# verses

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This man was instructed in the way of the Lord and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught correctly the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the immersion of John.


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And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But Aquila and Priscilla, having heard him, took him to them, and expounded to him the way of God more perfectly.


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And he wishing to pass through into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; who, when he was come, contributed much to those who had believed through grace.


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AND it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper districts came to Ephesus. And finding certain disciples,


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he said to them: Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they said to him: Nay, we did not even hear whether there is a Holy Spirit.


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Then said Paul: John indeed immersed with the immersion of repentance; saying to the people, that they should believe on him who should come after him, that is, on Jesus.


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And Paul having laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied.


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And he went into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them of the things concerning the kingdom of God.


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But when some were hardened, and believed not, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.


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And this continued for two years; so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.


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so that also there were carried from his body to the sick, handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out from them.


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Then some of the wandering Jewish exorcists took upon them to name, over those who had the evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus, saying: I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.


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And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against both, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.


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And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who dwelt at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.


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Many of those also who practiced curious arts brought together the books, and burned them before all; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.


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When these things were ended, Paul purposed to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia; saying: After I have been there, I must also see Rome.


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And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a season.


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For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small gain to the craftsmen;


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whom he called together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said: Sirs, ye well know that by this craft we have our wealth.


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Moreover ye see and hear, that this Paul has persuaded and turned aside much people, not only of Ephesus, but of almost all Asia, saying that they are not gods, which are made with hands.


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And there is danger to us, not only that this branch of business will come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana will be accounted nothing, and her magnificence will be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.


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And hearing it, they became full of wrath, and continued crying out, saying: Great is Diana of the Ephesians.


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And the whole city was filled with confusion; and they rushed with one accord into the theatre, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel.


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And some also of the chiefs of Asia, being his friends, sent to him, entreating him not to adventure himself into the theatre.


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Some therefore were crying one thing, and some another; for the assembly was confused, and the greater part knew not wherefore they had come together.


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And they brought forward Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews thrusting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, desiring to make his defense to the people.


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But when they knew that he was a Jew, one voice arose from all, crying about two hours: Great is Diana of the Ephesians.


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And the town-clerk, having quieted the people, said: Men of Ephesus, what human being is there, who knows not that the city of the Ephesians is keeper of the great Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?


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For ye brought hither these men, who are neither robbers of temples, nor blasphemers of your goddess.


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If therefore Demetrius, and the craftsmen with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are proconsuls; let them implead one another.


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For we are in danger of being called in question for this day's riot, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.


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AND after the tumult ceased, Paul called to him the disciples, and having embraced them, departed to go into Macedonia.


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And after he had stayed three months, a plot being laid for him by the Jews, as he was about sailing to Syria, it was resolved that he should return through Macedonia.


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And there accompanied him unto Asia, Sopater, son of Pyrrhus, a Beroean; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.


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But we sailed forth from Philippi, after the days of unleavened bread, and came to them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.


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And on the first day of the week, we having come together to break bread, Paul discoursed to them (being about to depart on the morrow), and continued the discourse until midnight.


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And there sat on the window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep; and as Paul was long discoursing, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.


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And having come up again, and broken the bread, and eaten, he talked a long while even till break of day, and so departed.


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And we, going forward to the ship, embarked for Assos, intending there to take in Paul; for so he had appointed, intending himself to go on foot.


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And sailing thence, we came the following day over against Chios; and the next day we arrived at Samos; and having tarried at Trogyllium, we came the next day to Miletus.


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For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.


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And when they were come to him, he said to them: Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you the whole time;


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serving the Lord with all lowliness of mind, and with tears, and trials which befell me by the plottings of the Jews;


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how I kept back nothing that was profitable, that I should not announce it to you, and teach you, publicly and from house to house;


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And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there;


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save that the Holy Spirit witnesses to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me.


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But none of these things move me, neither do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the good news of the grace of God.


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And now, behold, I know that all ye, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.


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Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit made you overseers, to feed the church of the Lord, which he purchased with his own blood.


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For I know this, that after my departure grievous wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock.


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And from among yourselves will men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.


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Therefore watch, remembering that for the space of three years, night and day, I ceased not to warn every one with tears.


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And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, who is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all the sanctified.


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In all ways I showed you that, so laboring, ye ought to assist the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said: <J>It is more blessed to give than to receive.</J>


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sorrowing most of all for the word which he had spoken, that they should behold his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.


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AND it came to pass, that after we had torn ourselves from them, and had put to sea, we came with a straight course to Coos, and the day following to Rhodes, and from thence to Patara.


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And bringing Cyprus in sight, and leaving it on the left hand, we sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unlade her burden.


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And having found out the disciples, we remained there seven days; who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.


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And when we had completed the days, we departed and went our way; they all accompanying us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city; and we kneeled down on the beach, and prayed.


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And we, completing the voyage, came down from Tyre to Ptolemais; and having embraced the brethren, we remained with them one day.


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And on the morrow we departed, and came to Caesarea; and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, being one of the Seven, we abode with him.


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And while we were remaining several days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.


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And coming to us, he took off Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said: Thus says the Holy Spirit: So will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man, whose this girdle is, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.


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And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.


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Then answered Paul: What mean ye, to weep and to break my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus.


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There went with us also some of the disciples from Caesarea, bringing us to Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.


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And having embraced them, he recounted particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles through his ministry.


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And they, hearing it, glorified the Lord. And they said to him: Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who believe; and they are all zealots for the law.


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And they were informed concerning thee, that thou teachest all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they should not circumcise their children, nor walk after the customs.


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What is it therefore? A multitude must surely come together; for they will hear that thou hast come.


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these take with thee, and purify thyself with them, and bear the charges for them, that they may shave their heads; and all will know that those things, of which they have been informed concerning thee, are nothing, but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, keeping the law.


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But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote to them, deciding that they should observe no such thing, except that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication.


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Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having purified himself with them, entered into the temple, announcing the completion of the days of the purification, until the offering was brought for each one of them.


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And as the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia, having observed him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,


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crying out: Men of Israel, help. This is the man who teaches all, everywhere, against the people, and the law, and this place; and further also, he brought Greeks into the temple, and has polluted this holy place.


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For they had before seen with him in the city Trophimus the Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul brought into the temple.


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And all the city was moved, and the people ran together; and laying hold of Paul, they dragged him out of the temple; and forthwith the doors were shut.


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And while they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar;


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who immediately took with him soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them; and they, seeing the chief captain and the soldiers, left off beating Paul.


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Then the chief captain came near, and took hold of him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and inquired who he was, and what he had done.


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And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude; and not being able to know the certainty on account of the tumult, he commanded him to be led into the castle.


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And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne by the soldiers on account of the violence of the people.


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And as he was about to be led into the castle, Paul says to the chief captain: May I speak to thee? And he said: Canst thou speak Greek?


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Art thou not then the Egyptian, who before these days made an uproar, and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the assassins?


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And Paul said: I am a Jew of Tarsus, a citizen of no obscure city of Cilicia; and I beseech thee, suffer me to speak to the people.


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And he having given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with the hand to the people. And a great silence ensuing, he spoke to them in the Hebrew tongue, saying:


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And he says: I am a Jew, born indeed in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, taught at the feet of Gamaliel, according to the strictness of the law of the fathers, being zealous for God, as ye all are this day.


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As also the high priest bears me witness, and all the eldership; from whom, moreover, I received letters to the brethren, and was journeying to Damascus, to bring also those who were there bound to Jerusalem, that they might be punished.


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And it came to pass, that as I journeyed, and came near to Damascus, about midday, there suddenly flashed around me a great light out of heaven.


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And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me: <J>Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?</J>


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And I answered: Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me: <J>I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom thou persecutest.</J>


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And they who were with me beheld indeed the light, and were afraid; but the voice of him who spoke to me they heard not.


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And I said: What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me: <J>Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee concerning all things which it is appointed thee to do.</J>


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And as I could not see, for the glory of that light, being led by the hand by those who were with me, I came into Damascus.


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And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report from all the Jews who dwelt there,


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came to me, and standing by me said to me: Brother Saul, receive sight. And I, in that very hour, looked up upon him.


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And he said: The God of our fathers appointed thee to know his will, and to see the Just One, and to hear a voice out of his mouth.


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And it came to pass, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and as I was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance,


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and saw him saying to me: <J>Make haste, and go forth quickly out of Jerusalem; for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.</J>


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And I said: Lord, they well know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believe on thee;


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and when the blood of thy witness Stephen was shed, then I myself was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of those who slew him.


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And they heard him unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said: Away with such a one from the earth; for it was not fit that he should live.


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the chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know for what charge they were thus crying out against him.


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And as they stretched him forth with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?


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The centurion, hearing it, he went and told the chief captain, saying: What art thou about to do? For this man is a Roman.


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And the chief captain answered: For a great sum I obtained this freedom. And Paul said: But I was born free.


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Immediately, therefore, they departed from him who were about to examine him; and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.


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On the morrow, wishing to know the certainty, wherefore he was accused by the Jews, he released him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together; and he brought Paul down, and set him before them.


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AND Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said: Men, brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God unto this day.


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Then Paul said to him: God will smite thee, thou whited wall. And dost thou sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be smitten contrary to law?


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And Paul said: I knew not, brethren, that he is high priest; for it is written: Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people.


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And Paul, knowing that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, cried out in the council: Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; for the hope of the resurrection of the dead I am now judged.


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And when he had said this, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the multitude was divided.


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For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but Pharisees acknowledge both.


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And there arose a great clamor; and the scribes of the party of the Pharisees arose, and contended, saying: We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit spoke to him, or an angel?—


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And a great dissension arising, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should be pulled in pieces by them, commanded the soldiery to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.


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And the night following, the Lord stood by him, and said: Be of good courage; for as thou didst fully testify the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so must thou testify also at Rome.


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And when it was day, the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.


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And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said: We bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have slain Paul.


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Now therefore do ye, with the council, signify to the chief captain that he bring him down to you, as though ye would ascertain more exactly the matters concerning him; and we, before he comes near, are ready to kill him.


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And the son of Paul's sister, hearing of their lying in wait, went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.


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Then Paul called one of the centurions to him, and said: Bring this young man to the chief captain; for he has something to tell him.


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So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said: Paul, the prisoner, called me to him, and asked me to bring this young man to thee, as he has something to say to thee.


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Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went aside privately, and asked: What is that thou hast to tell me?


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And he said: The Jews agreed to desire thee, that thou wouldst bring down Paul to-morrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat more exactly concerning him.


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But do not thou yield to them; for of them more than forty men are lying in wait for him, who bound themselves with an oath, neither to eat nor to drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, looking for the promise from thee.


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The chief captain therefore dismissed the young man, having charged him to say to no one, that thou didst show these things to me.


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And calling to him two or three of the centurions, he said: Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, two hundred spearmen, at the third hour of the night;


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and let them provide beasts, that they may set Paul thereon, and bring him safe to Felix the governor.


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This man was taken by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them; but I came upon them with the soldiery, and rescued him, having learned that he is a Roman.


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And wishing to know the crime for which they were accusing him, I brought him down into their council;


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whom I found to be accused concerning questions of their law, but having nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.


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And being informed that a plot was about to be laid against the man, I sent straightway to thee, having also commanded the accusers to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.


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The soldiers, therefore, as was commanded them, took up Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.


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who, when they had entered into Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, presented Paul also before him.


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he said: I will hear thee fully, when thy accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in the praetorium of Herod.


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AND after five days, the high priest Ananias came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul;


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and he having been called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done for this nation through thy providence, in every way and everywhere;


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But, not to hinder thee too long, I pray thee that thou wouldst hear us of thy clemency a few words.


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For we have found this man to be a pest, and exciting disturbance among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes;


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who also attempted to profane the temple; whom we took, <n>[and desired to judge according to our law.


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commanding his accusers to come before thee;]</n> from whom thou canst thyself ascertain, by examination, concerning all these things whereof we accuse him.


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Then Paul, the governor having beckoned to him to speak, answered: Knowing that thou hast been for many years a judge for this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself;


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inasmuch as thou mayest know, that there are not more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship;


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and neither in the temple did they find me disputing with any one, or causing a tumult of the people, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city;


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But this I acknowledge to thee, that according to the way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of our fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets;


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having a hope toward God, which these themselves also look for, that there will be a resurrection both of the just and unjust.


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Amidst which they found me purified in the temple, not with a crowd, nor with tumult; but certain Jews from Asia <n>[caused it]</n>,


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except for this one voice that I cried, standing among them: Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am judged by you this day.


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And Felix put them off, knowing the things concerning the Way more accurately, saying: When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will fully inquire into your matters.


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And he commanded the centurion that he should be guarded, and should have indulgence; and to forbid none of his acquaintance to minister to him.


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And after certain days, Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.


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And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and the judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered: Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.


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He hoped also that money would be given him by Paul; wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and conversed with him.


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But after two years, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and Felix, wishing to gain favor with the Jews, left Paul bound.


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FESTUS, therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.


