Matthew 13 Cross References - WEB

¹ On that day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the seaside. ² Great multitudes gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat, and sat, and all the multitude stood on the beach. ³ He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, a farmer went out to sow. ⁴ As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them. ⁵ Others fell on rocky ground, where they didn’t have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth. ⁶ When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away. ⁷ Others fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them. ⁸ Others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. ⁹ He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” ¹⁰ The disciples came, and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” ¹¹ He answered them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them. ¹² For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he has. ¹³ Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t hear, neither do they understand. ¹⁴ In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, ‘By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive: ¹⁵ for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again; and I would heal them.’ ¹⁶ “But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. ¹⁷ For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them. ¹⁸ “Hear, then, the parable of the farmer. ¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom, and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes, and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside. ²⁰ What was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word, and immediately with joy receives it; ²¹ yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. ²² What was sown among the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. ²³ What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word, and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit, and produces, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.” ²⁴ He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, ²⁵ but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds also among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ But when the blade sprang up and produced fruit, then the darnel weeds appeared also. ²⁷ The servants of the householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where did these darnel weeds come from?’ ²⁸ “He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them up?’ ²⁹ “But he said, ‘No, lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel weeds, you root up the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First, gather up the darnel weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” ³¹ He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field; ³² which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches.” ³³ He spoke another parable to them. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, until it was all leavened.” ³⁴ Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes; and without a parable, he didn’t speak to them, ³⁵ that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.” ³⁶ Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the darnel weeds of the field.” ³⁷ He answered them, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, ³⁸ the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the Kingdom; and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one. ³⁹ The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰ As therefore the darnel weeds are gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the end of this age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity, ⁴² and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. ⁴⁴ “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field. ⁴⁵ “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls, ⁴⁶ who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it. ⁴⁷ “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet, that was cast into the sea, and gathered some fish of every kind, ⁴⁸ which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach. They sat down, and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away. ⁴⁹ So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked from among the righteous, ⁵⁰ and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.” ⁵¹ Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They answered him, “Yes, Lord.” ⁵² He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things.” ⁵³ When Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there. ⁵⁴ Coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom, and these mighty works? ⁵⁵ Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers, James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? ⁵⁶ Aren’t all of his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all of these things?” ⁵⁷ They were offended by him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and in his own house.” ⁵⁸ He didn’t do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

²⁸ When he had come into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They told him, “Yes, Lord.”

¹ On that day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the seaside. ² Great multitudes gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat, and sat, and all the multitude stood on the beach. ³ He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, a farmer went out to sow. ⁴ As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them. ⁵ Others fell on rocky ground, where they didn’t have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth. ⁶ When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away. ⁷ Others fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them. ⁸ Others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. ⁹ He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” ¹⁰ The disciples came, and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” ¹¹ He answered them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them. ¹² For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he has. ¹³ Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t hear, neither do they understand. ¹⁴ In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, ‘By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive: ¹⁵ for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again; and I would heal them.’

³⁶ Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the darnel weeds of the field.”

¹³ He went out again by the seaside. All the multitude came to him, and he taught them.

¹ Again he began to teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea, and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea. ² He taught them many things in parables, and told them in his teaching, ³ “Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow, ⁴ and as he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and devoured it. ⁵ Others fell on the rocky ground, where it had little soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil. ⁶ When the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. ⁷ Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. ⁸ Others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some produced thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times as much.” ⁹ He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.” ¹⁰ When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. ¹¹ He said to them, “To you is given the mystery of God’s Kingdom, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables, ¹² that ‘seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.’”

⁴ When a great multitude came together, and people from every city were coming to him, he spoke by a parable. ⁵ “The farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the road, and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it. ⁶ Other seed fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture. ⁷ Other fell amid the thorns, and the thorns grew with it, and choked it. ⁸ Other fell into the good ground, and grew, and produced one hundred times as much fruit.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” ⁹ Then his disciples asked him, “What does this parable mean?” ¹⁰ He said, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of God’s Kingdom, but to the rest in parables; that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’

¹⁰ The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs. To him will the obedience of the peoples be.

²⁵ Great multitudes from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

³⁰ Great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others, and they put them down at his feet. He healed them,

¹ Again he began to teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea, and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea.

³ He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

⁴ When a great multitude came together, and people from every city were coming to him, he spoke by a parable. ⁵ “The farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the road, and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it. ⁶ Other seed fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture. ⁷ Other fell amid the thorns, and the thorns grew with it, and choked it. ⁸ Other fell into the good ground, and grew, and produced one hundred times as much fruit.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

⁸ The trees set out to anoint a king over themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ ⁹ “But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I stop producing my oil, with which they honor God and man by me, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’ ¹⁰ “The trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and reign over us.’ ¹¹ “But the fig tree said to them, ‘Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’ ¹² “The trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.’ ¹³ “The vine said to them, ‘Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’ ¹⁴ “Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come and reign over us.’ ¹⁵ “The bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’ ¹⁶ “Now therefore, if you have dealt truly and righteously, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands ¹⁷ (for my father fought for you, risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian; ¹⁸ and you have risen up against my father’s house today and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother); ¹⁹ if you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal and with his house today, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you; ²⁰ but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from the house of Millo and devour Abimelech.”

¹ Yahweh sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. ² The rich man had very many flocks and herds, ³ but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him, and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was like a daughter to him. ⁴ A traveler came to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to prepare for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” ⁵ David’s anger burned hot against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As Yahweh lives, the man who has done this deserves to die! ⁶ He must restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity!” ⁷ Nathan said to David, “You are the man. This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.

⁴ I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will solve my riddle on the harp.

² I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old,

¹ Let me sing for my well beloved a song of my beloved about his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. ² He dug it up, gathered out its stones, planted it with the choicest vine, built a tower in the middle of it, and also cut out a wine press in it. He looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. ³ “Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, please judge between me and my vineyard. ⁴ What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? Why, when I looked for it to yield grapes, did it yield wild grapes? ⁵ Now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will take away its hedge, and it will be eaten up. I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled down. ⁶ I will lay it a wasteland. It won’t be pruned or hoed, but it will grow briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain on it.” ⁷ For the vineyard of Yahweh of Armies is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for justice, but, behold, oppression; for righteousness, but, behold, a cry of distress.

² “Son of man, tell a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel;

⁴⁹ Then I said, “Ah Lord Yahweh! They say of me, ‘Isn’t he a speaker of parables?’”

³ Utter a parable to the rebellious house, and tell them, ‘The Lord Yahweh says, “Put the cauldron on the fire. Put it on, and also pour water into it. ⁴ Gather its pieces into it, even every good piece: the thigh and the shoulder. Fill it with the choice bones. ⁵ Take the choice of the flock, and also a pile of wood for the bones under the cauldron. Make it boil well. Yes, let its bones be boiled within it.” ⁶ “‘Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: “Woe to the bloody city, to the cauldron whose rust is in it, and whose rust hasn’t gone out of it! Take out of it piece after piece. No lot is fallen on it. ⁷ “‘“For her blood is in the middle of her. She set it on the bare rock. She didn’t pour it on the ground, to cover it with dust. ⁸ That it may cause wrath to come up to take vengeance, I have set her blood on the bare rock, that it should not be covered.” ⁹ “‘Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: “Woe to the bloody city! I also will make the pile great. ¹⁰ Heap on the wood. Make the fire hot. Boil the meat well. Make the broth thick, and let the bones be burned. ¹¹ Then set it empty on its coals, that it may be hot, and its bronze may burn, and that its filthiness may be molten in it, that its rust may be consumed. ¹² She is weary with toil; yet her great rust, rust by fire, doesn’t leave her. ¹³ “‘“In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you and you weren’t cleansed, you won’t be cleansed from your filthiness any more, until I have caused my wrath toward you to rest. ¹⁴ I, Yahweh, have spoken it. It will happen, and I will do it. I won’t go back. I won’t spare. I won’t repent. According to your ways, and according to your doings, they will judge you,” says the Lord Yahweh.’”

⁴ In that day they will take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, saying, ‘We are utterly ruined! My people’s possession is divided up. Indeed he takes it from me and assigns our fields to traitors!’”

⁶ Won’t all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases that which is not his, and who enriches himself by extortion! How long?’

¹⁰ The disciples came, and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” ¹¹ He answered them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them. ¹² For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he has. ¹³ Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t hear, neither do they understand.

³⁴ Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes; and without a parable, he didn’t speak to them, ³⁵ that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.”

⁵³ When Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there.

¹ Jesus answered and spoke to them again in parables, saying,

³² “Now from the fig tree learn this parable. When its branch has now become tender, and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near.

