⁷ 'He is coming among the clouds!' Every eye shall see him, even those who pierced him; 'and all the nations of the earth shall wail for fear of him.' So shall it be. Amen.

⁹ I, John, who am your Brother, and who share with you in the suffering and kingship and endurance of Jesus, found myself on the island called Patmos, for the sake of the Message of God and the testimony to Jesus.

¹⁰ Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The Devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tempted, and may undergo persecution for ten days. Be faithful even to death, and I will give you the Crown of Life.

¹³ I know where you dwell, where the Throne of Satan stands. And yet you hold to my Name, and you did not disown my Faith even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death among you where Satan dwells.

² Be on the watch, and strengthen what still survives, though once it was all but dead; for I have not found your life perfect in the eyes of my God. ³ Therefore remember what you have received and heard, and lay it to heart and repent. Unless you are on the watch, I shall come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I am coming to you.

⁷ To the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia write:-- "These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds 'the Key of David, who opens and no one shall shut, and shuts and no one opens':--

¹⁰ Because you kept in mind the story of my endurance, I will keep you in the hour of trial that is about to come upon the whole world, the hour that will test all who are living upon earth.

⁴ Then there went out another horse, 'a red horse,' and to its rider was given the power to deprive the earth of peace, so that men should kill one another; and he was given a great sword.

⁹ When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the sake of God's Message and for the testimony which they had borne. ¹⁰ They cried in a loud voice--'How long, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, before thou wilt give judgment and avenge our blood upon all who are living upon the earth?' ¹¹ Then to each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to rest yet a little longer, till the number of their fellow-servants and of their Brothers who were about to be put to death, as they had been, should be complete. ¹² And I saw the Lamb break the sixth seal, and then there was a great earthquake. The sun became black, like sackcloth, and the moon, which was at its full, like blood. ¹³ 'The stars of the heavens fell' to the earth, as when a fig-tree, shaken by a strong wind, drops its unripe fruit.

¹³ 'The stars of the heavens fell' to the earth, as when a fig-tree, shaken by a strong wind, drops its unripe fruit. ¹⁴ The heavens disappeared like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place.

¹ After this, I saw four angels standing 'upon the four corners of the earth,' restraining the four winds of the earth, that no wind should blow over the earth, or over the sea, or against any tree. ² And, in the east, I saw another angel, ascending, holding the seal of the Living God; and he cried in a loud voice to the four angels, to whom there had been given power to harm the earth and the sea-- ³ 'Do not harm the earth, or the sea, or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads.'

⁵ From the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, ⁶ From the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Napthali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, ⁷ From the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, ⁸ From the tribe of Zebulon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed. ⁹ After this, in my vision, I saw a vast throng which no man could number, of men from every nation and of all tribes, and peoples, and languages. They stood in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, robed in white, holding palm branches in their hands.

² But omit the court outside the Temple, and do not measure that, for it has been given up to the nations; and the holy City will be under their heel for forty-two months.

⁸ All who are living on earth will worship it--all whose names have not been written in the Lamb's Book of Life, the Lamb that has been sacrificed from the foundation of the world.

¹³ It performs great marvels, even causing fire to fall from the heavens to the earth, before men's eyes; ¹⁴ and in consequence of the marvels which it was allowed to perform under the eyes of the Beast, it is able to deceive all who are living on the earth. It bids those who live on the earth to make a statue in honour of the Beast, who, despite the wound from the sword, yet lived.

¹⁸ (Here there is need for discernment.) Let him who has the ability compute the number of the Beast; for the number indicates a man's name. Its number is six hundred and sixty-six.

⁶ Then I saw another angel, flying in mid-heaven. He had the Good News, decreed from eternity, to announce to those who dwell on the earth--to men of every nation, and tribe, and language, and people;

⁶ and out of it came the seven angels with the seven Curses. They were adorned with precious stones, pure and bright, and had golden girdles round their breasts. ⁷ One of the four Creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls, filled with the Wrath of God who lives for ever and ever.

¹⁵ ('I am coming like a thief! Happy will he be who is on the watch, and keeps his clothing at hand, so that he will not have to walk about unclothed and let men see his nakedness.')

⁸ The Beast that you saw was, but is not, and is about to rise out of the bottomless pit, and is on its way to destruction. Those who are living on earth will be amazed--those whose names have not been written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world--when they see that the Beast was, but is not, and yet will come.'

⁷ When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be let loose from his prison, ⁸ and he will come out to deceive the nations that live in 'the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog.' He will come to gather them together for battle; and their number will be as great as the sand on the sea-shore.

¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne, and him who was seated on it. 'The earth and the heavens fled from his presence; no place was left for them.'