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asking for themselves a favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, preparing an ambush to slay him on the way.


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But Festus answered, that Paul was to be kept a prisoner at Caesarea, and that he himself should soon go thither.


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Let them therefore, said he, who are powerful among you, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there is any wickedness in him.


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And having tarried among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the morrow, sitting on the judgment-seat, he commanded Paul to be brought.


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And when he was come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around, bringing many and grievous charges, which they could not prove;


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while Paul said in defense: Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, did I commit any offense.


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But Festus, wishing to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul, and said: Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged concerning these things, before me?


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And Paul said; I stand at Caesar's judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged. To Jews I did no wrong, as thou also very well knowest.


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If then I am an offender, and have done anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die; but if there be none of the things whereof these accuse me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.


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Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered: Thou hast appealed to Caesar; to Caesar thou shalt go.


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And as they were spending some days there, Festus laid the case of Paul before the king, saying: There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix;


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about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews made complaint, asking for judgment against him.


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To whom I answered: It is not a custom for Romans to give up any man, before the accused has the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.


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When, therefore, they had come together here, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth;


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but had certain controversies with him concerning their own religion, and concerning a certain Jesus who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.


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And I, being perplexed in regard to the dispute about these things, asked whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged concerning them.


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But Paul having appealed, to be kept in custody for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept until I shall send him up to Caesar.


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And Agrippa said to Festus: I would also hear the man myself. To-morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.


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On the morrow, therefore, Agrippa and Bernice having come with great pomp, and entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains and principal men of the city, at Festus' command Paul was brought forth.


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And Festus said: King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews interceded with me, both at Jerusalem and here, Crying out that he ought not to live any longer.


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But having found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and he himself having appealed to Augustus, I determined to send him.


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Of whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord. Wherefore I brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, in order that, the examination having been made, I may have something to write.


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AND Agrippa said to Paul: Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:


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I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself before thee this day, concerning all things whereof I am accused by Jews;


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especially since thou art expert in all the customs and questions among Jews. Wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.


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My manner of life, therefore, from my youth, which was from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all Jews know;


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having known me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.


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unto which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving day and night, hope to attain; concerning which hope, O king, I am accused by Jews.


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I therefore thought to myself, that I ought to do many hostile things against the name of Jesus the Nazarene.


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Which I also did in Jerusalem; and many of the saints did I myself shut up in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.


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And punishing them often, throughout all the synagogues, I constrained them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them also unto foreign cities.


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at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.


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And we all having fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue: <J>Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goads.</J>


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<J>But arise, and stand upon thy feet; for I appeared to thee for this purpose, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things which thou sawest, and of the things in which I will appear to thee;</J>


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<J>to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may obtain forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among the sanctified, by faith in me.</J>


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but to those in Damascus first, and in Jerusalem, and unto all the region of Judaea, and to the Gentiles, I announced that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.


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Having therefore obtained help from God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing except those things which the prophets and Moses said should come;


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whether the Christ should suffer, whether he, the first of the resurrection from the dead, shall show light to the people and to the Gentiles.


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And as he thus spoke for himself, Festus said with a loud voice: Paul, thou art mad; much learning makes thee mad.


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For the king knows well concerning these things, to whom also I speak boldly; for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this has not been done in a corner.


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And Paul said: I could pray God, that with little or much, not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, may become such as I am, except these bonds.


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And having withdrawn, they talked together, saying: This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.


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And Agrippa said to Festus: This man could have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar.


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AND when it was determined that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band.


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And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, about to sail along the coasts of Asia, we put to sea, Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.


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And on the second day we landed at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul humanely, and permitted him to go to his friends and receive their care.


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And sailing slowly many days, and having come with difficulty over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us to put in, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;


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and coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near to which was the city Lasa.


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And much time having been spent, and the voyage being now dangerous, because also the fast had already passed by, Paul exhorted them,


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saying: Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with violence and much loss, not only of the lading and the ship, but also of our lives.


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But the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than the things spoken by Paul.


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And as the haven was not well situated for wintering, the greater number advised to sail thence also, if by any means they might reach Phoenix, a haven of Crete, looking toward the southwest and northwest, and there winter.


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And a south wind beginning to blow moderately, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor, and coasted along close by Crete.


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which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should be cast away on the quicksand, they lowered the sail, and so were driven.


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And neither sun nor stars appearing for many days, and no small tempest lying on us, thenceforward all hope that we should be saved was utterly taken away.


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But after much abstinence, then Paul, standing up in the midst of then, said: Sirs, ye should have hearkened to me and not put to sea from Crete, and so have escaped this violence and loss.


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And now I exhort you to be of good cheer; for there shall be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.


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saying: Fear not, Paul; thou must stand before Caesar; and, lo, God has given thee all those who sail with thee.


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Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God, that it will be even so, as it has been told me.


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And when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven onward in the Adriatic sea, about midnight the seamen suspected that they were near to some country;


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and sounding, they found twenty fathoms; and having gone a little further, they sounded again, and found fifteen fathoms.


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Then fearing lest we should fall upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for day.


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And as the seamen were seeking to flee out of the ship, and had let down the boat into the sea, under color as if they were about to extend anchors out of the foreship,


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Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers: Except these abide in the ship, ye can not be saved.


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And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take food, saying: This day is the fourteenth day that ye have waited, and continued fasting, having taken nothing.


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Wherefore I pray you to take food; for this is for your safety; for there shall not a hair fall from the head of one of you.


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And having thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all; and having broken it, he began to eat.


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And when it was day, they knew not the land; but they perceived a certain creek, having a beach, on which they determined, if they were able, to drive the ship ashore.


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And cutting the anchors entirely away, they abandoned them to the sea, at the same time unfastening the bands of the rudders; and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made toward the beach.


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And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow sticking fast remained immovable, but the stern was broken by the violence of the waves.


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And it was the plan of the soldiers, that they should kill the prisoners, lest any one should swim out, and escape.


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But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that those who could swim should cast themselves first into the sea and get to land,


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and the rest, some on boards, and others on some of the pieces from the ship. And so it came to pass, that all escaped safe to land.


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And the barbarians showed us no little kindness; for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.


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And Paul having gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came out a viper from the heat, and fastened on his hand.


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And when the barbarians saw the animal hanging from his hand, they said among themselves: No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though escaped from the sea, justice suffered not to live.


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But they were expecting that he would become inflamed, or suddenly fall down dead; but after looking a great while, and seeing no harm befall him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.


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In the region around that place, there were lands of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius, who received and entertained us kindly three days.


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Now it happened, that the father of Publius was lying sick with a fever and a bloody flux; to whom Paul entered in, and having prayed, laid his hands on him and healed him.


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who also honored us with many honors; and when we put to sea, they loaded us with such things as were necessary.


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And after three months, we put to sea in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the island, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.


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And from thence, making a circuit, we came to Rhegium. And after one day, a south wind arose, and we came on the second day to Puteoli;


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where we found brethren, and were entreated to remain with them seven days; and so we went toward Rome.


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And from thence, the brethren, having heard of us, came to meet us as far as Appii Forum, and the Three Taverns; whom when Paul saw, he gave thanks to God, and took courage.


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And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the commander of the camp; but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.


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And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called together those who were the chief men of the Jews; and when they were come together, he said to them: Men, brethren, though I had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans;


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But as the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar; not that I have anything to charge against my nation.


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For this cause therefore I called for you, to see and to speak with you; for on account of the hope of Israel I am compassed with this chain.


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And they said to him: We neither received letters from Judaea concerning thee, nor did any one of the brethren that came, report or speak any evil concerning thee.


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But we desire to hear from thee what thou thinkest; for concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against.


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And having appointed a day for him, they came to him in greater numbers to his lodging; to whom he expounded, testifying fully the kingdom of God, and persuading them of the things concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and the prophets, from morning till evening.


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And disagreeing among themselves, they departed, after Paul had spoken one word: Well did the Holy Spirit speak through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,


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saying: Go to this people, and say; With the hearing ye will hear, and will not understand, And seeing ye will see, and will not perceive.


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For the heart of this people is become gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And turn, and I shall heal them.


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Be it known to you, therefore, that to the Gentiles the salvation of God was sent; they, moreover, will hear.


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And Paul remained two whole years in his own hired house, and gladly received all that came in to him;


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preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no one hindering him.


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who was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord;


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through whom we received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all the nations, for his name's sake;


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to all the beloved of God that are in Rome, called to be saints: Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


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First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of in all the world.


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For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;


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For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;


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Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that often-times I purposed to come to you (but was hindered hitherto), that I might have some fruit among you also, as among the rest of the Gentiles.


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For I am not ashamed of the gospel; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.


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For therein is revealed a righteousness of God, from faith to faith; as it is written: The just shall live by faith.


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For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;


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For, from the creation of the world, his invisible things are clearly seen, being perceived by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.


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Because, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, nor gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their foolish heart was darkened.


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and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.


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Wherefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, to dishonor their bodies among themselves;


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who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.


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For this cause God gave them up to vile passions; for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature;


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and in like manner the men also, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves the recompense of their error which was meet.


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And as they did not choose to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not becoming;


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being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers,


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slanderers, haters of God, overbearing, proud, boasters, devisers of evil things, disobedient to parents,


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who, knowing the judgment of God, that they who commit such things are worthy of death, not only do them, but have pleasure in those who do them.


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WHEREFORE thou art without excuse, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest; for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.


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And reckonest thou this, O man, that judgest those who do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?


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Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God is leading thee to repentance;


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and after thy hardness and impenitent heart, art treasuring up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God;


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to those who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;


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but to those who are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,


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tribulation and distress, upon every soul of man that works evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek;


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but glory, and honor, and peace, to every man that works good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.


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For as many as sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as sinned with law shall be judged by law;


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for when Gentiles, who have no law, do by nature the things required by law, these, having no law, are a law to themselves;


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who show the work of law written in their hearts, their conscience witnessing therewith, and their thoughts alternately accusing, or also excusing;)


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and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;


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an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law;


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thou then, that teachest another, dost thou not teach thyself? Thou that preachest, a man should not steal, dost thou steal?


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Thou that sayest, a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?


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For circumcision indeed profits, if thou keep the law; but if thou art a transgressor of law, thy circumcision has become uncircumcision.


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If then the uncircumcision keep the requirements of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?


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And shall not the uncircumcision that is by nature, if it fulfill the law, judge thee, who with the letter and circumcision art a transgressor of law?


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But he is a Jew, who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.


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Far be it! Yea, let God be true and every man a liar; as it is written: That thou mayest be justified in thy words, And mayest overcome when thou art judged.


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But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who takes vengeance? (I speak as a man.)


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For if the truth of God through my lie, abounded unto his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?


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And why not, as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say: Let us do evil, that good may come? Whose judgment is just.


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What then? Are we better? No, in no wise; for we before charged, that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin.


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They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, there is not so much as one.


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Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips;


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Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.


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Because by works of law no flesh shall be justified in his sight; for by law is the knowledge of sin.


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But now, apart from law, a righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;


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a righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all that believe; (for there is no difference;


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whom God set forth as a propitiation through faith by his blood, for the exhibition of his righteousness, because of the passing over of the sins before committed in the forbearance of God;


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for the exhibition of his righteousness in this present time, that he may be just, and the justifier of him who believes in Jesus.


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Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? Nay; but by the law of faith.


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Therefore we reckon that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law. Is he the God of Jews only?


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seeing that God is one, who will justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through the faith.


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For what says the Scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.


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But to him that works not, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness.


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As also David speaks of the happiness of the man, to whom God reckons righteousness, apart from works:


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Comes this happiness then on the circumcision, or also on he uncircumcision? For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.


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How then was it reckoned? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.


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And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while in uncircumcision; that he might be father of all that believe while in uncircumcision, that the righteousness might be reckoned to them also,


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and father of circumcision to those who are not only of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham, which he had while in uncircumcision.


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For not through law was the promise to Abraham, or to his seed, that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith.


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For this cause it is of faith, that it may be by grace; in order that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,


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(as it is written: A father of many nations have I made thee,) before God whom he believed, who quickens the dead, and calls the things that are not as though they were;


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who against hope believed in hope, that he should become father of many nations, according to that which was spoken: So shall thy seed be.


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And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body already dead, being about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb.


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And in respect to the promise of God he wavered not through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God,


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but for ours also, to whom it shall be reckoned, if we believe on him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;


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through whom also we obtained the access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.


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and hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God has been poured forth in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit which was given to us.


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For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; though, for the good man, perhaps some one does even dare to die.


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Much more therefore, being now justified by his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath through him.


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For if, being enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his son; much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life;


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and not only so, but also rejoicing in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.


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Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all sinned;


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But yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who sinned not after the likeness of Adam's transgression, who is a type of him who was to come.


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But not as the trespass, so also is the free gift; for if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.


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And not as through one that sinned, is the gift; for the judgment came of one unto condemnation, but the free gift came of many trespasses unto justification.