²³ He summoned them, and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan?

² He taught them many things in parables, and told them in his teaching, ³ “Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow, ⁴ and as he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and devoured it. ⁵ Others fell on the rocky ground, where it had little soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil. ⁶ When the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. ⁷ Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. ⁸ Others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some produced thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times as much.” ⁹ He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”

¹³ He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables?

³³ With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.

¹ He began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the wine press, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went into another country.

¹² They tried to seize him, but they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spoke the parable against them. They left him, and went away.

¹⁰ He said, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of God’s Kingdom, but to the rest in parables; that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’

⁴¹ Peter said to him, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everybody?”

³ He told them this parable. ⁴ “Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it? ⁵ When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ ⁷ I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

²⁵ I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. But the time is coming when I will no more speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father.

¹⁸ “Hear, then, the parable of the farmer. ¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom, and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes, and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside.

¹⁹ I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh;

²⁶ I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.

¹² Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow there with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison, and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness;

¹² Yes, they made their hearts as hard as flint, lest they might hear the law, and the words which Yahweh of Armies had sent by his Spirit by the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from Yahweh of Armies.

²⁰ What was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word, and immediately with joy receives it;

¹⁰ They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he who has mercy on them will lead them. He will guide them by springs of water.

²⁶ Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

²¹ yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

¹³ Those on the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; but these have no root, who believe for a while, then fall away in time of temptation.

¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

²³ if it is so that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Good News which you heard, which is being proclaimed in all creation under heaven, of which I, Paul, was made a servant.

⁷ rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving.

¹¹ For the sun arises with the scorching wind and withers the grass, and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So the rich man will also fade away in his pursuits. ¹² Blessed is a person who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him.

¹⁶ They will never be hungry or thirsty any more. The sun won’t beat on them, nor any heat;

¹⁸ It will yield thorns and thistles to you; and you will eat the herb of the field.

³ For Yahweh says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, “Break up your fallow ground, and don’t sow among thorns. ⁴ Circumcise yourselves to Yahweh, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

²² What was sown among the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

¹⁸ Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word, ¹⁹ and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

¹² Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year one hundred times what he planted. Yahweh blessed him.

²³ What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word, and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit, and produces, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.”

¹⁵ Those in the good ground, these are those who with an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and produce fruit with perseverance.

⁸ “In this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so you will be my disciples.

¹⁸ For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don’t find it doing that which is good.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

¹¹ being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

¹⁶ “But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.

⁹ He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”

²³ If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.”

¹⁴ He called all the multitude to himself, and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. ¹⁵ There is nothing from outside of the man, that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man.

⁷ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of my God.

¹¹ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. He who overcomes won’t be harmed by the second death.

¹⁷ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives it.

²⁹ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.

⁶ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.

¹³ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.

²² He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.”

⁸ All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed. ⁹ If anyone has an ear, let him hear.

¹⁰ When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.

³³ With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. ³⁴ Without a parable he didn’t speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

⁸ Good and upright is Yahweh, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way. ⁹ He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.

¹⁴ The friendship of Yahweh is with those who fear him. He will show them his covenant.

¹⁰ For Yahweh has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, the prophets; and he has covered your heads, the seers.

⁸ A highway will be there, a road, and it will be called “The Holy Way”. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it will be for those who walk in the Way. Wicked fools shall not go there.

²⁵ At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants. ²⁶ Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.

¹⁷ Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

¹¹ But he said to them, “Not all men can receive this saying, but those to whom it is given.

¹¹ He said to them, “To you is given the mystery of God’s Kingdom, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables,

³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me.” ⁴¹ Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, ⁴² but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

⁶⁵ He said, “For this cause I have said to you that no one can come to me, unless it is given to him by my Father.”

¹⁷ If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is from God, or if I am speaking from myself.

¹⁴ A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us. The Lord opened her heart to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul.

¹¹ Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. ¹² Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men.

²⁵

⁷ But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds for our glory,

⁹ But as it is written, “Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear, which didn’t enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him.” ¹⁰ But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

¹⁴ Now the natural man doesn’t receive the things of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can’t know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

¹ So let a man think of us as Christ’s servants, and stewards of God’s mysteries.

⁷ For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn’t receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

² If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing.

⁵¹ Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

⁹ making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him

¹⁸ having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

³ how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words, ⁴ by which, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which in other generations was not made known to the children of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit, ⁶ that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News, ⁷ of which I was made a servant according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power. ⁸ To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ⁹ and to make all men see what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ,

³² This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly.

¹⁹ on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Good News,

²⁶ the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints, ²⁷ to whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

² that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,

⁹ holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

¹⁶ Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.

⁵ But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

¹⁶ Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers. ¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow. ¹⁸ Of his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

²⁰ You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.

²⁷ As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don’t need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him.

⁴³ “Therefore I tell you, God’s Kingdom will be taken away from you, and will be given to a nation producing its fruit.

²⁹ For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away.

²⁴ He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you who hear. ²⁵ For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away from him.”

⁹ What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.

¹⁸ Be careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will be given; and whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he thinks he has.”

²⁶ For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed, when he comes in his glory, and the glory of the Father, and of the holy angels.

⁴² but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared—whose will they be?’ ²¹ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

² He called him, and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’

²⁵ “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But here he is now comforted, and you are in anguish.

²⁴ He said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to him who has the ten minas.’ ²⁵ “They said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ ²⁶ ‘For I tell you that to everyone who has, will more be given; but from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away from him.

² Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. ⁵ I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

⁵ Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I am coming to you swiftly, and will move your lamp stand out of its place, unless you repent.

¹⁵ “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.

³ the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders. ⁴ But Yahweh has not given you a heart to know, eyes to see, and ears to hear, to this day.

¹⁸ “Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see. ¹⁹ Who is blind, but my servant? Or who is as deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is as blind as he who is at peace, and as blind as Yahweh’s servant? ²⁰ You see many things, but don’t observe. His ears are open, but he doesn’t listen.

¹⁸ They don’t know, neither do they consider: for he has shut their eyes, that they can’t see; and their hearts, that they can’t understand.

²¹ ‘Hear this now, foolish people without understanding, who have eyes, and don’t see, who have ears, and don’t hear:

² “Son of man, you dwell in the middle of the rebellious house, who have eyes to see, and don’t see, who have ears to hear, and don’t hear; for they are a rebellious house.

¹⁷ Jesus, perceiving it, said to them, “Why do you reason that it’s because you have no bread? Don’t you perceive yet, neither understand? Is your heart still hardened? ¹⁸ Having eyes, don’t you see? Having ears, don’t you hear? Don’t you remember?

¹⁹ This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.

³⁹ Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, that those who don’t see may see; and that those who see may become blind.” ⁴⁰ Those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” ⁴¹ Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

³ Even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who are dying, ⁴ in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.

⁹ He said, “Go, and tell this people, ‘You hear indeed, but don’t understand. You see indeed, but don’t perceive.’ ¹⁰ Make the heart of this people fat. Make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and turn again, and be healed.”

¹² that ‘seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.’”

³⁹ For this cause they couldn’t believe, for Isaiah said again, ⁴⁰ “He has blinded their eyes and he hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and would turn, and I would heal them.”

²⁵ When they didn’t agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had spoken one word, “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, ²⁶ saying, ‘Go to this people and say, in hearing, you will hear, but will in no way understand. In seeing, you will see, but will in no way perceive. ²⁷ For this people’s heart has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, then I would heal them.’

⁸ According as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day.” ⁹ David says, “Let their table be made a snare, a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution to them. ¹⁰ Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Always keep their backs bent.”

¹⁴ But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes away.

⁷⁰ Their heart is as callous as the fat, but I delight in your law.

¹⁰ Make the heart of this people fat. Make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and turn again, and be healed.”

¹⁰ For Yahweh has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, the prophets; and he has covered your heads, the seers. ¹¹ All vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is educated, saying, “Read this, please;” and he says, “I can’t, for it is sealed;” ¹² and the book is delivered to one who is not educated, saying, “Read this, please;” and he says, “I can’t read.”

²⁰ He feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can’t deliver his soul, nor say, “Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?”

¹⁸ I have seen his ways, and will heal him. I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.

²² Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backsliding. “Behold, we have come to you; for you are Yahweh our God.

¹⁴ Heal me, O Yahweh, and I will be healed. Save me, and I will be saved; for you are my praise.

⁶ ‘Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them; and I will reveal to them abundance of peace and truth.

⁴ “I will heal their waywardness. I will love them freely; for my anger is turned away from him.

¹¹ But they refused to listen, and turned their backs, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear.