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For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; much more they who receive the abundance of the grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.)


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So then, as through one trespass it came upon all men unto condemnation; so also through one righteous act it came upon all men unto justification of life.


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For as through the disobedience of the one man the many were constituted sinners, so also through the obedience of the one will the many be constituted righteous.


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Moreover the law came in also, that the trespass might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound;


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that as sin reigned in death, so also might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.


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We were buried therefore with him by the immersion into his death; that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life.


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For if we have become united with the likeness of his death, we shall be also with that of his resurrection,


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knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, in order that we should no longer be in bondage to sin.


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nor yield your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but yield yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness.


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Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?


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But thanks be to God, that ye were servants of sin, but obeyed from the heart that form of teaching which was delivered to you;


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I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh. For as ye yielded your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity; so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto sanctification.


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What fruit therefore had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.


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But now, being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end everlasting life.


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KNOW ye not, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man for so long a time as he lives?


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For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives; but if the husband die, she is loosed from the law of the husband.


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So then if, while the husband lives, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress, though she be married to another man.


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Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, in order that ye should be married to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit to God.


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For when we were in the flesh, the emotions of sins, which were by the law, wrought in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.


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But now we are delivered from the law, having died to that wherein we were held; so that we serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.


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What then shall we say? Is the law sin? Far be it! But I had not known sin, except through law; for I had not known coveting, if the law had not said: Thou shalt not covet.


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But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of coveting. For without law, sin is dead.


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Has then that which is good become death to me? Far be it! But sin, that it might appear sin, working death to me by that which is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.


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For I know that there dwells not in me, that is, in my flesh, any good; for to desire is present with me; but to perform that which is good I find not.


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But if what I desire not, that I do, it is no more I that perform it, but the sin that dwells in me.


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But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.


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I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then I myself with the mind serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.


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For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh;


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that the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.


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For they that are according to the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but they that are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.


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Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it does not submit itself to the law of God, neither indeed can it;


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But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. And if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.


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And if Christ is in you, the body indeed is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.


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And if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ from the dead will also quicken your mortal bodies, because of his Spirit that dwells in you.


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For if ye live according to the flesh, ye shall die; but if by the Spirit ye mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.


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For ye did not receive the spirit of bondage, again to fear; but ye received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.


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


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For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are of no account, in comparison with the glory which shall be revealed in us.


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For the creation was made subject to vanity, not willingly (but by reason of him who made it subject), in hope


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that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.


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And not only so, but ourselves also, though we have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.


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For we were saved in hope; but hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man sees, why does he also hope for?


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And in like manner does the Spirit also help our weakness; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which can not be uttered.


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And he who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.


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And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.


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Because whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren.


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And whom he predestined, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified.


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He who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things?


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who is he that condemns? Christ is he that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.


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Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?


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As it is written: For, for thy sake we are killed all the day long; We were accounted as sheep for slaughter.


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For I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities nor powers, neither things present nor things to come,


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neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


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For I myself could wish to be accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh;


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who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service, and the promises;


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whose are the fathers, and of whom as to the flesh is Christ, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.


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neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children; but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.


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That is, not they who are the children of the flesh are children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned as seed.


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(for they being not yet born, nor having done anything good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls),


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For he says to Moses: I will have mercy on whomsoever I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomsoever I have compassion.


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For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: Even for this very purpose did I raise thee up, that I might show forth my power in thee, and that my name might be declared in all the earth.


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Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him who formed it: Why didst thou make me thus?


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Has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?


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And what if God, willing to show forth his wrath, and to make known his power, endured with much long-suffering vessels of wrath fitted for destruction;


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and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he had before prepared for glory;


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As also he says in Hosea: I will call them my people, who were not my people; And her beloved, who was not beloved.


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And it shall be, that in the place where it was said to them, Ye are not my people, there shall they be called, Sons of the living God.


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And Isaiah cries concerning Israel: Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant shall be saved;


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For he will finish the work, And cut it short in righteousness; Because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.


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And as Isaiah has said before: Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We had become as Sodom, And been made like to Gomorrah.


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What then shall we say? That Gentiles, who were not following after righteousness, obtained righteousness, the righteousness which is of faith;


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Wherefore? Because <n>[they sought it]</n> not by faith, but as being by works of law. For they stumbled against the stone of stumbling;


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as it is written: Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and he that believes on him shall not be put to shame.


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For not knowing the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God.


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For Moses describes the righteousness which is of the law: The man that has done them, shall live by them.


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But the righteousness which is of faith says thus: Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down;)


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But what says it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart; that is, the word of faith, which we preach;


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because, if thou shalt profess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.


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For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth profession is made unto salvation.


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For there is no difference between Jew and Greek; for the same is Lord of all, rich toward all that call upon him;


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How then shall they call on him on whom they believed not? And how shall they believe on him of whom they heard not? And how shall they hear without a preacher?


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And how shall they preach, unless they are sent forth? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!


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But I say, did they not hear? Yes verily; Their sound went forth into all the earth, And their words unto the ends of the world.


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But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are no people, By a foolish nation I will move you to anger.


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But Isaiah is very bold, and says: I was found by those who sought me not; I became manifest to those who asked not after me.


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But of Israel he says: All the day long, I stretched forth my hands, To a disobedient and gainsaying people.


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I SAY then, did God cast away his people? Far be it! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.


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God did not cast away his people whom he foreknew. Know ye not what the Scripture says in the story of Elijah; how he pleads with God against Israel, saying:


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Lord they killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I was left alone, and they seek my life.


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But what says the answer of God to him? I reserved to myself seven thousand men, who bowed not the knee to Baal.


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And if by grace, it is no longer of works; otherwise, grace becomes no longer grace. <n>Ancient copies omit the words in brackets. [But if of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise, work is no longer work.]</n>


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What then? What Israel seeks after, that he obtained not; but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened.


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According as it is written: God gave them a spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this day.


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And David says: Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, And a stumbling-block, and a recompense to them;


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I say then, did they stumble in order that they should fall? Far be it! But by their fall salvation is come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.


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But if their fall is the riches of the world, and their diminution the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fullness?


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For I am speaking to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify my office;


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For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?


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And if the first-fruit is holy, so also is the lump; and if the root is holy, so also are the branches.


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And if some of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive-tree, wert grafted in among them, and became a partaker with them of the root and the fatness of the olive-tree;


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boast not over the branches. But if thou boast, it is not thou that bearest the root, but the root thee.


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Well; because of their want of faith they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Be not high-minded, but fear;


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Behold then the goodness and severity of God; toward those who fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness; otherwise, thou also shalt be cut off.


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And they also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in; for God is able again to graft them in.


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For if thou wast cut out of the olive-tree which is wild by nature, and wast grafted contrary to nature into a good olive-tree; how much more shall these, who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive-tree?


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For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that hardness has come upon Israel in part, until the fullness of the Gentiles come in.


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And so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written: There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer; he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;


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As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes; but as concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.


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Oh, the depth of the riches, and wisdom, and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!


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I BESEECH you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well pleasing to God, which is your rational service.


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And be not conformed to this world; but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may discern what is the will of God, the good, and well pleasing, and perfect.


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For I say, through the grace given to me, to every one that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God imparted to each one the measure of faith.


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And having gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, <n>[let us prophesy]</n> according to the proportion of our faith;


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or he that exhorts, on the exhortation; he that gives, <n>[let him do it]</n> with simplicity; he that presides, with diligence; he that shows mercy, with cheerfulness.


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Be of the same mind one toward another. Aspire not to things that are high, but condescend to the lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits.


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Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place to the wrath <n>[of God]</n>. For it is written: To me belongs vengeance; I will recompense, saith the Lord.


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Therefore, If thy enemy hungers, feed him; If he thirsts, give him drink. For, in doing this, Thou wilt heap coals of fire on his head.


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LET every soul submit himself to the higher powers. For there is no power but from God; the powers that be have been ordained by God.


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So that he who resists the power, resists the ordinance of God; and they that resist will receive to themselves condemnation.


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For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. And dost thou wish not to be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou wilt have praise from it;


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for he is God's minister to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he bears not the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger for wrath to him that does evil.


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Wherefore it is necessary to submit yourselves, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience' sake.


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For, for this cause ye pay tribute also; for they are God's ministers, attending continually to this very thing.


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Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.


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For this: Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet; and if there is any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.


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And that, knowing the time, that it is high time that we already were awaked out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.


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The night is far advanced, the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.


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Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in lewdness and wantonness, not in strife and envying;


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Let not him that eats despise him that eats not; and let not him that eats not judge him that eats; for God received him.


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Who art thou that judgest another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. But he shall be made to stand; for God is able to make him stand.


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One man esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each one be fully persuaded in his own mind.


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He that regards the day, regards it to the Lord; and he that eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he that eats not, to the Lord he eats not, and gives thanks to God.


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For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord; whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.


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But why dost thou judge thy brother? Or why dost thou despise thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God.


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For it is written: As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to God.


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Let us therefore no longer judge one another; but judge this rather, not to put a stumbling-block, or an occasion to fall, in a brother's way.


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I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself; but to him that accounts anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.


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But if because of food thy brother is grieved, thou no longer walkest in accordance with love. Destroy not him by thy food, for whom Christ died.


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For the kingdom of God is not food and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.


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So then, let us follow after the things which make for peace, and things by which one may edify another.


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For the sake of food destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eats with offense.


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It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbles, or is made to offend, or is weak.


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Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that judges not himself in that which he allows.


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And he that doubts is condemned if he eat, because it is not of faith; and all that is not of faith is sin.


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For also Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written: The reproaches of those who reproached thee, fell on me.


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For whatever things were written afore-time were for our instruction, that we through patience and consolation of the Scriptures may have hope.


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And the God of patience and consolation grant you to be of the same mind one with another, according to Christ Jesus;


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For I say that Jesus Christ has been made a minister of the circumcision, for the sake of God's truth, in order to confirm the promises made to the fathers;


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and that the Gentiles should glorify God for his mercy; as it is written: For this cause I will give thee praise among Gentiles. And to thy name will sing.


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And again, Isaiah says: There shall be the root of Jesse, And he who rises up to rule the Gentiles; On him will Gentiles hope.


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And the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit.


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And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.


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But I wrote the more boldly to you, brethren, in part as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me by God;


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that I should be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest in the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles may be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.


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For I will not dare to speak of any of the things which Christ wrought not through me, to bring the Gentiles to obedience, by word and deed,


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in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the good news of Christ;


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being emulous so to preach the good news, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another's foundation;


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but as it is written: They to whom it was not announced concerning him shall see, And they that have not heard shall understand.


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But now having no longer place in these regions, and having a great desire these many years to come to you,


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whenever I go into Spain, I hope to see you in my journey, and to be sent forward thither by you, if first I shall be satisfied in a measure with your company.


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For Macedonia and Achaia thought it good, to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who were at Jerusalem.


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For they thought it good; and their debtors are they. For if the Gentiles shared in their spiritual things, they ought also to minister to them in carnal things.


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When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go by you into Spain.


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And I beseech you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;


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that I may be delivered from the unbelieving in Judaea, and that my service which is for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints;


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that ye receive her in the Lord as becomes saints, and assist her in whatever business she may have need of you; for she has been a helper of many, and of myself.


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(who for my life laid down their own necks; to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles),


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and salute the church that is in their house. Salute Epenetus, my beloved, who is the first-fruits of Asia unto Christ.


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Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.


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Salute Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Salute Persis the beloved, who labored much in the Lord.


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Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.


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Now I beseech you, brethren, to mark those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the teaching which ye learned, and avoid them.


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For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.


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For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I rejoice therefore over you; but I would have you wise as to that which is good, and simple as to that which is evil.


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And the God of peace will shortly bruise Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.


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Gaius my host, and of the whole church, salutes you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city salutes you, and Quartus the brother.


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Now to him who is able to establish you, according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept in silence during eternal ages


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but now made manifest, and through the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, made known to all nations for obedience to the faith,


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to the church of God which is at Corinth, those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:


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But I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be made complete in the same mind, and in the same judgment.


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For it was made known to me concerning you, my brethren; by those of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.


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And I mean this, that each of you says, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.


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For Christ did not send me to immerse, but to preach the glad tidings; not with wisdom of speech, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.


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For the preaching of the cross is to those who perish, foolishness; but to us who are saved, it is the power of God.


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For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And will bring to nothing the prudence of the prudent.


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Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Did not God make foolish the wisdom of the world?


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For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom knew not God, God was pleased through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe;


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but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.


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For see your calling, brethren, that not many are wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;


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but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame the wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things which are strong;


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and the base things of the world, and the things which are despised, did God choose, and the things which are not, that he might bring to naught things that are;


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But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who from God was made wisdom to us, both righteousness and sanctification, and redemption;


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I ALSO, when I came to you, brethren, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God.


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And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of man's wisdom, but with demonstration of the Spirit and of power;


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But we speak wisdom among those who are perfect; but a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who come to naught.


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But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the worlds unto our glory;


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which no one of the rulers of this world has known; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;


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but (as it is written) things which eye saw not, nor ear heard, and which entered not into the heart of man, which God prepared for those who love him;


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but to us God revealed them by his Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.


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For who among men knows the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? So also the things of God no one knows, but the Spirit of God.


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And we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God.


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Which things also we speak, not in words taught by man's wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.


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But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he can not know them, because they are spiritually judged.


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I fed you with milk, and not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it; nay, nor even now are ye able.


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For ye are yet carnal; for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and do ye not walk as men?


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Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to each one?


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And he that plants and he that waters are one; and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.


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According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master-builder I laid a foundation, and another builds thereon. But let each one take heed how he builds thereon.


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the work of each one will be made manifest; for the day will show it, because it is revealed in fire, and the fire itself will prove of what sort is each one's work.


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If any one's work shall be burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved; yet so as through fire.


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If any one defiles the temple of God, him will God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, the which are ye.


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Let no one deceive himself. If any one seems to be wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.


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For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written: He that takes the wise in their craftiness.


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whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours;


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But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by man's day; nay, neither do I judge myself.


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For I am conscious to myself of nothing; yet am I not hereby justified, but he that judges me is the Lord.


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So then judge not anything before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each one have his praise of God.


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And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye may learn not to go beyond that which is written, that ye be not puffed up each for one against another.


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For who makes thee to differ? And what hast thou, that thou didst not receive? But if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?


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Already ye are filled full, already ye became rich, without us ye reigned as kings; and I would ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.


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For I think that God set forth us the apostles last, as condemned to death; for we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.


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We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised.


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Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place;


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being defamed, we entreat; we have become as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things unto this day.


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For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begot you through the gospel.


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For this cause I sent to you Timothy, who is my child, beloved and faithful in the Lord, who will bring to your remembrance my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.


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But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.


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IT is commonly reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.


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And ye are puffed up, and did not rather mourn, that he who did this deed might be taken away from among you.


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For I verily, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged, as though I were present, concerning him who has so done this;


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in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,


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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.


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Cleanse out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, according as ye are unleavened. For our passover, Christ, was sacrificed for us;


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therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.


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yet not, altogether, with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters; for then ye must needs go out of the world.


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But as it is, I wrote to you not to keep company, if any one called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such a one not even to eat.


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For what have I to do with judging those also who are without? Do not ye judge those who are within?


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DARE any one of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?


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Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?


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If then ye have judgments about things of this life, set those to judge who are of no esteem in the church.


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I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one that shall be able to judge between his brethren;


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Now therefore, it is altogether a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?


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Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,


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nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.


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And such were some of you; but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.


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All things are lawful for me, but not all things are expedient; all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of anything.


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Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats; but God will destroy both it and them. But the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.


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Know ye not that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them members of a harlot? Far be it!


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Know ye not that he who is joined to a harlot is one body? For the two, says he, shall be one flesh.


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Flee fornication. Every sin that a man commits is without the body; but he that commits fornication, sins against his own body.


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Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom ye have from God, and ye are not your own?


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but because of fornication, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.


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The wife has not power over her own body, but the husband; and in like manner the husband also has not power over his own body, but the wife.


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Defraud not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and come again together, that Satan may not tempt you on account of your incontinency.


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But I would that all men were as myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one after this manner, and another after that.


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But if she have departed, let her remain unmarried, or let her be reconciled to her husband; and let the husband not put away his wife.


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But to the rest say I, not the Lord: If any brother has a wife that believes not, and she is pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.


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And a woman who has a husband that believes not, and he is pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband.


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For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the husband; else your children are unclean; but now they are holy.


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But if the unbelieving departs, let him depart. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases; but God has called us to peace.


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For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? Or what knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?


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Only, as the Lord apportioned to each one, as God has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches.


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Was any one called being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has any one been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised.


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For he that was called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freedman; in like manner also the freeman, being called, is Christ's servant.


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Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give my judgment, as one that has obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.


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I consider therefore that this is good on account of the present necessity, that it is good for a man so to be.


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But if also thou marry, thou sinnedst not; and if a virgin marry, she sinned not. But such shall have affliction in the flesh; but I spare you.


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But this I say, brethren, the time that remains is short; that both they who have wives may be as though they had none;


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and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;


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But I would have you without cares. He that is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, how he shall please the Lord;


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There is a difference also between the wife and the virgin. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but she that is married cares for the things of the world, how she shall please her husband.


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And this I say for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is seemly, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.


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But if any one thinks that he behaves himself unseemly toward his virgin, if she be past the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sins not; let them marry.


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But he that stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has determined this in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well.


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So that both he that gives her in marriage does well, and he that gives her not in marriage does better.


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A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.


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But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment; and I too think that I have the Spirit of God.


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NOW concerning the things offered to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.


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As concerning then the eating of the things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.


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For though there are gods so-called, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are gods many, and lords many),


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yet to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.


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But there is not in all men this knowledge; for some, with a consciousness till now of the idol, eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.


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But food commends us not to God; for neither, if we eat, are we the better; nor, if we eat not, are we the worse.


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For if any one sees thee, who hast knowledge, reclining at table in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat the things offered to idols?


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Wherefore, if food cause my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh for ever more, that I may not cause my brother to offend.


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AM I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord?


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If I am not an apostle to others, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord.


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Have we not power to lead about a sister as a wife, as well as the other apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?


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Who ever goes to war at his own charges? Who plants a vineyard, and eats not of the fruit thereof? Or who tends a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock?


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For it is written in the law of Moses: Thou shalt not muzzle an ox while treading out the grain. Is it for the oxen that God cares?


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Or does he say it altogether for our sakes? For, for our sakes it was written; that he who plows ought to plow in hope; and he who threshes, in hope of partaking.


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If we sowed for you, the things that are spiritual, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?


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If others partake of this power over you, do not we still more? But we used not this power; but we bear all things, that we may not cause any hindrance to the gospel of Christ.


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Do ye not know that they who minister about the holy things eat of the temple, and they who wait at the altar partake with the altar?


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But I have used none of these things; and I wrote not these things, that it should be so done to me; for it were better for me to die, than that any one should make my glorying void.


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For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for a necessity is laid upon me; for, woe is to me, if I preach not the gospel!


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For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, I have a stewardship intrusted to me.


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What then is my reward? That, in preaching the gospel, I may make the gospel without charge, that I use not to the full my power in the gospel.


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And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those under law, as under law, not being myself under law, that I might gain those under law;


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to those without law, as without law (not being without law to God, but under law to Christ), that I might gain those without law.


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To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all, that I may by all means save some.


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Know ye not that they who run in a race, all indeed run, but one receives the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.


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And every one who contends for the prize is temperate in all things; they indeed to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.


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But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest haply, having preached to others, I myself should be rejected.


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FOR I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;


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and all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.


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Now these things were examples to us, in order that we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.


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Nor be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written: The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.


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Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.


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There has no temptation taken you but such as belongs to man; and God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted beyond what ye are able, but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it.


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The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a partaking of the blood of Christ? The loaf which we break, is it not a partaking of the body of Christ?


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Behold Israel according to the flesh. Are not they who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?


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Nay; but that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God; and I would not that ye should be partakers of the demons.


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Ye can not drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons; ye can not share in the table of the Lord, and the table of demons.


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All things are lawful, but not all things are expedient; all things are lawful, but not all things edify.


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If any of the unbelieving bids you to a feast, and ye choose to go, whatever is set before you eat, asking no question for conscience' sake.


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But if any one say to you: This is a thing sacrificed to a god, eat it not, for his sake that showed it, and for conscience' sake.


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Conscience, I say, not thine own, but that of the other; for why is my liberty judged by another's conscience?


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as I also please all in all things, not seeking my own profit, but that of the many, that they may be saved.


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Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and, hold fast the traditions, as I delivered them to you.


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And I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.


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But every woman praying or prophesying with the head uncovered, dishonors her head; for it is one and the same as if she were shaven.


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For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn; but if it is a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.


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For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, being the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of the man.


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For this cause ought the woman to have <n>[the token of]</n> authority on her head, because of the angels.


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And while I enjoin this, I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.


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For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and I partly believe it.


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For in eating, each takes without waiting his own supper; and one is hungry, and another is drunken.


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What! have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the church of God, and shame those who have not? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.


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For I received from the Lord, what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, in the night in which he was betrayed, took a loaf;


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and having given thanks, he broke it, and said: <J>This is my body, which is for you; this do in remembrance of me.</J>


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In like manner also the cup, after they had supped, saying: <J>This cup is the new covenant in my blood; this do, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.</J>


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So that whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.


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If any one is hungry, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest I will set in order when I come.


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Wherefore I give you to understand, that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed; and no one can say, Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Spirit.


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For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;


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to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another diversities of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues.


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For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.


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For by one Spirit we were all immersed into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit.


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If the foot say: Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body.


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And if the ear say: Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body.


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If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?


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And the eye can not say to the hand, I have no need of thee; nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.


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and those which we think to be less honorable parts of the body, on these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.


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And our comely parts have no need; but God attempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to that which lacked;


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that there may be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another.


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And whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.


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And God set some in the church, apostles first, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governings, diversities of tongues.


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THOUGH I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.


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And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.


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And though I bestow all my goods in food, and though I give up my body that I may be burned, and have not love, it profits me nothing.


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Love never fails; but whether there are prophesyings, they will be done away; whether tongues, they will cease; whether knowledge, it will be done away.


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When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child; but now that I am become a man, I have done away the things of the child.


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For we see now in a mirror, obscurely; but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then I shall know fully, even as I also am fully known.


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For he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not to men, but to God; for no one understands; but with the spirit he speaks mysteries.


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I would that ye should all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy; for greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edification.


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And now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophesying, or in teaching?


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And things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, yet if they give no distinction in the sounds, how shall that be known which is piped or harped?


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So also ye, if ye utter not by the tongue words easily understood, how shall that be known which is spoken? For ye will be speaking into the air.


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So many, it may be, are the kinds of speaking sounds in the world, and none is without significance.


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If then I know not the meaning of the sound, I shall be to him that speaks a barbarian, and he that speaks a barbarian to me.


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So also ye, since ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may abound in them to the edification of the church.


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What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also; I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.


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Else, if thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupies the place of the unlearned say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, since he knows not what thou sayest?


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Yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may also instruct others, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.


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Brethren, be not children in your understandings; but in malice be as children, but in your understandings be men.


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In the law it is written: For with men of other tongues, and with strange lips, I will speak to this people; And not even so will they hearken to me, saith the Lord.


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So that the tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving; but prophesying is not for the unbelieving, but for those who believe.


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If therefore the whole church is come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?


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But if all prophesy, and there come in one that is an unbeliever, or unlearned, he is convicted by all, he is judged by all.


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The secrets of his heart are made manifest; and so falling on his face he will worship God, reporting that God is in truth among you.


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How is it then, brethren? When ye come together, each of you has a psalm, has an instruction, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done to edification.


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If any one speaks in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and in turn; and let one interpret.


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But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.


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Let your women keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted to them to speak, but they are to be in subjection, as the law also says.


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And if they wish to learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home; for it is a shame for a woman to speak in the church.


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If any one thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandments.


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AND I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also ye received, in which also ye stand;


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through which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word with which I preached to you, unless ye believed in vain.


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For I delivered to you first of all what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures;


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after that, he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep.


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For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.


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But by the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.


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Now if Christ is preached that he has risen from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?


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And we are also found false witnesses of God; because we testified of God, that he raised up Christ; whom he raised not, if it be so that the dead rise not.


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Then comes the end, when he delivers up the kingdom to God, the Father; when he shall have done away all rule, and all authority and power.


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But when he says, All things are subjected, it is manifest that he is excepted, who subjected all things to him.


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And when all things shall be subjected to him, then will also the Son himself be subject to him who subjected all things to him, that God may be all in all.


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Else what shall they do who are immersed for the dead? If the dead rise not at all, why are they then immersed for them?


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If after the manner of men I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what is the profit to me, if the dead rise not? Let us eat and drink; For to-morrow we die.


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Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God. I say it to your shame.


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and what thou sowest, not the body that shall be sowest thou, but bare grain, perchance of wheat, or of some other grain.


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All flesh is not the same flesh; but there is one flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, another of birds.


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There are also heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly is one, and that of the earthly is another.


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There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.


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It is sown a natural body, it rises a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual.


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So also it is written: The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam a life-giving spirit.


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As was the earthy, such are they also that are earthy; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.


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And this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.


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in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.


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And when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then will be brought to pass the saying, that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory.


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Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.


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NOW concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye.


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On each first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, according as he is prospered, that there may be no collections when I come.


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And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve, them I will send with letters to carry your benefaction to Jerusalem.


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and it may be that I will remain, or even pass the winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go.


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For I wish not to see you now, in passing; for I hope to remain some time with you, if the Lord permit.


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Now if Timothy come, see that he may be with you without fear; for he works the work of the Lord, as I also do.