² But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out, and leap like calves of the stall.

⁴³ Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word. ⁴⁴ You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn’t stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.

¹⁹ “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,

⁵⁷ But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears, then rushed at him with one accord.

¹⁰ and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. ¹¹ Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie;

²⁵ in gentleness correcting those who oppose him: perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and they may recover themselves out of the devil’s snare, having been taken captive by him to his will.

⁴ and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn away to fables.

¹¹ About him we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing.

⁴ For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame.

² in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. ⁴ Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. ⁵ Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. ⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. ⁷ Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. ⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. ⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. ¹⁰ Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. ¹¹ “Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

²⁹ “Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace; ³⁰ for my eyes have seen your salvation,

²³ Turning to the disciples, he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see, ²⁴ for I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them.”

²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.”

¹⁸ to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

⁶ seeing it is God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, ¹⁸ having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

²⁴ for I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them.”

⁵⁶ Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad.”

⁵ which in other generations was not made known to the children of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit, ⁶ that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News,

¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

³⁹ These all, having had testimony given to them through their faith, didn’t receive the promise, ⁴⁰ God having provided some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

¹⁰ Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently. They prophesied of the grace that would come to you, ¹¹ searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow them. ¹² To them it was revealed, that they served not to themselves, but to you, in these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.

¹¹ He answered them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them. ¹² For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he has.

¹³ He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables? ¹⁴ The farmer sows the word. ¹⁵ The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes, and takes away the word which has been sown in them. ¹⁶ These in the same way are those who are sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy. ¹⁷ They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble. ¹⁸ Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word, ¹⁹ and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²⁰ Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times.”

¹¹ Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. ¹² Those along the road are those who hear, then the devil comes, and takes away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. ¹³ Those on the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; but these have no root, who believe for a while, then fall away in time of temptation. ¹⁴ That which fell among the thorns, these are those who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. ¹⁵ Those in the good ground, these are those who with an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and produce fruit with perseverance.

⁷ The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

²⁰ Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares. ²¹ She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words: ²² “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?

¹ My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, ² so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; ³ yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; ⁴ if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures: ⁵ then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God. ⁶ For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.

¹⁶ Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, since he has no understanding?

¹ A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment. ² A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion.

²³ Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people.

³⁷ But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.

³⁸ the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the Kingdom; and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one.

¹⁵ The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes, and takes away the word which has been sown in them.

² He sent them out to preach God’s Kingdom and to heal the sick.

⁹ Heal the sick who are there, and tell them, ‘God’s Kingdom has come near to you.’

⁴³ Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word.

³⁸ Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” When he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no basis for a charge against him.

³² Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, “We want to hear you again concerning this.”

¹⁵ but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves. For I don’t want to be a judge of these matters.”

²⁵ “Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about preaching God’s Kingdom, will see my face no more.

²⁵ As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, “Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you.” ²⁶ Meanwhile, he also hoped that money would be given to him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore also he sent for him more often and talked with him.

¹⁹ but had certain questions against him about their own religion, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. ²⁰ Being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters.

³¹ When they had withdrawn, they spoke to one another, saying, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.” ³² Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

²³ When they had appointed him a day, many people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about God’s Kingdom, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning until evening.

²⁸ Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

⁸ but to those who are self-seeking, and don’t obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will be wrath, indignation,

¹⁷ for God’s Kingdom is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

² But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. ³ Even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who are dying,

⁸ To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

¹² that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

¹ Therefore we ought to pay greater attention to the things that were heard, lest perhaps we drift away.

¹³ I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, little children, because you know the Father. ¹⁴ I have written to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

¹² unlike Cain, who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

¹⁸ We know that whoever is born of God doesn’t sin, but he who was born of God keeps himself, and the evil one doesn’t touch him.

²⁰ We know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

¹³ Saul said, “No man shall be put to death today; for today Yahweh has rescued Israel.” ¹⁴ Then Samuel said to the people, “Come! Let’s go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.” ¹⁵ All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal. There they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

² Joash did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

⁶ The king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said to him, “Why haven’t you required of the Levites to bring in the tax of Moses the servant of Yahweh, and of the assembly of Israel, out of Judah and out of Jerusalem, for the Tent of the Testimony?”

¹⁴ When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, from which were made vessels for Yahweh’s house, even vessels with which to minister and to offer, including spoons and vessels of gold and silver. They offered burnt offerings in Yahweh’s house continually all the days of Jehoiada.

³⁴ When he killed them, then they inquired after him. They returned and sought God earnestly. ³⁵ They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God, their redeemer. ³⁶ But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue. ³⁷ For their heart was not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant.

¹² Then they believed his words. They sang his praise. ¹³ They soon forgot his works. They didn’t wait for his counsel,

² Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways. As a nation that did righteousness, and didn’t forsake the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments. They delight to draw near to God.

³¹ They come to you as the people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but don’t do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their gain. ³² Behold, you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they don’t do them.

⁵ Others fell on rocky ground, where they didn’t have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth. ⁶ When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away.

¹⁶ These in the same way are those who are sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy. ¹⁷ They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble.

²⁰ for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he did many things, and he heard him gladly.

³⁵ He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

¹³ Simon himself also believed. Being baptized, he continued with Philip. Seeing signs and great miracles occurring, he was amazed.

¹⁴ That which was a temptation to you in my flesh, you didn’t despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ What was the blessing you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

²⁸ If you say, ‘How we will persecute him!’ because the root of the matter is found in me,

⁸ For what is the hope of the godless, when he is cut off, when God takes away his life? ⁹ Will God hear his cry when trouble comes on him? ¹⁰ Will he delight himself in the Almighty, and call on God at all times?

³ The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit. He has ceased to be wise and to do good.

³ A man shall not be established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

¹² The wicked desires the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous flourishes.

⁴ “Ephraim, what shall I do to you? Judah, what shall I do to you? For your love is like a morning cloud, and like the dew that disappears early.

¹⁰ Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. ¹¹ “Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. ¹² Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

²² Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’ ²³ Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’

²² You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.

³⁷ He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me. ³⁸ He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me. ³⁹ He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.

⁶ Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”

⁶ When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away.

⁵⁷ They were offended by him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and in his own house.”

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it. ²⁶ For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?

⁹ Then they will deliver you up to oppression, and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name’s sake. ¹⁰ Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.

¹³ But he who endures to the end will be saved.

³¹ Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

³³ But Peter answered him, “Even if all will be made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble.”

¹⁷ They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble.

³⁴ He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. ³⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it. ³⁶ For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?

¹² “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. ¹³ You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.

²³ He said to all, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake, will save it. ²⁵ For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self?

²⁶ “If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple. ²⁷ Whoever doesn’t bear his own cross, and come after me, can’t be my disciple. ²⁸ For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and count the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? ²⁹ Or perhaps, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, everyone who sees begins to mock him, ³⁰ saying, ‘This man began to build, and wasn’t able to finish.’ ³¹ Or what king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? ³² Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an envoy, and asks for conditions of peace. ³³ So therefore whoever of you who doesn’t renounce all that he has, he can’t be my disciple.

¹² But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name’s sake. ¹³ It will turn out as a testimony for you. ¹⁴ Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to answer, ¹⁵ for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict. ¹⁶ You will be handed over even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will cause some of you to be put to death. ¹⁷ You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake. ¹⁸ And not a hair of your head will perish.

²⁶ Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled.

⁶¹ But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble? ⁶² Then what if you would see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? ⁶³ It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life. ⁶⁴ But there are some of you who don’t believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who didn’t believe, and who it was who would betray him. ⁶⁵ He said, “For this cause I have said to you that no one can come to me, unless it is given to him by my Father.”

⁷⁰ Jesus answered them, “Didn’t I choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” ⁷¹ Now he spoke of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for it was he who would betray him, being one of the twelve.

²⁵ He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

⁵ I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.

²¹ You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart isn’t right before God. ²² Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³ For I see that you are in the poison of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.”

⁷ to those who by perseverance in well-doing seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility, eternal life;

⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

¹² As many as desire to make a good impression in the flesh compel you to be circumcised; just so they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

¹⁵ For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

⁶ being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

¹⁵ This you know, that all who are in Asia turned away from me, of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.

¹⁰ for Demas left me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia; and Titus to Dalmatia.

³⁵ Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great reward. ³⁶ For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise. ³⁷ “In a very little while, he who comes will come, and will not wait. ³⁸ But the righteous will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” ³⁹ But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul.

⁵ who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

⁸ For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to not be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.

¹⁹ They went out from us, but they didn’t belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us. ²⁰ You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.