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Let no one therefore despise him; but send him forward in peace, that he may come to me; for I look for him with the brethren.


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And concerning Apollos the brother, I besought him much to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his will to come at this time, but he will come when he shall have a convenient time.


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And I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first-fruits of Achaia, and that they devoted themselves to the service of the saints,)


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I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus; for what was lacking on your part they supplied.


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The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.


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PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy the brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia:


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Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all consolation;


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who consoles us in all our affliction, that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction, by the consolation wherewith we ourselves are consoled by God.


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Because, as the sufferings of Christ abound toward us, so through Christ abounds also our consolation.


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But whether we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective in the endurance of the same sufferings which we also suffer; or whether we are consoled, it is for your consolation and salvation.


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And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so are ye also of the consolation.


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For we would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were exceedingly oppressed, above our strength, so that we despaired even of life.


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Yea, we ourselves had in ourselves the sentence of death, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;


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who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver; in whom is our hope that he will still deliver;


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ye also helping together on our behalf by your supplication, that for the mercy bestowed on us through many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.


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For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, did we deport ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.


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For we write no other things to you, than what ye read or even acknowledge, and I trust ye will acknowledge even to the end;


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as also ye did acknowledge us in part, that we are your glorying, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.


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and to pass by you into Macedonia, and from Macedonia to come again to you, and by you to be brought on my way to Judea.


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When therefore I purposed this, did I act with levity? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the yea, yea, and the nay, nay?


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For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not made yea and nay, but has been made yea in him.


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For however many are the promises of God, in him is the yea, and in him the Amen, to the glory of God through us.


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And I wrote this very thing to you, that I might not, when I came, have sorrow from those of whom I ought to have joy; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.


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For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears; not that ye might have sorrow, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly toward you.


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But if any has caused sorrow, he has not caused sorrow to me, but in part (that I be not too severe on him) to you all.


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So that, on the contrary, ye ought rather to forgive and console him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.


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For to this end also I wrote, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye are obedient in all things.


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To whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also; for what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, for your sakes I forgave it in the person of Christ,


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And when I came to Troas to preach the good news of Christ, and a door was opened to me in the Lord,


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I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother; but taking leave of them, I went forth into Macedonia.


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But thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest by us in every place the savor of the knowledge of him.


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to the one a savor of death unto death, to the other a savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?


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For we are not as the many, corrupting the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.


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DO we again begin to commend ourselves? Or need we, as some, letters of commendation to you, or of commendation from you?


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being made manifest that ye are a letter of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in fleshly tablets of the heart.


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Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;


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who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter kills, but the spirit makes alive.


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But if the ministration of death, engraven with letters in stones, was made glorious, so that the sons of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away;


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For if the ministration of condemnation is glory, much more does the ministration of righteousness abound in glory.


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For even that which was made glorious has no glory in this respect, on account of the glory that excels.


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and not as Moses put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the end of that which was to be done away.


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But their understandings were hardened; for until this day the same vail on the reading of the old covenant remains, not being taken away; which vail is done away in Christ.


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But we all, with unvailed face beholding in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.


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But we renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor falsifying the word of God; but, by the manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.


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in whom the god of this world blinded the understandings of the unbelieving, that they should not discern the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.


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For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord; and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.


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Because it is God, who commands light to shine out of darkness; who shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.


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But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be God's, and not of us;


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always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that also the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.


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For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.


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But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, I believed, therefore did I speak, we also believe, therefore also speak;


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knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus will raise up us also with Jesus, and will present us with you.


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For all things are for your sakes; that the grace, abounding through the greater number, might make the thanksgiving more abundant, to the glory of God.


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For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perishes, yet the inward man is renewed day by day:


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For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works out for us a far more exceeding, an eternal weight of glory;


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while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.


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FOR we know that, if our earthly house of the tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.


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For we who are in the tabernacle groan, being burdened; in that we do not desire to be unclothed, but to be clothed upon, that what is mortal might be swallowed up by life.


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Now he who wrought us out for this very thing is God, who also gave to us the earnest of the Spirit.


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Being therefore always confident, and knowing that while at home in the body we are absent from the Lord,


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we are confident, and are well pleased rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.


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For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to the things which he did, whether good or bad.


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Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men; but to God we have been made manifest, and I hope that we have been made manifest also in your consciences.


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For we are not again commending ourselves to you, but giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer those who glory in appearance and not in heart.


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For whether we were beside ourselves, it was for God; or whether we are of sound mind, it is for you.


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For the love of Christ constrains us; because we thus judged, that if one died for all, then they all died.


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And he died for all, that they who live should live no longer to themselves, but to him who for them died and rose again.


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So that we henceforth know no one according to the flesh; and if also we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we no longer know him.


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So that if any one is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, all things have become new.


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And all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;


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as that God was in Christ reconciling a world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.


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We are then ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were beseeching by us; on behalf of Christ we pray: Be reconciled to God!


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AND, as workers together with him, we also beseech you that ye receive not the grace of God in vain;


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(for he says: In an accepted time I heard thee, And in the day of salvation I helped thee; behold, now is the well accepted time, behold, now is the day of salvation;)


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but as God's ministers, commending ourselves in everything, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,


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in the word of truth, in the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,


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


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Be not yoked unequally with unbelievers; for what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?


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And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For ye are a temple of the living God; as God said: I will dwell in them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be to me a people.


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Wherefore, come out from among them, and be separated, saith the Lord, and touch not anything unclean; and I will receive you,


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HAVING therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every pollution of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.


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I say it not for condemnation; for I have before said, that ye are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.


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Great is my confidence toward you, great is my glorying on account of you; I am filled with the consolation, I am made to abound with the joy, in all our affliction.


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For indeed, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way; without were fightings, within were fears.


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and not by his coming only, but also by the consolation with which he was consoled in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced the more.


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Because, though I made you sorry with the letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it; for I perceive that that letter made you sorry, though but for a season.


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Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto repentance; for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might in nothing receive harm from us.


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For godly sorrow works repentance unto salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world works out death.


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For behold this very thing, that ye were made sorry after a godly manner, what earnestness it wrought in you; yea, what clearing of yourselves; yea, what indignation; yea, what fear; yea, what longing desire; yea, what zeal; yea, what avenging! In every thing ye commended yourselves as pure in the matter.


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So then, though I wrote to you, it was not on account of him who did the wrong, nor of him who suffered wrong, but that your care for us might be made manifest to you in the sight of God.


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For this cause we were consoled; but in our consolation, we rejoiced abundantly more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.


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For if in any thing I have boasted to him of you, I was not made ashamed; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before Titus was found to be truth.


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And his tender affection is more abundantly toward you, while he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.


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AND we made known to you, brethren, the grace of God which has been bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;


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that in much trial of affliction was the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality.


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For according to their power, I bear witness, and beyond their power, they were willing of themselves;


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with much entreaty beseeching of us the grace, and the participation in the ministering to the saints;


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So that we exhorted Titus, that as he had before begun, so he would also finish among you this grace also.


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But, as in everything ye abound, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and all diligence, and your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.


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I say it not by way of command, but through the forwardness of others proving also the sincerity of your love.


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For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.


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And I give an opinion in this matter; for this is expedient for you, who began before others, not only to do, but also to will, a year ago.


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And now perform the doing of it also; that as there was the readiness to will, so there may be the performance according to what ye have.


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For if there be first the willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man has, not according to what he has not.


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but, by the rule of equality, at this present time your abundance being a supply for their want, that also their abundance may be a supply for your want, that there may be equality; as it is written:


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And together with him we sent the brother, whose praise in the gospel is throughout all the churches;


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and not that only, but who was also appointed by the churches, as our fellow-traveler with this gift which is administered by us, to further the glory of the Lord, and our zeal;


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for we provide for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.


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And we sent with them our brother, whom we have often in many things proved to be diligent, but now much more diligent, through the great confidence which he has toward you.


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As to Titus, he is my partner, and in regard to you a fellow-laborer; as to our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.


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Therefore show toward them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.


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For I know your readiness of mind, of which I boast for you to the Macedonians, that Achaia has been prepared since a year ago; and your zeal stirred up the greater part of them.


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But I sent the brethren, that our boasting of you might not be made in vain in this respect; that, as I said, ye may be prepared;


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lest haply, if Macedonians come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be put to shame in respect to this confidence.


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I thought it necessary, therefore, to exhort the brethren, that they should go before to you, and make up beforehand your bounty before promised, that this may be ready, in manner as a bounty and not as covetousness.


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But as to this, he that sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he that sows with blessings shall also reap with blessings;


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but each as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.


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And God is able to make every grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound toward every good work;


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and he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;


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Because the ministration of this service not only supplies the wants of the saints, but also abounds through many thanksgivings to God;


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while by the proof of this ministration they glorify God for the obedience to your profession of the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of the contribution to them, and to all;


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they also, with supplication for you, longing after you on account of the exceeding grace of God in you.


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NOW I, Paul, myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence indeed am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you;


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but I entreat, that I may not when I am present be bold with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, who think of us as walking according to the flesh.


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(for the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty before God to the pulling down of strongholds)


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casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;


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Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trusts to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself consider this again, that, as he is Christ's, so also are we.


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For even if I should boast somewhat more abundantly of our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification, and not for your destruction, I shall not be put to shame;


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For his letters, says one, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.


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Let such a one consider this, that such as we are in word by letters when absent, such will we be also in deed when present.


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For we venture not to reckon ourselves among, or to compare ourselves with, some of those who commend themselves; but they, measuring themselves among themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise.


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But we will not boast of things without measure, but according to the measure of the line which God apportioned to us, a measure to reach even to you.


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For we do not stretch ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not to you; for as far as to you also did we come, in the gospel of Christ;


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not boasting of things without measure in other men's labors; but having hope, when your faith increases, that we shall be enlarged among you according to our line abundantly,


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to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, not to make our boast, in another's line, of things made ready to our hand.


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For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy; for I espoused you to one husband, that I may present a chaste virgin to Christ.


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But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve by his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from your simplicity toward Christ.


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For if indeed he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we preached not, or if ye receive a different spirit, which ye received not, or a different gospel, which ye accepted not, ye might well bear with it.


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And though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but in everything we have been made manifest among all, in respect to you.


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Did I commit an offense in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God without charge.


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And when I was present with you, and in want, I was a charge to no one; for what was lacking to me the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied; and in every thing I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so will keep myself.


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As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting shall not be shut up against me in the regions of Achaia.


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But what I do, and will do, is that I may cut off the occasion of those who desire an occasion, that wherein they boast they may be found even as we.


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It is no great thing then, if also his ministers transform themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.


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I say again, let no one think me foolish; but if it can not be so, yet receive me even if as foolish, that I too may boast myself a little.


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For ye bear with it, if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes you, if one exalts himself, if one smites you on the face.


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I say it as a reproach, that we were weak. But in whatever any one is bold (I say it in foolishness), I also am bold.


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Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as beside myself,) I am more; in labors more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in prisons more abundantly, in deaths often;


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thrice I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; thrice I suffered shipwreck; a night and a day I have spent in the deep;


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by journeyings often, by perils of rivers, by perils of robbers, by perils from my countrymen, by perils from the heathen, by perils in the city, by perils in the wilderness, by perils in the sea, by perils among false brethren;


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by weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.


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Beside those things that are without, there is that which comes upon me daily, the care of all the churches.


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In Damascus, the governor under Aretas the king kept guard over the city of the Damascenes, wishing to apprehend me;


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I know a man in Christ, above fourteen years ago (whether in the body I know not, or whether out of the body I know not, God knows) such a one caught up even to the third heaven.


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that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.


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For if I should desire to boast, I shall not be foolish, for I shall speak truth; but I forbear, lest any one should reckon of me above what he sees me to be, or hears from me.


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And that I might not be exalted overmuch through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I might not be exalted overmuch.


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And he said to me: <J>My grace is sufficient for thee; for my power is made perfect in weakness.</J> Most gladly therefore will I rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may abide upon me.


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Wherefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am powerful.


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I have become foolish; ye compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind these overmuch apostles, though I am nothing.


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Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, by signs, and wonders, and miracles.


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For what is there, wherein ye were inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself was not a charge to you? Forgive me this wrong.


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Behold, I am ready to come to you the third time; and I will not be a charge to you; for I seek not yours, but you; for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.


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And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.


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I exhorted Titus <n>[to go]</n>, and sent with him the brother. Did Titus make gain of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit; did we not in the same steps?


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Do ye again suppose that we are excusing ourselves to you? Before God in Christ we speak; and all, beloved, for your edification.


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For I fear, lest haply, when I come, I shall find you not such as I would, and I too shall be found by you such as ye would not; lest there be wranglings, envyings, wraths, rivalries, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults;


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lest, when I come again, my God shall humble me among you, and I shall bewail many of those who have sinned before, and repented not of the uncleanness, and fornication, and wantonness, which they committed.


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THIS third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two witnesses, and of three, shall every word be established.


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I have before said, and now say beforehand, as when present the second time, so also now when absent, to those who heretofore have sinned, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare;


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For even if he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.


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Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye are reprobate?


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Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye may do what is good, though we be as reprobate.


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For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are powerful; this also we pray for, even your perfection.


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For this cause I write these things being absent, that when present I may not use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord gave me for edification, and not for destruction.


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Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of the same mind, be at peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.


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The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.


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PAUL, an apostle, not from men, neither through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father who raised him from the dead,


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who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of the present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father;


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I marvel that ye are so soon removing from him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel;


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which is not another, except that there are some who trouble you, and wish to pervert the gospel of Christ.


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But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach a gospel to you contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed.


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As we have said before, so I now say again, if any one preaches a gospel to you contrary to that which ye received, let him be accursed.


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For do I now seek the favor of men or of God? Or am I seeking to please men? If I were still pleasing men, I should not be Christ's servant.


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Now I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man;


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for I also did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but through the revelation of Jesus Christ.


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For ye heard of my conduct formerly in Judaism; that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and was destroying it,


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and pressed forward in Judaism beyond many companions of the same age in my nation, being more exceedingly a zealot for the traditions of my fathers.


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to reveal his Son in me, that I should make known the glad news of him among the Gentiles; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood;


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neither went up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.


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Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days.


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but they were only hearing, that he who was once our persecutor now preaches the faith which once he was destroying;


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And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles; but privately, to those of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run in vain.


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and that because of the false brethren stealthily brought in, who crept in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage;


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to whom not even for an hour did we yield by the <n>[required]</n> submission, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.


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But from those reputed to be something,—whatever they were, it matters not to me, God accepts not man's person,—for to me those of reputation communicated nothing in addition.


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But, on the contrary, seeing that I have been entrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcision, as Peter was with that of the circumcision;


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(for he who wrought for Peter in behalf of the apostleship of the circumcision, wrought also for me in behalf of the Gentiles;)


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and having learned the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas right hands of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision;


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For before certain ones came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.


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And the other Jews also dissembled with him, so that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.


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But when I saw that they walk not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in the presence of all: If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles and not that of Jews, how dost thou compel the Gentiles to become as Jews?


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but knowing that a man is not justified by works of law, but through faith in Jesus Christ, we also believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of law; because by works of law no flesh shall be justified.


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But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is then Christ a minister of sin? Far be it!


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I have been crucified with Christ; and no longer do I live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live in the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.


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I do not set aside the grace of God; for if there be righteousness through law, then Christ died without cause.


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O FOOLISH Galatians, who bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was evidently set forth, crucified among you?


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This only I desire to learn from you: Was it from works of law that ye received the Spirit, or from the hearing of faith?


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Does he, therefore, who supplies to you the Spirit, and works miracles among you, do it from works of law, or from the hearing of faith?


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And the Scripture, foreseeing that God justifies the Gentiles by faith, announced beforehand the glad tidings to Abraham, saying: In thee shall all the nations be blessed.


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For as many as are of works of law are under a curse; for it is written: Cursed is every one that continues not in all the things written in the book of the law, to do them.


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And that in the law no one is justified with God, is evident; because, the just shall live by faith.


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Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; because it is written: Cursed is every one that is hanged on a tree;


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that unto the Gentiles the blessing of Abraham might come in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.


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Brethren, I speak after the manner of men. If a covenant has been confirmed, though it be a man's, no one sets it aside, or adds thereto.


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Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He says not, and to seeds, as concerning many; but as concerning one, and to thy seed, which is Christ.


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But this I say, that a covenant before confirmed by God, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, does not annul, to make the promise of no effect.


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For if the inheritance is of law, it is no more of promise; but God has freely given it to Abraham by promise.


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What then is the law? It was added because of the transgressions, until the seed should come to whom the promise has been made; having been ordained through angels, by the hand of a mediator.


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Is then the law against the promises of God? Far be it! For if a law had been given which is able to make alive, truly righteousness would have been of law.


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But the Scripture shut up all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.


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There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is no male and female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.


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NOW I say, as long as the heir is a child, he differs in nothing from a servant though he is lord of all;


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And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.


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But now, after having known God, or rather having been known by God, how is it that ye turn back again to the weak and poor elements, to which ye desire to be in bondage again anew?


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Nay, ye know that by reason of weakness of the flesh I preached the glad tidings to you the former time;


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and my trial, which was in my flesh, ye despised not nor spurned, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.


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Where is then the happiness of which ye spoke? For I bear you witness, that if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes, and given them to me.


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But it is good to be zealously sought in a good cause always, and not only when I am present with you.


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And I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I am perplexed on account of you.


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But the one by the bondwoman was born after the flesh, and the one by the freewoman through the promise.


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Which things are an allegory. For these women are two covenants, one from mount Sinai, bearing children into bondage,


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which is Hagar (for the word Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia), and answers to the Jerusalem that now is, for she is in bondage with her children.


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For it is written: Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; Break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; Because many are the children of the desolate, rather than of her who has the husband.


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But as then, the one born after the flesh persecuted the one born after the spirit, so also is it now.


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But what says the Scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son; for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman.


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STAND fast, therefore, in the liberty with which Christ made us free, and be not again entangled with the yoke of bondage.


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Now I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised, that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.


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Ye are separated from Christ, whoever of you are justified in the law; ye are fallen away from grace.


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For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith working by love.


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I have confidence toward you in the Lord, that ye will be no otherwise minded; but he that troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he may be.


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But as for me, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then has the offense of the cross ceased.


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For ye were called unto liberty, brethren; only use not the liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.


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For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other, that ye may not do those things that ye would.


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envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings; and things like these; of which I tell you beforehand, as I also said before, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.


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BRETHREN, even if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye who are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.


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But let each one prove his own work, and then shall he have ground of glorying in reference to himself alone, and not to another.


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Because he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.


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So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.


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As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, these constrain you to be circumcised; only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.


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For neither do they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but they desire that ye should be circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.


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But far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.


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PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and believers in Christ Jesus:


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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ;


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as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love;


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having predestined us unto the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,


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in whom we have the redemption through his blood, the remission of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,


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


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in reference to the dispensation of the fullness of times, to gather for himself into one all things in the Christ, the things which are in the heavens, and the things on the earth;


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in him, in whom we obtained also the inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will,


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in whom ye also, after having heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation, in whom <n>[I say]</n> having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise;


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which is an earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of his glory.


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that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would give to you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the full knowledge of him;


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the eyes of your heart being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,


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and what the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,


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which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,


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far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come;


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in which ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience;


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among whom we also all walked in time past in the desires of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as others;—


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that he might show, in the ages to come, the exceeding richness of his grace, in his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.


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For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God before prepared that we should walk in them.


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Wherefore remember, that in time past ye, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision, in the flesh, made by hand,—


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that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.


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But now, in Christ Jesus, ye, who in time past were afar off, were made near by the blood of Christ.


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having abolished in his flesh the enmity, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might make the two one new man in himself, making peace;


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And he came and brought the good news of peace to you who were afar off, and to those who were near.


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So then ye are no longer strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;


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having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner-stone;


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


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that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers with us of the promise, in Christ Jesus, through the gospel;


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whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God, which was given to me according to the working of his power.


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To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, was this grace given, to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;


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and to make all see what is the dispensation of the mystery, which from ages has been hidden in God, who created all things;


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that now, to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God,


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that he would grant to you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might through his Spirit as to the inner man,


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that ye may be able to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height,


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and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fullness of God.


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Now to him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,


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I, THE prisoner in the Lord, exhort you, therefore, to walk worthy of the calling with which ye were called,


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The one who descended, he is also the one who ascended above all the heavens, that he may fill all things.


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for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ;


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till we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;


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that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, by cunning craftiness after the wily manner of error;


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from whom all the body, fitly framed together and compacted by means of every joint of the supply, according to the working in the measure of each single part, effects the increase of the body to the upbuilding of itself in love.


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This therefore I say, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,


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having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in then, because of the hardness of their heart;


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who, as being past feeling, gave themselves up to wantonness, to work all uncleanness in greediness.


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that ye put off, as concerns your former deportment, the old man who is corrupted according to the lusts of deceit,


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Wherefore, having put away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor; because we are members one of another.


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Let him that stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands that which is good, that he may have to impart to him that has need.


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Let no corrupt discourse proceed out of your mouth, but whatever is good for needful edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.


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Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice;


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and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as also God in Christ forgave you.


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and walk in love, as also Christ loved us, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweet smell.


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But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becomes saints,


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and filthiness, and foolish talking, and jesting, which are not becoming, but rather giving of thanks.


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For this ye know, being aware that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.


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Let no one deceive you with vain words; for because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience.


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But all things, when reproved, are by the light made manifest; for whatever makes manifest is light.


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Wherefore he says: Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give thee light.


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speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;


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Because a husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church; himself the Savior of the body.


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But as the church is subjected to Christ, so also are the wives to their own husbands in everything.


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that he might himself present to himself the church, glorious, having no spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it may be holy and blameless.


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For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh.


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Nevertheless, do ye also, severally, each so love his wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she reverence her husband.


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And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.


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Servants, obey your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ;


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not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;


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knowing that whatever good thing each may have done, that shall he receive from the Lord, whether bond or free.


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And masters, do the same things to them, forbearing threatening; knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no respect of persons with him.


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For to us, the contest is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places.


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Therefore take on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having fully done all, to stand.


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Stand therefore, having girded your loins about with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness;


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in addition to all, having taken on the shield of faith, in which ye will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.


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praying at every fitting season in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints;


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and for me, that utterance may be given to me, in the opening of my mouth with boldness, to make known the mystery of the gospel,


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But that ye also may know my affairs, how I do, Tychicus, the beloved brother and a faithful minister in the Lord, will make all known to you;


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whom I sent to you for this very thing, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might encourage your hearts.


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PAUL and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:


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


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As it is just for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; being all of you, both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, partakers of the grace with me.


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in order that ye may approve the things that are most excellent, that ye may be pure and without offense unto the day of Christ;


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being filled with the fruit of righteousness, which is by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.


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But I desire that ye should know, brethren, that the things which befell me have resulted rather in the furtherance of the gospel;


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and that the greater part of the brethren, made confident in the Lord by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.


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the other, out of contentiousness, proclaim Christ not with pure intent, supposing that they shall add affliction to my bonds.


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What then? Notwithstanding, in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and therein I rejoice, yea, and shall rejoice.


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For I know that this will turn out for my salvation, through your supplication, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ;


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according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I shall in nothing be put to shame, but that with all boldness, as always, so also now Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.


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But if it be to live in the flesh, this to me is fruit of labor; and which I shall choose I know not;


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but am constrained by the two, having the desire to depart, and to be with Christ, for it is far better;


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And being persuaded of this, I know that I shall remain, and shall continue with you all for your furtherance and joy in the faith;


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Only let your deportment be as becomes the gospel of Christ; that whether I come and see you, or remain absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;


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and in nothing terrified by the adversaries; which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.


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Because to you it was granted in behalf of Christ,—not only to believe on him,—but in his behalf to suffer also;


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IF then there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort from love, if any communion of the Spirit, if any tender affection and compassion,


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make my joy complete, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of the one mind;


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doing nothing through contentiousness or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each esteeming others better than himself;


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And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.


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that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of beings in heaven, and of beings on earth, and of beings under the earth,


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Wherefore, my beloved, as ye always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;


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that ye may become blameless and simple, children of God, unreproachable, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye appear as do the heavenly lights in the world;


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holding forth the word of life; for a ground of glorying to me at the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain, or labor in vain.


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But even if I am poured out on the sacrifice and ministration of your faith, I rejoice, and I rejoice with you all.


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But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly to you, that I also may be cheered, when I know your state.


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Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger and minister to my wants.


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For indeed he was sick near to death; but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.


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I sent him therefore with the more haste, that seeing him again ye might rejoice, and that I may be less sorrowful.


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because for the work of Christ he came near to death, hazarding his life, that he might supply what things were lacking on your part, of the ministration to me.


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FINALLY, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me is not burdensome, and for you it is safe.


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For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.


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Though I have confidence also in the flesh. If any other thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I more;


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circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;


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Nay more, and I account all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and account them refuse, that I may gain Christ,


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and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is of God, upon faith;


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that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death;


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Not that I already obtained <n>[the prize]</n>, or have already been perfected; but I pursue onward, if I may lay hold of that for which I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.


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Brethren, I do not count myself to have laid hold of it; but one thing I do, forgetting the things behind, and reaching forth to the things before,


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Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be of this mind; and if in any thing ye are otherwise minded, this also God will reveal to you.


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For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ;


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whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.


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who will transform the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working with which he is able also to subject all things to himself.


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THEREFORE, my brethren beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.


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Yea, I entreat thee also, true yoke-fellow, help these women, who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow-laborers, whose names are in the book of life.


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Be anxious for nothing; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.


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And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.