¹³ “I know your works and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. You hold firmly to my name, and didn’t deny my faith in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

¹⁰ Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere, before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt, as you go to Zoar. ¹¹ So Lot chose the Plain of the Jordan for himself. Lot traveled east, and they separated themselves from one other. ¹² Abram lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom. ¹³ Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against Yahweh.

²⁰ Achan answered Joshua, and said, “I have truly sinned against Yahweh, the God of Israel, and this is what I have done. ²¹ When I saw among the plunder a beautiful Babylonian robe, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, then I coveted them and took them. Behold, they are hidden in the ground in the middle of my tent, with the silver under it.”

²⁰ But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought. As Yahweh lives, I will run after him, and take something from him.” ²¹ So Gehazi followed after Naaman. When Naaman saw one running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?” ²² He said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, even now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’” ²³ Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.” He urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants; and they carried them before him. ²⁴ When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and stored them in the house. Then he let the men go, and they departed. ²⁵ But he went in, and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you come from, Gehazi?” He said, “Your servant went nowhere.” ²⁶ He said to him, “Didn’t my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive groves and vineyards, and sheep and cattle, and male servants and female servants? ²⁷ Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your offspring forever.” He went out from his presence a leper, as white as snow.

⁷ “Behold, this is the man who didn’t make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.”

¹⁰ Don’t trust in oppression. Don’t become vain in robbery. If riches increase, don’t set your heart on them.

²⁸ He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.

⁵ Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.

⁸ There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then, do I labor and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

¹⁰ He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase: this also is vanity. ¹¹ When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes?

¹³ There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm. ¹⁴ Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand.

³ For Yahweh says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, “Break up your fallow ground, and don’t sow among thorns.

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon. ²⁵ Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

⁷ Others fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them.

¹⁶ Behold, one came to him and said, “Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” ¹⁷ He said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” ¹⁸ He said to him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder.’ ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ‘You shall not steal.’ ‘You shall not offer false testimony.’ ¹⁹ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ And, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” ²⁰ The young man said to him, “All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack?” ²¹ Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” ²² But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions. ²³ Jesus said to his disciples, “Most certainly I say to you, a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.”

²³ Jesus looked around, and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!” ²⁴ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answered again, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter into God’s Kingdom! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.”

¹⁴ That which fell among the thorns, these are those who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

¹⁵ He said to them, “Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses.”

²¹ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

²⁹ Don’t seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious. ³⁰ For the nations of the world seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these things.

¹⁶ But he said to him, “A certain man made a great supper, and he invited many people. ¹⁷ He sent out his servant at supper time to tell those who were invited, ‘Come, for everything is ready now.’ ¹⁸ They all as one began to make excuses. “The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please have me excused.’ ¹⁹ “Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go try them out. Please have me excused.’ ²⁰ “Another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I can’t come.’ ²¹ “That servant came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor, maimed, blind, and lame.’ ²² “The servant said, ‘Lord, it is done as you commanded, and there is still room.’ ²³ “The lord said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. ²⁴ For I tell you that none of those men who were invited will taste of my supper.’”

²⁴ Jesus, seeing that he became very sad, said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom! ²⁵ For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.”

³⁴ “So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly.

¹ But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira, his wife, sold a possession, ² and kept back part of the price, his wife also being aware of it, then brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ³ But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the price of the land? ⁴ While you kept it, didn’t it remain your own? After it was sold, wasn’t it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You haven’t lied to men, but to God.” ⁵ Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and died. Great fear came on all who heard these things. ⁶ The young men arose and wrapped him up, and they carried him out and buried him. ⁷ About three hours later, his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in. ⁸ Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” She said, “Yes, for so much.” ⁹ But Peter asked her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” ¹⁰ She fell down immediately at his feet and died. The young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband. ¹¹ Great fear came on the whole assembly, and on all who heard these things.

¹⁸ Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,

⁹ But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation, a snare, and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

¹⁷ Charge those who are rich in this present world that they not be arrogant, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on the living God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy;

¹⁴ having eyes full of adultery, and who can’t cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in greed; children of cursing; ¹⁵ forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing;

¹⁵ Don’t love the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s.

¹¹ Woe to them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in Korah’s rebellion. ¹² These are hidden rocky reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you, shepherds who without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

¹ Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers; ² but his delight is in Yahweh’s law. On his law he meditates day and night. ³ He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that produces its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.

¹³ They are planted in Yahweh’s house. They will flourish in our God’s courts. ¹⁴ They will still produce fruit in old age. They will be full of sap and green, ¹⁵ to show that Yahweh is upright. He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

⁵ that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel: ⁶ to understand a proverb, and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.

³¹ Cast away from you all your transgressions, in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, house of Israel?

⁸ Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance!

¹⁰ “Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire.

³³ “Either make the tree good, and its fruit good, or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit.

⁸ Others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.

²⁰ Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times.”

¹⁵ Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”

⁴³ For there is no good tree that produces rotten fruit; nor again a rotten tree that produces good fruit. ⁴⁴ For each tree is known by its own fruit. For people don’t gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.

⁹ If it bears fruit, fine; but if not, after that, you can cut it down.’”

¹¹ He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him. ¹² But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name: ¹³ who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

⁴⁷ He who is of God hears the words of God. For this cause you don’t hear, because you are not of God.”

²⁶ But you don’t believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I told you. ²⁷ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

¹ “I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer. ² Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. ⁵ I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you. ⁸ “In this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so you will be my disciples.

¹⁶ You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

⁷ Now they have known that all things whatever you have given me are from you, ⁸ for the words which you have given me I have given to them, and they received them, and knew for sure that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me.

¹¹ Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

¹ Moreover, brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the assemblies of Macedonia, ² how in much proof of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their generosity.

¹⁰ Now may he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness,

¹⁷ Not that I seek for the gift, but I seek for the fruit that increases to your account.

⁶ which has come to you, even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth,

¹⁰ that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God,

¹ Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more and more.

¹⁰ and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

¹³ But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth, ¹⁴ to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

² For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as they also did, but the word they heard didn’t profit them, because it wasn’t mixed with faith by those who heard.

⁷ For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it and produces a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from God;

¹⁰ “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days,” says the Lord; “I will put my laws into their mind, I will also write them on their heart. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

¹⁵ Through him, then, let’s offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name. ¹⁶ But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

²¹ Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. ²² But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

¹ Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking, ² as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that with it you may grow,

⁵ Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge; ⁶ and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control perseverance; and in perseverance godliness; ⁷ and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love. ⁸ For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to not be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

¹² Samson said to them, “Let me tell you a riddle now. If you can tell me the answer within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing; ¹³ but if you can’t tell me the answer, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.” They said to him, “Tell us your riddle, that we may hear it.”

¹⁰ For it is precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little.

¹³ Therefore Yahweh’s word will be to them precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, fall backward, be broken, be snared, and be taken.

² “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”

¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom, and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes, and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside.

³¹ He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field;

³³ He spoke another parable to them. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, until it was all leavened.”

³⁷ He answered them, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,

⁴⁴ “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field. ⁴⁵ “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls,

⁴⁷ “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet, that was cast into the sea, and gathered some fish of every kind,

²³ Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants.

¹ “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.

³³ “Hear another parable. There was a man who was a master of a household, who planted a vineyard, set a hedge about it, dug a wine press in it, built a tower, leased it out to farmers, and went into another country.

² “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a wedding feast for his son,

¹ “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom.

²⁶ He said, “God’s Kingdom is as if a man should cast seed on the earth, ²⁷ and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, though he doesn’t know how. ²⁸ For the earth bears fruit by itself: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. ²⁹ But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” ³⁰ He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it?

¹⁸ He said, “What is God’s Kingdom like? To what shall I compare it?

²⁰ Again he said, “To what shall I compare God’s Kingdom?

⁵ because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the Good News

²³ having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.

⁹ All you animals of the field, come to devour, all you animals in the forest. ¹⁰ His watchmen are blind. They are all without knowledge. They are all mute dogs. They can’t bark— dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.

³⁹ The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

⁵ Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

³⁰ Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. ³¹ Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn’t cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears.

¹³ For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

⁴ This was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage,

³ For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts, ⁴ and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn away to fables. ⁵ But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.

¹⁵ looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it,

⁸ Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

¹ But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction.

²⁰ But I have this against you, that you tolerate your woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

⁹ The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

¹⁴ He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast, saying to those who dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived.

²⁶ He said, “God’s Kingdom is as if a man should cast seed on the earth, ²⁷ and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, though he doesn’t know how. ²⁸ For the earth bears fruit by itself: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. ²⁹ But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

¹⁷ Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them.

¹¹ For it has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers, by those who are from Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. ¹² Now I mean this, that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” and, “I follow Christ.” ¹³ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?

⁵ Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed, and each as the Lord gave to him? ⁶ I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase. ⁷ So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. ⁸ Now he who plants and he who waters are the same, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. ⁹ For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s farming, God’s building.

²⁸ God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers?

¹² Now if Christ is preached, that he has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised. ¹⁴ If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith also is in vain. ¹⁵ Yes, we are also found false witnesses of God, because we testified about God that he raised up Christ, whom he didn’t raise up, if it is so that the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead aren’t raised, neither has Christ been raised. ¹⁷ If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable. ²⁰ But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruits of those who are asleep. ²¹ For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man. ²² For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. ²³ But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s, at his coming. ²⁴ Then the end comes, when he will deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, when he will have abolished all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy that will be abolished is death. ²⁷ For, “He put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when he says, “All things are put in subjection”, it is evident that he is excepted who subjected all things to him. ²⁸ When all things have been subjected to him, then the Son will also himself be subjected to him who subjected all things to him, that God may be all in all. ²⁹ Or else what will they do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead aren’t raised at all, why then are they baptized for the dead? ³⁰ Why do we also stand in jeopardy every hour? ³¹ I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. ³² If I fought with animals at Ephesus for human purposes, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, then “let’s eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” ³³ Don’t be deceived! “Evil companionships corrupt good morals.” ³⁴ Wake up righteously, and don’t sin, for some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

¹⁰ Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without fear, for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.

¹⁸ But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

¹ Working together, we entreat also that you do not receive the grace of God in vain,

⁴ but in everything commending ourselves, as servants of God, in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,

¹ Foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you not to obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly portrayed among you as crucified? ² I just want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith? ³ Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now completed in the flesh?

¹¹ He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; ¹² for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ,

¹⁵ This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. ¹⁶ For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed.

⁴ You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

⁴⁹ John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow with us.” ⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, “Don’t forbid him, for he who is not against us is for us.” ⁵¹ It came to pass, when the days were near that he should be taken up, he intently set his face to go to Jerusalem ⁵² and sent messengers before his face. They went and entered into a village of the Samaritans, so as to prepare for him. ⁵³ They didn’t receive him, because he was traveling with his face set toward Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ When his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from the sky, and destroy them, just as Elijah did?”

³ For I most certainly, as being absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him who has done this thing. ⁴ In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, you being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁵ are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole lump? ⁷ Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in our place.

⁶ This punishment which was inflicted by the many is sufficient for such a one; ⁷ so that on the contrary you should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his excessive sorrow. ⁸ Therefore I beg you to confirm your love toward him. ⁹ For to this end I also wrote, that I might know the proof of you, whether you are obedient in all things. ¹⁰ Now I also forgive whomever you forgive anything. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, ¹¹ that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

¹⁴ We exhort you, brothers: Admonish the disorderly; encourage the faint-hearted; support the weak; be patient toward all.

²² On some have compassion, making a distinction, ²³ and some save, snatching them out of the fire with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.

²⁹ Though men may rise up to pursue you, and to seek your soul, yet the soul of my lord will be bound in the bundle of life with Yahweh your God. He will sling out the souls of your enemies, as from the hollow of a sling.

¹⁰ For the fortified city is solitary, a habitation deserted and forsaken, like the wilderness. The calf will feed there, and there he will lie down, and consume its branches. ¹¹ When its boughs are withered, they will be broken off. The women will come and set them on fire, for they are a people of no understanding. Therefore he who made them will not have compassion on them, and he who formed them will show them no favor.

⁴ Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire has devoured both its ends, and the middle of it is burned. Is it profitable for any work? ⁵ Behold, when it was whole, it was suitable for no work. How much less, when the fire has devoured it, and it has been burned, will it yet be suitable for any work?” ⁶ Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: “As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ⁷ I will set my face against them. They will go out from the fire, but the fire will devour them. Then you will know that I am Yahweh, when I set my face against them.

¹⁸ Then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who doesn’t serve him.

¹² His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”

³⁹ The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰ As therefore the darnel weeds are gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the end of this age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity, ⁴² and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

¹⁰ Those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together as many as they found, both bad and good. The wedding was filled with guests. ¹¹ But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn’t have on wedding clothing, ¹² and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?’ He was speechless. ¹³ Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness. That is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.’ ¹⁴ For many are called, but few chosen.”

⁶ But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!’ ⁷ Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, ‘What if there isn’t enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. ¹¹ Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’ ¹² But he answered, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ ¹³ Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

³² Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

⁴¹ Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;

¹⁷ whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

⁶ If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

⁵ Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.

²⁴ Some men’s sins are evident, preceding them to judgment, and some also follow later.

²⁴ He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,

²⁰ He said to them, “Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

³⁰ He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it? ³¹ It’s like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth, ³² yet when it is sown, grows up, and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.”

¹⁸ He said, “What is God’s Kingdom like? To what shall I compare it? ¹⁹ It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and put in his own garden. It grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the sky live in its branches.”

⁶ The Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, ‘Be uprooted, and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

¹¹ As they heard these things, he went on and told a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that God’s Kingdom would be revealed immediately.

⁹ He began to tell the people this parable. “A man planted a vineyard, and rented it out to some farmers, and went into another country for a long time.

¹⁶ Abundance of grain shall be throughout the land. Its fruit sways like Lebanon. Let it flourish, thriving like the grass of the field. ¹⁷ His name endures forever. His name continues as long as the sun. Men shall be blessed by him. All nations will call him blessed. ¹⁸ Praise be to Yahweh God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. ¹⁹ Blessed be his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and amen.

¹² The birds of the sky nest by them. They sing among the branches.

² It shall happen in the latter days, that the mountain of Yahweh’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. ³ Many peoples shall go and say, “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the law shall go out of Zion, and Yahweh’s word from Jerusalem. ⁴ He will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

²³ I will plant it in the mountain of the height of Israel; and it will produce boughs, and bear fruit, and be a good cedar. Birds of every kind will dwell in the shade of its branches. ²⁴ All the trees of the field will know that I, Yahweh, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree flourish. “‘I, Yahweh, have spoken and have done it.’”

⁶ All the birds of the sky made their nests in its boughs. Under its branches, all the animals of the field gave birth to their young. All great nations lived under its shadow.

¹ He brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, waters flowed out from under the threshold of the house eastward, for the front of the house faced toward the east. The waters came down from underneath, from the right side of the house, on the south of the altar. ² Then he brought me out by the way of the gate northward, and led me around by the way outside to the outer gate, by the way of the gate that looks toward the east. Behold, waters ran out on the right side. ³ When the man went out eastward with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the ankles. ⁴ Again he measured one thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the knees. Again he measured one thousand, and caused me to pass through waters that were to the waist. ⁵ Afterward he measured one thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass through; for the waters had risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be walked through.

³⁴ You saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. ³⁵ Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. The stone that struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

⁴⁴ “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left to another people; but it will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever. ⁴⁵ Because you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God has made known to the king what will happen hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”

¹² The leaves of it were beautiful, and it had much fruit, and in it was food for all. The animals of the field had shade under it, and the birds of the sky lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

¹ But in the latter days, it will happen that the mountain of Yahweh’s temple will be established on the top of the mountains, and it will be exalted above the hills; and peoples will stream to it. ² Many nations will go and say, “Come! Let’s go up to the mountain of Yahweh, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the law will go out of Zion, and Yahweh’s word from Jerusalem; ³ and he will judge between many peoples, and will decide concerning strong nations afar off. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war any more.

¹⁰ Indeed, who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are Yahweh’s eyes, which run back and forth through the whole earth.”

²⁰ Yahweh of Armies says: “Many peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come; ²¹ and the inhabitants of one shall go to another, saying, ‘Let’s go speedily to entreat the favor of Yahweh, and to seek Yahweh of Armies. I will go also.’ ²² Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek Yahweh of Armies in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of Yahweh.” ²³ Yahweh of Armies says: “In those days, ten men will take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, they will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, ‘We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

⁷ It will be a unique day which is known to Yahweh; not day, and not night; but it will come to pass, that at evening time there will be light. ⁸ It will happen in that day, that living waters will go out from Jerusalem: half of them toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea. It will be so in summer and in winter. ⁹ Yahweh will be King over all the earth. In that day Yahweh will be one, and his name one. ¹⁰ All the land will be made like the Arabah, from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; and she will be lifted up, and will dwell in her place, from Benjamin’s gate to the place of the first gate, to the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananel to the king’s wine presses.