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Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.


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The things also, which ye learned, and received, and heard, and saw in me, these do; and the God of peace will be with you.


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But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at length ye revived again in your care for my welfare; for which ye were also careful, but lacked opportunity.


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I both know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in every thing, and in all things, I am instructed, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in want.


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And ye also know, Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I went forth from Macedonia, no church communicated with me in an account of giving and receiving, but ye only;


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But I have all, and abound; I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things sent from you, an odor of sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God.


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to the saints in Colosse, and faithful brethren in Christ: Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


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because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;


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which is come to you, as also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit and increasing also in you, since the day ye heard it, and knew the grace of God in truth;


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as ye learned from Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ,


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For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;


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that ye may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, bringing forth fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;


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being strengthened with all strength, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joy;


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giving thanks to the Father, who made us meet for the portion of the inheritance of the saints in light;


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who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;


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because in him were all things created, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things have been created by him, and for him;


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And he is the head of the body, the church; who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that he may become in all things pre-eminent.


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and through him to reconcile all things to himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, whether the things on the earth, or the things in the heavens.


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And you also, being in time past alienated, and enemies in your mind in wicked works, yet now has he reconciled


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if indeed ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye heard, which was preached in the whole creation which is under heaven; of which I Paul was made a minister.


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Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body, which is the church;


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of which I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,


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the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been manifested to his saints;


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to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory;


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whom we announce, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ;


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FOR I would have you know how great a conflict I have for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;


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that their hearts might be encouraged, they being knit together in love, and unto all the riches of the full assurance of the understanding, unto the full knowledge of the mystery of God, even Christ;


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For though I am absent in the flesh, yet in the spirit I am with you, rejoicing and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith toward Christ.


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having been rooted and being built up in him, and being established in the faith as ye were taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.


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Beware lest there shall be any one that despoils you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.


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in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;


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being buried with him in the immersion, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.


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And you also, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made alive together with him, graciously forgiving us all our trespasses;


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blotting out the handwriting in ordinances that was against us, which was opposed to us, and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;


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Let not any one therefore judge you in food, or in drink, or in respect of a feast-day, or of a new-moon, or of a sabbath;


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Let no one defraud you of the prize, seeking it in humiliation and worship of the angels, intruding into things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,


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and not holding fast the head, from whom all the body, by means of the joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and being knit together, increases with the increase of God.


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If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,


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Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in self-chosen worship, and humiliation, and neglecting of the body, not in any honor, for the satisfying of the flesh.


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IF then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, sitting on the right hand of God.


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Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry;


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But now, do ye also put all away, anger, wrath, malice, reviling, filthy communication out of your mouth.


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and have put on the new man, who is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him who created him;


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where there is no Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.


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Put on therefore, as God's chosen, holy and beloved, bowels of compassion, kindness, lowliness of mind, meekness, long-suffering,


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forbearing one another, and freely forgiving each other, if any one have a complaint against any, even as Christ freely forgave you, so also do ye;


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And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which ye were also called in one body; and be thankful.


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


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And whatever ye do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.


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Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord.


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knowing that from the Lord ye will receive the recompense of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ.


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For he that does wrong will receive that which he did wrongfully; and there is no respect of persons.


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MASTERS, render to your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.


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at the same time praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for the sake of which I am also in bonds,


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Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.


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All my affairs will Tychicus make known to you, the beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord;


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whom I sent to you for this very purpose, that he may know your condition, and may comfort your hearts;


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together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all the things here.


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Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner salutes you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom ye received commands (if he come to you, receive him),


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and Jesus, who is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellow-workers, for the kingdom of God, who have been a comfort to me.


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Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, salutes you, always striving for you in his prayers, that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.


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For I bear him witness, that he has much concern for you, and those in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis.


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And when the letter has been read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that ye also read that from Laodicea.


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And say to Archippus: Take heed to the ministry which thou didst receive in the Lord, that thou fulfill it.


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PAUL, and Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you, and peace.


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remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before God and our Father;


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because our gospel came not to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men were we among you, for your sake.


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And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit;


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For from you has sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth; so that we have no need to speak anything.


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For they themselves report concerning us, what manner of entrance we had to you, and how ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God,


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and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.


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But having before suffered, and been shamefully treated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict.


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but as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who proves our hearts.


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For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness;


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nor of men sought we glory, neither from you, nor from others, though able to use authority, as Christ's apostles.


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so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to impart to you, not only the gospel of God, but also our own souls, because ye were dear to us.


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For ye remember, brethren, our labor and toil; night and day working, in order not to burden any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.


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Ye are witnesses, and God, how holily and justly and unblamably we behaved ourselves to you that believe;


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For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that when ye received the word of God heard from us, ye received not the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you that believe.


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For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus; for ye also suffered the same things of your own countrymen, as they have of the Jews;


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who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us forth, and please not God, and are contrary to all men;


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hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always; and the wrath came upon them to the utmost.


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But we, brethren, having been severed from you for a short time, in presence, not in heart, endeavored the more abundantly to see your face, with great desire.


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For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not also ye, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?


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and sent Timothy, our brother, and a fellow-worker with God in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to exhort you concerning your faith;


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that no one should be shaken by these afflictions, for yourselves know that unto this we are appointed.


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For even when we were with you, we told you before that we are to suffer affliction; as also it came to pass, and ye know.


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For this cause, when I too could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter tempted you, and our labor should be in vain.


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But now, when Timothy came to us from you, and brought us good tidings of your faith and love, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you;


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for this cause we were consoled, brethren, over you in all our affliction and distress, through your faith;


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For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy wherewith we rejoice for your sakes before our God;


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night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face, and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith?


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And the Lord make you increase and abound in love toward one another, and toward all, as we also do toward you;


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to the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God and our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.


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FURTHERMORE then, brethren, we beseech you, and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as ye received from us how ye ought to walk and to please God, as also ye are walking, ye would abound yet more.


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That no one go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter; because the Lord is the avenger for all these things, as we also told you before, and testified.


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But concerning brotherly love ye need not that I write to you; for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.


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For indeed ye do it, toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we beseech you, brethren, to abound yet more;


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and to study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;


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But we desire that you should not be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are sleeping, that ye sorrow not, as others who have no hope.


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For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also those who fell asleep through Jesus will God bring with him.


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For this we say to you, in the word of the Lord, that we the living, who remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who fell asleep.


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Because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ will first rise.


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Then we the living, who remain, will be caught up together with them in clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.


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For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.


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But let us, being of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation;


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And we beseech you, brethren, to know those who labor among you, and preside over you in the Lord, and admonish you;


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Now we exhort you, brethren, admonish the unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be long-suffering toward all.


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See that none render evil for evil to any one but ever follow that which is good, both toward one another, and toward all.


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And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved whole without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.


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PAUL, and Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians, in God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ:


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We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another abounds;


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so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and the afflictions which ye endure;


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a token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer;


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and to you who are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power,


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in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who know not God, and those who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ;


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who shall suffer justice, eternal destruction, from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power;


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when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all who believed (because our testimony to you was believed), in that day.


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To which end we also pray for you always, that our God may count you worthy of the calling, and accomplish all the good pleasure of goodness and the work of faith, with power;


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that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.


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Now we beseech you, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to him,


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that ye be not hastily shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as through us, as that the day of the Lord is at hand.


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Let not any one deceive you in any manner; because <n>[that day will not come]</n>, except there come first the falling away, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;


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he that opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.


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For the mystery of iniquity is already working; only until he who now withholds shall be out of the way.


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And then will the Lawless One be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will consume with the breath of his mouth, and will destroy with the manifestation of his coming;


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and in all deceit of unrighteousness for those who perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.


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But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you to salvation, in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth;


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So then, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye were taught, whether by word, or by our letter.


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Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God and our Father, who loved us, and gave us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,


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FINALLY, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run, and be glorified, as also with you;


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And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that ye both do, and will do, the things which we command you.


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Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother walking disorderly, and not after the tradition which they received from us.


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nor did we eat bread of any one for naught, but with labor and toil, working night and day that we might not be burdensome to any of you;


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Now such we command, and exhort, in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness working, they eat their own bread.


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And if any one obeys not our word by this letter, mark that man, and keep not company with him, that he may be shamed.


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PAUL, an apostle of Christ Jesus, according to the commandment of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope,


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to Timothy, a true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.


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As I besought thee to remain still in Ephesus, when I was going into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge certain ones not to teach other doctrine,


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nor to give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which further disputes rather than God's dispensation, which is in faith, <n>[so do.]</n>


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Now the end of the commandment is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned;


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knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers; for man-slayers,


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for fornicators, for those who defile themselves with mankind, for enslavers of men, for liars, for false swearers, and whatever else is contrary to the sound teachings;


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And I thank him who gave me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, that he accounted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,


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who was formerly a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and overbearing. But I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief;


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Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.


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But for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Christ Jesus might show forth all his long-suffering, for a pattern to those who should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.


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Now to the King eternal, the imperishable, invisible, only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.


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This charge I commit to thee, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before concerning thee, that thou mayest wage in them the good warfare;


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Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I delivered over to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.


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I EXHORT then, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings, be made for all men;


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for kings, and all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and decorum.


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whereunto I was appointed a preacher, and an apostle (I speak truth, I lie not), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.


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I desire, therefore, that the men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and disputing;


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in like manner also that women, in becoming apparel, adorn themselves with modesty and sobriety; not in braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly raiment;


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But she shall be saved through child-bearing, if they continue in faith, and love, and holiness, with sobriety.


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The overseer then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, discreet, orderly, hospitable, apt in teaching;


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(but if one knows not how to preside over his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)


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But he must also have a good testimony from those without, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the Devil.


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Deacons in like manner must be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of gain;


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For they that have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.


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but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.


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And confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifested in the flesh, was justified in the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the Gentiles, was believed on in the world, was received up in glory.


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NOW the Spirit says expressly, that in after-times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and teachings of demons;


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forbidding to marry, commanding to abstain from food, which God created to be received with thanksgiving, for those who believe and know the truth.


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If thou put the brethren in mind of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nurtured in the words of the faith and of the good teaching, which thou hast strictly followed.


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For bodily exercise is profitable for little; but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.


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For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we have hoped in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.


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Let no one despise thy youth; but become an example of the believers, in word, in deportment, in love, in faith, in purity.


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Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee through prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.


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Give heed to thyself, and to the teaching; continue in them; for in doing this thou wilt save both thyself, and those who hear thee.


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But if any widow has children or grand-children, let these learn first to show piety to their own household, and to requite their parents, for this is acceptable before God.


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Now she that is a widow indeed, and left alone, has set her hope on God, and continues in supplications and prayers, night and day.


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But if any one provides not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.


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well reported of for good works; if she brought up children, if she lodged strangers, if she washed the feet of the saints, if she relieved the afflicted, if she diligently followed every good work.


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And at the same time they also learn to be idle, going about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busy-bodies, speaking things which they ought not.


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I desire therefore that younger widows marry, bear children, guide the house, give no occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.


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If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be burdened; that it may relieve those who are widows indeed.


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Let elders who preside well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and teaching.


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For the Scripture says: Thou shalt not muzzle an ox while treading out the grain; and, <J>The laborer is worthy of his hire.</J>


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I charge thee before God, and Christ Jesus, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without prejudging, doing nothing with partiality.


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No longer drink water only, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake, and for thy frequent infirmities.


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In like manner also the good works are openly manifest; and those that are otherwise can not be hidden.


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LET as many as are servants under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and the teaching be not blasphemed.


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And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren; but the rather do them service, because they who receive the benefit are faithful and beloved. These things teach and exhort.


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If any one teaches otherwise, and assents not to sound words, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the teaching which is according to godliness,


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he is puffed up with pride, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof comes envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,


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vain disputings of men corrupted in mind, and robbed of the truth, supposing that godliness is a means of gain.


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But they who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and many foolish and hurtful lusts, which sink men into destruction and perdition.


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For the love of money is a root of all evils; which some coveting after wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.


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But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness of spirit.


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Fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on the eternal life, unto which thou wast called, and didst make the good profession before many witnesses.


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I charge thee in the sight of God, who preserves all alive, and of Jesus Christ, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed the good profession,


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that thou keep the commandment without spot, blameless, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ;


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which in his own times he will show, who is the blissful and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;


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who only has immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable; whom no man has seen, or can see; to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.


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Charge those who are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor place their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but in God, who gives us all things richly for enjoyment;


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laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on the true life.


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O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding the profane babblings, and oppositions of that which is falsely called knowledge;


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PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,


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I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;


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calling to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that it dwells in thee also.


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For which cause I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the laying on of my hands.


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Be not then ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship with me for the gospel, according to the power of God;


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who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose, and the grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before eternal ages,


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but now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ; who abolished death, and brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel;


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For which cause I suffer also these things. But I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him, unto that day.


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Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou heardest from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.


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Thou knowest this, that all those in Asia turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.


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The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus; because he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain;


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The Lord grant to him, that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day! And in how many things he ministered to me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.