¹⁵ In these days, Peter stood up in the middle of the disciples (and the number of names was about one hundred twenty), and said,

²⁰ They, when they heard it, glorified God. They said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law.

¹⁸ For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, ¹⁹ in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ;

¹⁵ The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!”

⁶ Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.”

⁹ Yet the righteous will hold to his way. He who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.

¹⁸ But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.

³ Let’s acknowledge Yahweh. Let’s press on to know Yahweh. As surely as the sun rises, Yahweh will appear. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain that waters the earth.”

²⁰ Unless the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved; but for the sake of the chosen ones, whom he picked out, he shortened the days. ²¹ It is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”

² Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

¹² “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. ¹³ However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming.

⁹ A little yeast grows through the whole lump.

⁹ This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

¹³ For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. ¹⁴ Do all things without complaining and arguing, ¹⁵ that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,

²³ May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it.

¹³ Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t hear, neither do they understand.

⁹ Behold, the former things have happened and I declare new things. I tell you about them before they come up.”

⁷ Surely the Lord Yahweh will do nothing, unless he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets.

¹⁴ In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, ‘By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive:

⁴ All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, ⁵ “Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

³⁴ Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;

¹⁴ But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you.

²⁴ Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.

¹⁸ “All of God’s works are known to him from eternity.

²⁵

⁵ which in other generations was not made known to the children of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit,

⁹ and to make all men see what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ,

²⁵ of which I was made a servant according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you to fulfill the word of God, ²⁶ the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints,

⁹ who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal, ¹⁰ but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Good News.

² in hope of eternal life, which God, who can’t lie, promised before time began; ³ but in his own time revealed his word in the message with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior;

¹ God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,

²⁰ who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in this last age for your sake, ²¹ who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.

⁸ All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed.

⁸ The beast that you saw was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss and to go into destruction. Those who dwell on the earth and whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see that the beast was, and is not, and shall be present.

¹ On that day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the seaside.

¹¹ He answered them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them.

²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat, and to go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

¹⁵ Peter answered him, “Explain the parable to us.” ¹⁶ So Jesus said, “Do you also still not understand?

³⁹ Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came into the borders of Magdala.

³⁴ Without a parable he didn’t speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

⁴⁵ Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat, and to go ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the multitude away.

¹⁷ When he had entered into a house away from the multitude, his disciples asked him about the parable.

⁹ Those who had eaten were about four thousand. Then he sent them away.

¹⁷ Some of his disciples therefore said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you won’t see me, and again a little while, and you will see me;’ and, ‘Because I go to the Father’?” ¹⁸ They said therefore, “What is this that he says, ‘A little while’? We don’t know what he is saying.” ¹⁹ Therefore Jesus perceived that they wanted to ask him, and he said to them, “Do you inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you won’t see me, and again a little while, and you will see me?’ ²⁰ Most certainly I tell you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.

²⁰ Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

⁴⁰ He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.

²⁷ The servants of the householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where did these darnel weeds come from?’

⁴¹ The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity,

¹³ Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” ¹⁴ They said, “Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” ¹⁵ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

¹⁶ Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

²⁰ Most certainly I tell you, he who receives whomever I send, receives me; and he who receives me, receives him who sent me.”

²¹ Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”

⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”

¹⁸ For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,

⁵ Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed, and each as the Lord gave to him? ⁶ I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase. ⁷ So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

³ how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation—which at the first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard,

¹⁵ I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.”

³⁰ Posterity shall serve him. Future generations shall be told about the Lord.

¹⁰ Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him. He has caused him to suffer. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he will see his offspring. He will prolong his days and Yahweh’s pleasure will prosper in his hand.

²³ I will sow her to me in the earth; and I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; and I will tell those who were not my people, ‘You are my people;’ and they will say, ‘My God!’”

⁸ I will signal for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them; and they will increase as they have increased. ⁹ I will sow them among the peoples; and they will remember me in far countries; and they will live with their children, and will return.

¹⁴ This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

¹⁸ Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation. ¹⁶ He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned. ¹⁷ These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages; ¹⁸ they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” ¹⁹ So then the Lord, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. ²⁰ They went out, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.

⁴⁷ and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

⁴⁴ You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn’t stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.

²⁴ Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.

¹⁰ and said, “You son of the devil, full of all deceit and all cunning, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

¹⁷ and if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.

¹⁸ But I say, didn’t they hear? Yes, most certainly, “Their sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

¹⁸ For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ, ¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things.

¹⁸ Of his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

⁵ Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?

² Beloved, now we are children of God. It is not yet revealed what we will be; but we know that when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is.

⁸ He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed: that he might destroy the works of the devil. ⁹ Whoever is born of God doesn’t commit sin, because his seed remains in him, and he can’t sin, because he is born of God. ¹⁰ In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn’t do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn’t love his brother.

⁶ I saw an angel flying in mid heaven, having an eternal Good News to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation, tribe, language, and people.

¹⁰ A fiery stream issued and came out from before him. Thousands of thousands ministered to him. Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The judgment was set. The books were opened.

¹³ Put in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread, for the wine press is full, the vats overflow, for their wickedness is great.”

²⁵ but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds also among the wheat, and went away.

²⁸ “He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them up?’

⁴⁹ So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked from among the righteous,

³ As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”

³¹ “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.

²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

¹⁷ For we are not as so many, peddling the word of God. But as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.

³ But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

² in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience.

¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

⁷ and to give relief to you who are afflicted with us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, ⁸ punishing those who don’t know God, and to those who don’t obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus, ⁹ who will pay the penalty: eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, ¹⁰ when he comes in that day to be glorified in his saints and to be admired among all those who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

⁸ Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming; ⁹ even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

²⁶ or else he must have suffered often since the foundation of the world. But now once at the end of the ages, he has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

¹⁴ About these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones,

¹⁵ Another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Send your sickle, and reap; for the hour to reap has come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe!” ¹⁶ He who sat on the cloud thrust his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. ¹⁷ Another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven. He also had a sharp sickle. ¹⁸ Another angel came out from the altar, he who has power over fire, and he called with a great voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Send your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for the earth’s grapes are fully ripe!” ¹⁹ The angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vintage of the earth, and threw it into the great wine press of the wrath of God.

²⁰ The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked the signs in his sight, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

² He seized the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years, ³ and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time.

⁷ And after the thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison, ⁸ and he will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. ⁹ They went up over the width of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God and devoured them. ¹⁰ The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

³ I will sweep away man and animal. I will sweep away the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and the heaps of rubble with the wicked. I will cut off man from the surface of the earth, says Yahweh.

⁷ “Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes!

³¹ He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

²⁷ Then he will send out his angels, and will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky.

²⁶ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ ²⁷ He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.’

⁸ but to those who are self-seeking, and don’t obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will be wrath, indignation, ⁹ oppression, and anguish on every soul of man who does evil, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

¹⁶ in the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my Good News, by Jesus Christ.

¹⁷ Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them. ¹⁸ For those who are such don’t serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent.

⁶ When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.” ⁷ Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his servants a flame of fire.”

¹⁴ Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

¹ But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction. ² Many will follow their immoral ways, and as a result, the way of the truth will be maligned.

¹¹ I saw, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. The number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands; ¹² saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!”

²⁷ There will in no way enter into it anything profane, or one who causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

⁹ You will make them as a fiery furnace in the time of your anger. Yahweh will swallow them up in his wrath. The fire shall devour them.

⁶ Whoever doesn’t fall down and worship shall be cast into the middle of a burning fiery furnace the same hour.”

¹⁵ Now if you are ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image which I have made, good; but if you don’t worship, you shall be cast the same hour into the middle of a burning fiery furnace. Who is that god that will deliver you out of my hands?” ¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ If it happens, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

²¹ Then these men were bound in their pants, their tunics, and their mantles, and their other clothes, and were cast into the middle of the burning fiery furnace. ²² Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

¹² but the children of the Kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

⁵⁰ and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.”

¹³ Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness. That is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.’

⁴³ If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire, ⁴⁴ ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’ ⁴⁵ If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your two feet to be cast into Gehenna, into the fire that will never be quenched— ⁴⁶ ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’ ⁴⁷ If your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out. It is better for you to enter into God’s Kingdom with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire, ⁴⁸ ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’ ⁴⁹ For everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.

²⁸ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in God’s Kingdom, and yourselves being thrown outside.

²³ In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. ²⁴ He cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.’

² He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a burning furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit.

¹⁰ he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.

¹⁰ The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

¹⁴ Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵ If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.

⁸ But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

³ Those who are wise will shine as the brightness of the expanse. Those who turn many to righteousness will shine as the stars forever and ever.

³⁶ I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.’

²⁹ But I tell you that I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on, until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”

³² Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.

²⁹ I confer on you a kingdom, even as my Father conferred on me,

⁴¹ There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. ⁴² So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown perishable; it is raised imperishable. ⁴³ It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. ⁴⁴ It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵ So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶ However that which is spiritual isn’t first, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual. ⁴⁷ The first man is of the earth, made of dust. The second man is the Lord from heaven. ⁴⁸ As is the one made of dust, such are those who are also made of dust; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. ⁴⁹ As we have borne the image of those made of dust, let’s also bear the image of the heavenly. ⁵⁰ Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood can’t inherit God’s Kingdom; neither does the perishable inherit imperishable. ⁵¹ Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For this perishable body must become imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ But when this perishable body will have become imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

³ I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. ⁴ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.” ⁵ He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” He said, “Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.”

²² I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb, are its temple. ²³ The city has no need for the sun or moon to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.

² so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; ³ yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; ⁴ if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures: ⁵ then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.

¹⁶ How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

¹ A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.

²³ Buy the truth, and don’t sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding.

¹ “Hey! Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters! Come, he who has no money, buy, and eat! Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

²¹ for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

²¹ Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

²⁷ Then Peter answered, “Behold, we have left everything, and followed you. What then will we have?”

²⁹ Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive one hundred times, and will inherit eternal life.

³³ So therefore whoever of you who doesn’t renounce all that he has, he can’t be my disciple.

²³ But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich. ²⁴ Jesus, seeing that he became very sad, said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!

⁶ He hurried, came down, and received him joyfully. ⁷ When they saw it, they all murmured, saying, “He has gone in to lodge with a man who is a sinner.” ⁸ Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much.”

³⁵ Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will not be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

⁴⁴ All who believed were together, and had all things in common. ⁴⁵ They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need. ⁴⁶ Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.

³² The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. ³³ With great power, the apostles gave their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Great grace was on them all. ³⁴ For neither was there among them any who lacked, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, ³⁵ and laid them at the apostles’ feet, and distribution was made to each, according as anyone had need.

⁴ For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through perseverance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

⁷ However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ. ⁸ Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith,

³ in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.

³ For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory.

¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.

³⁴ For you both had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one in the heavens.

²⁴ By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵ choosing rather to share ill treatment with God’s people than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time, ²⁶ considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.

¹⁸ No mention will be made of coral or of crystal. Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies.

⁶ Many say, “Who will show us any good?” Yahweh, let the light of your face shine on us. ⁷ You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and their new wine are increased.

⁶ “Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather. ⁷ Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you.

¹³ Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding. ¹⁴ For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold. ¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her. ¹⁶ Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor. ¹⁷ Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.

¹⁰ Receive my instruction rather than silver, knowledge rather than choice gold. ¹¹ For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.

¹⁸ With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity. ¹⁹ My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, my yield than choice silver. ²⁰ I walk in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of justice,

² I said of laughter, “It is foolishness;” and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” ³ I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives. ⁴ I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards. ⁵ I made myself gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit. ⁶ I made myself pools of water, to water from it the forest where trees were grown. ⁷ I bought male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem. ⁸ I also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men: musical instruments, and that of all sorts. ⁹ So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me. ¹⁰ Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor. ¹¹ Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun. ¹² I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly; for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.

⁸ “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “All is vanity!”

¹³ This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.

²⁶ For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?

⁵ But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise,

⁴ if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures:

⁶ There will be stability in your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of Yahweh is your treasure.

⁴⁴ “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.

²⁸ Peter began to tell him, “Behold, we have left all, and have followed you.” ²⁹ Jesus said, “Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land, for my sake, and for the sake of the Good News, ³⁰ but he will receive one hundred times more now in this time: houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecutions; and in the age to come eternal life. ³¹ But many who are first will be last; and the last first.”

²⁸ Peter said, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” ²⁹ He said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, for God’s Kingdom’s sake, ³⁰ who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life.”

²⁴ But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.

²¹ Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, ²² whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come. All are yours, ²³ and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

¹⁴ But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

¹¹ The testimony is this, that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹² He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have the life.

²¹ The twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each one of the gates was made of one pearl. The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

¹⁹ He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men.”

²⁶ But when the blade sprang up and produced fruit, then the darnel weeds appeared also. ²⁷ The servants of the householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where did these darnel weeds come from?’ ²⁸ “He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them up?’ ²⁹ “But he said, ‘No, lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel weeds, you root up the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First, gather up the darnel weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

⁹ Go therefore to the intersections of the highways, and as many as you may find, invite to the wedding feast.’ ¹⁰ Those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together as many as they found, both bad and good. The wedding was filled with guests.

¹ “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ³ Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

¹⁷ Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.”

¹⁰ and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will be catching people alive.”

²¹ “That servant came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor, maimed, blind, and lame.’ ²² “The servant said, ‘Lord, it is done as you commanded, and there is still room.’ ²³ “The lord said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

¹ But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira, his wife, sold a possession, ² and kept back part of the price, his wife also being aware of it, then brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ³ But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the price of the land? ⁴ While you kept it, didn’t it remain your own? After it was sold, wasn’t it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You haven’t lied to men, but to God.” ⁵ Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and died. Great fear came on all who heard these things. ⁶ The young men arose and wrapped him up, and they carried him out and buried him. ⁷ About three hours later, his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in. ⁸ Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” She said, “Yes, for so much.” ⁹ But Peter asked her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” ¹⁰ She fell down immediately at his feet and died. The young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.

¹⁸ Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, ¹⁹ saying, “Give me also this power, that whomever I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.” ²⁰ But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! ²¹ You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart isn’t right before God. ²² Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

³⁰ Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

¹ It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles, that one has his father’s wife. ² You are arrogant, and didn’t mourn instead, that he who had done this deed might be removed from among you. ³ For I most certainly, as being absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him who has done this thing. ⁴ In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, you being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁵ are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole lump?

¹ Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; ² and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; ³ and all ate the same spiritual food; ⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. ⁵ However with most of them, God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. ⁶ Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. ⁷ Don’t be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” ⁸ Let’s not commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell. ⁹ Let’s not test Christ, as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents. ¹⁰ Don’t grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and perished by the destroyer. ¹¹ Now all these things happened to them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come. ¹² Therefore let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn’t fall.

¹⁹ For there also must be factions among you, that those who are approved may be revealed among you.

²⁶ I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

²⁰ For I am afraid that by any means, when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don’t desire, that by any means there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, or riots, ²¹ that again when I come my God would humble me before you, and I would mourn for many of those who have sinned before now, and not repented of the uncleanness, sexual immorality, and lustfulness which they committed.

² For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, not lovers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ holding a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also.

³ For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts, ⁴ and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn away to fables.

⁹ holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him. ¹⁰ For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹ whose mouths must be stopped: men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake.

¹ But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction. ² Many will follow their immoral ways, and as a result, the way of the truth will be maligned. ³ In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn’t linger, and their destruction will not slumber.

¹³ receiving the wages of unrighteousness; people who count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and defects, reveling in their deceit while they feast with you; ¹⁴ having eyes full of adultery, and who can’t cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in greed; children of cursing; ¹⁵ forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing; ¹⁶ but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A mute donkey spoke with a man’s voice and stopped the madness of the prophet. ¹⁷ These are wells without water, clouds driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever. ¹⁸ For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error; ¹⁹ promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for a man is brought into bondage by whoever overcomes him. ²⁰ For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. ²¹ For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. ²² But it has happened to them according to the true proverb, “The dog turns to his own vomit again,” and “the sow that has washed to wallowing in the mire.”

¹⁸ Little children, these are the end times, and as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. By this we know that it is the final hour. ¹⁹ They went out from us, but they didn’t belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us.

¹ Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. ² By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, ³ and every spirit who doesn’t confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God, and this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already. ⁴ You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. ⁵ They are of the world. Therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them. ⁶ We are of God. He who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God doesn’t listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

⁴ For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ. ⁵ Now I desire to remind you, though you already know this, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who didn’t believe.

¹ “And to the angel of the assembly in Sardis write: “He who has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars says these things: “I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

¹⁵ “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked;

³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First, gather up the darnel weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

⁵ Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept. ⁶ But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!’ ⁷ Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, ‘What if there isn’t enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. ¹¹ Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’ ¹² But he answered, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

¹⁹ “Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reconciled accounts with them. ²⁰ He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents in addition to them.’ ²¹ “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ ²² “He also who got the two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents in addition to them.’ ²³ “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ ²⁴ “He also who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you didn’t sow, and gathering where you didn’t scatter. ²⁵ I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.’ ²⁶ “But his lord answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn’t sow, and gather where I didn’t scatter. ²⁷ You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest. ²⁸ Take away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. ²⁹ For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away. ³⁰ Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ³¹ “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. ³² Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

¹² I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works.

⁴² and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

⁵⁰ the lord of that servant will come in a day when he doesn’t expect it, and in an hour when he doesn’t know it, ⁵¹ and will cut him in pieces, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. That is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.

²⁷ He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.’ ²⁸ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in God’s Kingdom, and yourselves being thrown outside.

¹⁰ he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. ¹¹ The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. They have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.

¹⁰ The fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was darkened. They gnawed their tongues because of the pain, ¹¹ and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. They didn’t repent of their works.

¹⁷ Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly, and then out of the body?

¹¹ How is it that you don’t perceive that I didn’t speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

¹⁵ “When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

¹⁸ He said to them, “Are you also without understanding? Don’t you perceive that whatever goes into the man from outside can’t defile him,

⁴⁴ “Let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of Man will be delivered up into the hands of men.” ⁴⁵ But they didn’t understand this saying. It was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

³⁰ Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” ³¹ He said, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” He begged Philip to come up and sit with him.

⁶ this Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a skilled scribe in the law of Moses, which Yahweh, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to Yahweh his God’s hand on him.

¹⁰ For Ezra had set his heart to seek Yahweh’s law, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.

²¹ I, even I Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, it shall be done with all diligence,

²⁰ The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver. The heart of the wicked is of little worth. ²¹ The lips of the righteous feed many, but the foolish die for lack of understanding.

³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. He who is wise wins souls.

⁷ The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so with the heart of fools.

²⁰ He who heeds the Word finds prosperity. Whoever trusts in Yahweh is blessed. ²¹ The wise in heart shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction. ²² Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the punishment of fools is their folly. ²³ The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips. ²⁴ Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

⁴ The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.

¹⁷ Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Apply your heart to my teaching. ¹⁸ For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.

⁹ Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs. ¹⁰ The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth. ¹¹ The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

¹³ The mandrakes produce fragrance. At our doors are all kinds of precious fruits, new and old, which I have stored up for you, my beloved.

³⁵ The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.

³⁴ Therefore behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city;

⁴⁹ Therefore also the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will kill and persecute,

³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.

⁴ Such confidence we have through Christ toward God, ⁵ not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God, ⁶ who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

⁵ For we don’t preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake, ⁶ seeing it is God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ⁷ But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.

¹⁰ as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

⁴ by which, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ,

⁷ even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on your behalf,

⁶ not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

¹⁵ but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in God’s house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. ¹⁶ Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.

¹⁶ Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

⁹ holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.

⁶ Likewise, exhort the younger men to be sober minded. ⁷ In all things be showing yourself an example of good works. In your teaching, be showing integrity, seriousness, incorruptibility,

⁷ Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. ⁸ Again, I write a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away and the true light already shines.

²⁸ When Jesus had finished saying these things, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching,

³³ With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. ³⁴ Without a parable he didn’t speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything. ³⁵ On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side.”

²² I will declare your name to my brothers. Among the assembly, I will praise you.

⁹ I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness in the great assembly. Behold, I will not seal my lips, Yahweh, you know. ¹⁰ I have not hidden your righteousness within my heart. I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation. I have not concealed your loving kindness and your truth from the great assembly.

²³ and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets that he will be called a Nazarene.

¹ He went out from there. He came into his own country, and his disciples followed him. ² When the Sabbath had come, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things?” and, “What is the wisdom that is given to this man, that such mighty works come about by his hands? ³ Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judah, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” They were offended at him. ⁴ Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house.” ⁵ He could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people, and healed them. ⁶ He marveled because of their unbelief. He went around the villages teaching.

¹⁶ He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. ¹⁷ The book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the book, and found the place where it was written, ¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, ¹⁹ and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” ²⁰ He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. ²¹ He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” ²² All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” ²³ He said to them, “Doubtless you will tell me this parable, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in your hometown.’” ²⁴ He said, “Most certainly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. ²⁵ But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land. ²⁶ Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. ²⁷ There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, except Naaman, the Syrian.” ²⁸ They were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things. ²⁹ They rose up, threw him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill that their city was built on, that they might throw him off the cliff. ³⁰ But he, passing through the middle of them, went his way.

¹¹ He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him.

¹⁵ The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How does this man know letters, having never been educated?” ¹⁶ Jesus therefore answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.

¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus.

⁴⁶ Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, “It was necessary that God’s word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from yourselves, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

¹⁷ After three days Paul called together those who were the leaders of the Jews. When they had come together, he said to them, “I, brothers, though I had done nothing against the people or the customs of our fathers, still was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, ¹⁸ who, when they had examined me, desired to set me free, because there was no cause of death in me. ¹⁹ But when the Jews spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything about which to accuse my nation. ²⁰ For this cause therefore I asked to see you and to speak with you. For because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” ²¹ They said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor did any of the brothers come here and report or speak any evil of you. ²² But we desire to hear from you what you think. For, as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.” ²³ When they had appointed him a day, many people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about God’s Kingdom, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning until evening. ²⁴ Some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. ²⁵ When they didn’t agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had spoken one word, “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, ²⁶ saying, ‘Go to this people and say, in hearing, you will hear, but will in no way understand. In seeing, you will see, but will in no way perceive. ²⁷ For this people’s heart has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, then I would heal them.’ ²⁸ “Be it known therefore to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the nations, and they will listen.”

⁶ But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.

⁷ Yahweh, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, says to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and rise up, princes, and they shall worship, because of Yahweh who is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

² For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no good looks or majesty. When we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. ³ He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn’t respect him.

¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. ²⁰ But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

⁴⁶ While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him. ⁴⁷ One said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you.” ⁴⁸ But he answered him who spoke to him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”

⁵⁶ Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

³ Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judah, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” They were offended at him.

⁴⁰ There were also women watching from afar, among whom were both Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;

⁴⁷ Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, saw where he was laid.

²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary.

⁵ to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant. ⁶ While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth. ⁷ She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.

²³ Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,

²² All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

¹⁰ Now they were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. The other women with them told these things to the apostles.

⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” ⁴⁶ Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

⁴² They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does he say, ‘I have come down out of heaven?’”

⁴¹ Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “What, does the Christ come out of Galilee? ⁴² Hasn’t the Scripture said that the Christ comes of the offspring of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”

²⁹ We know that God has spoken to Moses. But as for this man, we don’t know where he comes from.”

²⁵ But standing by Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

¹⁹ But of the other apostles I saw no one except James, the Lord’s brother.

¹⁴ He will be a sanctuary, but for both houses of Israel, he will be a stumbling stone and a rock that makes them fall. For the people of Jerusalem, he will be a trap and a snare.

³ He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn’t respect him.

¹⁴ King Herod heard this, for his name had become known, and he said, “John the Baptizer has risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”

³⁴ and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against. ³⁵ Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

²⁴ He said, “Most certainly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.

²³ Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”

⁴⁴ For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.

⁶¹ But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?

²² For Moses indeed said to the fathers, ‘The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you. ²³ It will be that every soul that will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.’

³⁷ This is that Moses, who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord our God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me.’ ³⁸ This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel that spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living revelations to give to us, ³⁹ to whom our fathers wouldn’t be obedient, but rejected him, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,

⁵¹ “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do. ⁵² Which of the prophets didn’t your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers.

²³ but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God; ²⁵ because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. ²⁶ For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble; ²⁷ but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame the things that are strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that don’t exist, that he might bring to nothing the things that exist,

²⁵ But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land. ²⁶ Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. ²⁷ There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, except Naaman, the Syrian.” ²⁸ They were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things. ²⁹ They rose up, threw him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill that their city was built on, that they might throw him off the cliff.

²⁰ True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don’t be conceited, but fear;

¹² Beware, brothers, lest perhaps there might be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God; ¹³ but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called “today”, lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴ For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence firm to the end, ¹⁵ while it is said, “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion.” ¹⁶ For who, when they heard, rebelled? Wasn’t it all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? ¹⁷ With whom was he displeased forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸ To whom did he swear that they wouldn’t enter into his rest, but to those who were disobedient? ¹⁹ We see that they weren’t able to enter in because of unbelief.

⁶ Seeing therefore it remains that some should enter into it, and they to whom the good news was preached before failed to enter in because of disobedience, ⁷ he again defines a certain day, today, saying through David so long a time afterward (just as has been said), “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.” ⁸ For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. ⁹ There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. ¹⁰ For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. ¹¹ Let’s therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.