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And the things that thou heardest from me by many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.


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No one serving as a soldier entangles himself with the affairs of life, that he may please him who chose him to be a soldier.


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For this cause, I endure all things for the sake of the chosen, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.


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Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the subverting of the hearers.


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Endeavor to present thyself approved to God, a workman not made ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.


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who erred concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and overturn the faith of some.


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Nevertheless, God's firm foundation stands, having this seal: The Lord knew those who are his; and, Let every one that names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.


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But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some for honor and some for dishonor.


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If a man therefore cleanse himself from these, he shall be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful for the master, prepared for every good work.


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But flee youthful lusts; and follow righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.


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And a servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle toward all, apt in teaching, patient of evil;


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in meekness admonishing those who oppose themselves; if haply God may give them repentance unto the full knowledge of the truth;


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and that they may awake to soberness out of the snare of the Devil, being taken captive by him, to do his will.


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For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,


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without natural affection, implacable, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, without love to the good,


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For of these are they who creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,


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Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so also do these withstand the truth; men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith.


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But they shall proceed no further; for their folly shall be fully manifest to all, as was also theirs.


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But thou didst strictly follow my teaching, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, patience,


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persecutions, afflictions; what things came upon me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of all the Lord delivered me.


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But do thou continue in the things which thou learnedst and wast assured of, knowing of whom thou didst learn;


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and that from a child thou didst know the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.


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All Scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness;


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I CHARGE thee before God, and Christ Jesus who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom,


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preach the word; apply thyself in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching.


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For the time will come when they will not endure the sound teaching, but according to their own desires will to themselves heap up teachers, having itching ears;


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But be thou watchful in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fully accomplish thy ministry.


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henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me in that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.


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For Demas forsook me, having loved the present world, and departed to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.


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The cloak, which I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest bring, and the books, especially the parchments.


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At my first answer no one came forward with me, but all forsook me. May it not be laid to their charge!


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But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me; that through me the preaching might be fully accomplished, and all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.


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The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom; to whom be the glory, forever and ever. Amen.


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Endeavor to come before winter. Eubulus salutes thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.


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PAUL, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God's chosen, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness;


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but in its own times manifested his word in the preaching, with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of our Savior God;


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to Titus, a true child according to the common faith: Grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.


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For this cause I left thee behind in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and appoint elders in each city, as I directed thee;


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if any one is without reproach, the husband of one wife, having believing children not accused of rioting or unruly.


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For the overseer must be, without reproach, as God's steward; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, not a striker, not greedy of gain;


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holding fast the faithful word according to the teaching, that he may be able with the sound teaching both to exhort, and to refute the gainsayers.


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whose mouths must be stopped, who overturn whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of base gain.


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One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said: Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.


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To the pure all things are pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but both their mind and conscience are defiled.


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They profess that they know God; but by their works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and for every good work reprobate.


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that aged women likewise be in behavior as becomes holiness, not false accusers, not enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good;


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to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.


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sound speech, that can not be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be put to shame, having no evil thing to say of us.


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Exhort servants to submit themselves to their own masters, to be well-pleasing in all things; not contradicting,


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not purloining, but showing all good faith; that they may adorn the teaching of our Savior God in all things,


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teaching us that, having denied ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;


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looking for the blissful hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;


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who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and cleanse for himself a people to be his own, zealous of good works.


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PUT them in mind to submit themselves to governments, to authorities, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,


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For we ourselves also were once foolish, disobedient, going astray, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.


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not by works of righteousness which we did, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the bathing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit;


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that, having been justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.


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Faithful is the saying; and concerning these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they who have believed God may be careful to take the lead in good works. These things are good and profitable to men.


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But avoid foolish questionings, and genealogies, and strifes, and contentions about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.


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When I shall send Artemas to thee, or Tychicus, endeavor to come to me to Nicopolis; for I have determined there to winter.


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Zenas the lawyer, and Apollos, send forward on their journey zealously, that nothing may be wanting to them.


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And let ours also learn to take the lead in good works for necessary wants, that they may not be unfruitful.


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PAUL, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy the brother, to Philemon the beloved and our fellow-laborer,


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that the fellowship of thy faith may become effectual in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us, unto Christ Jesus.


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For I had much joy and consolation in thy love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by thee, brother.


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yet for love's sake I beseech rather; being such a one, as Paul an old man, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ,


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whom I would have retained with myself, that in thy stead he might minister to me in the bonds of the gospel.


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But without thy consent I desired to do nothing; that thy benefit may not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.


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no longer as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more to thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord!


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I, Paul, wrote it with my own hand, I will repay. Not to say to thee, that to me thou owest also thine own self besides.


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But at the same time be preparing for me also a lodging; for I hope that through your prayers I shall be given to you.


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in these last days spoke to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, by whom he also made the worlds;


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who, being the brightness of his glory and the impress of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself made a cleansing of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;


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For to whom of the angels said he ever: Thou art my Son, I this day have begotten thee; and again: I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son.


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But when he has again brought in the first-begotten into the world, he says And let all the angels of God worship him.


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but of the Son: Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever; A sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom;


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Thou lovedst righteousness, and hatedst iniquity; Therefore God, thy God, anointed thee, With the oil of gladness, above thy fellows;


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and: Thou, Lord, in the beginning, didst found the earth, And the heavens are the works of thy hands;


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And as a vesture thou wilt fold them up, and they will be changed; But thou art the same, And thy years will not fail.


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But to whom of the angels has he ever said: Sit on my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.


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Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth for ministration, for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?


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ON this account, we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things heard, lest haply we should let them slip.


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For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received just retribution,


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how shall we escape, having neglected so great a salvation; which began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard,


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God also bearing witness, with signs and wonders, and divers miracles, and distributions of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will?


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But one in a certain place testified, saying: What is man, that thou art mindful of him, Or the son of man, that thou visitest him?


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Thou didst put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him.


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But we behold him, who was made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, on account of the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, in order that he by the grace of God might taste death for every one.


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For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.


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For both he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,


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saying: I will declare thy name to my brethren; In the midst of the congregation I will sing praise to thee.


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Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner took part in the same; that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the Devil;


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Wherefore, in all things it became him to be made like to his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.


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WHEREFORE, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Jesus,


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For he has been accounted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who has built the house has more honor than the house.


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And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, as a testimony of the things which were to be afterward spoken;


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but Christ as son over His house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the boldness and the joyousness of the hope firm unto the end.


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Wherefore, I was offended with that generation; And I said: They always go astray in their heart, And they knew not my ways;


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Take heed, brethren, lest there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.


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But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called To-day, that no one of you may be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.


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For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end.


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But with whom was he offended forty years? Was it not with those who sinned? whose carcasses fell in the wilderness.


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LET us fear therefore, lest, a promise being still left us of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it.


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For to us were the glad tidings preached, as also to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mingled with faith in those who heard.


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For we who believed enter into the rest, as he said: As I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest, although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.


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For he has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day thus: And God rested on the seventh day from all his works;


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Since then it remains that some do enter into it, and they to whom the glad tidings were first preached entered not in because of unbelief, again


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he limits a certain day, To-day, (saying in David, after so long a time, as has before been said,) To-day, if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts.


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Let us therefore endeavor to enter into that rest, that no one may fall into the same example of unbelief.


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For the word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.


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And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight; but all things are naked and opened to the eyes of him with whom we have to do.


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Having therefore a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.


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For we have not a high priest who can not be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but who has in all points been tempted in like manner, without sin.


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Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.


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FOR every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins;


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being able to bear with the ignorant and erring, since he himself also is encompassed with infirmity;


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So also Christ did not glorify himself to be made high priest, but he who spoke to him: Thou art my Son, I this day have begotten thee;


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who, in the days of his flesh offering up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and being heard on account of his godly fear,


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For though ye ought, on account of the time, to be teachers, ye again have need that some one teach you the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food.


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For every one who partakes of milk is inexperienced in the word of righteousness; for he is a child.


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But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, who by use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.


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WHEREFORE, leaving the first principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,


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of the doctrine of immersions, and of the laying on of hands, and of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.


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For it is impossible that they who have once been enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,


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and have fallen away, should again be renewed to repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to open shame.


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For the earth which has drunk in the rain oft coming upon it, and brings forth herbs fit for those for whose sake it is tilled, receives blessing from God;


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but if it bears thorns and briers it is rejected, and is near to cursing; whose end is to be burned.


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But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.


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For God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and the love which ye showed toward his name, in that ye ministered and still do minister to the saints.


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But we desire that each one of you show the same diligence, for the full assurance of the hope unto the end;


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that ye may not become slothful, but followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.


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For when God made the promise to Abraham, because he could swear by none greater, he swore by himself,


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For men indeed swear by the greater; and the oath is to them an end of all gainsaying, for a confirmation.


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Wherein God, wishing more abundantly to show to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath;


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that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible that God should lie, we may have strong encouragement, who fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us,


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where as forerunner for us Jesus entered, having become a high priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.


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FOR this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;


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to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth of all; first indeed being interpreted King of righteousness, and then also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;


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without father, without mother, without table of descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but likened to the Son of God, remains a priest continually.


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And they indeed that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they have come out of the loins of Abraham;


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but he whose descent is not reckoned from them has taken tithes of Abraham, and has blessed him who had the promises.


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If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people have received the law), what further need was there that a different priest should arise, after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron?


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For he of whom these things are spoken pertains to a different tribe, of which no one has given attendance at the altar.


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For it is evident that our Lord has arisen out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.


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And it is yet more abundantly manifest, if after the similitude of Melchizedek there arises a different priest,


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who has been made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an indissoluble life.


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For on the one hand, there is an annulling of the commandment that went before, on account of its weakness and unprofitableness,—


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for the law perfected nothing,—and on the other the bringing in of a better hope, by which we draw near to God.


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for they indeed were made priests without an oath, but he with an oath by him who said to him: The Lord swore and will not repent, thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek,—


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Whence also he is able to save to the utmost those who come to God through him, since he ever lives to intercede for them.


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For such a high priest became us, holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;


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who has not necessity daily, as the high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; for this he did once for all, in offering up himself.


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For the law makes men high priests who have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, makes the Son, who is perfected forever.


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Now of the things which we are saying, this is the chief: We have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty of the heavens;


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For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it is necessary, that this one have something which he may offer.


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For if he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are those who offer gifts according to the law,


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who minister after an outline and a shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was admonished by God, when he was about to make the tabernacle; for, See, says he, that thou make all things according to the pattern which was showed thee in the mount.


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But now he has obtained a more excellent ministry, by so much as he is also mediator of a better covenant, which has been established upon better promises.


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For finding fault with them, he says: Behold the days are coming, saith the Lord, When I will make with the house of Israel, And with the house of Judah, a new covenant;


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Not according to the covenant that I made for their fathers, In the day when I took hold of their hand, To bring them out of the land of Egypt; Because they continued not in my covenant, And I regarded them not, saith the Lord.


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For this is the covenant that I will establish for the house of Israel, After those days, saith the Lord, Putting my laws into their mind, And on their hearts I will write them; And I will be to them a God, And they shall be to me a people;


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And they shall not teach, Each one his neighbor, and each one his brother, Saying: Know the Lord; Because all shall know me, from the least to the greatest;


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Because I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, And their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more.


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In that he says, A new, he has made the first old. Now that which is grown old, and worn out with age, is ready to vanish away.


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For a tabernacle was prepared; the first, wherein is the lamp-stand, and the table, and the show-bread; which is called holy.


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having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant overlaid on every side with gold, wherein was the golden pot containing the manna, and the rod of Aaron which budded, and the tables of the covenant;


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and above it the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat; of which we can not now speak particularly.


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Now these things being thus prepared, into the first tabernacle the priests enter at all times, performing the services;


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but into the second, the high priest alone, once every year, not without blood, which he offers for himself, and for the errors of the people;


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the Holy Spirit signifying this, that the way into the holy places has not yet been made manifest, while the first tabernacle is yet standing;


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which is a figure for the time present, under which are offered both gifts and sacrifices, unable as to the conscience to perfect the worshiper;


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only with meats and drinks, and divers immersions, ordinances of the flesh, imposed until the time of reformation.


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But Christ, having come as a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands (that is, not of this creation),


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and not through the blood of goats and calves but through his own blood, entered once for all into the holy places, obtaining eternal redemption.


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For if the blood of goats and bulls, and ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctifies to the purity of the flesh;


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how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?


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And for this cause he is mediator of a new covenant, in order that, death having taken place, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, they who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.


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For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be brought in the death of the testator.


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For a testament is of force after men are dead; since it is of no strength at all while the testator lives.


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For, when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and of the goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying:


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And moreover, the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the service, he in like manner sprinkled with blood.


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And nearly all things are cleansed according to the law with blood; and without shedding of blood there is no remission.


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It was therefore necessary, that the outlines of things in the heavens should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves, with better sacrifices than these.


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For Christ entered not into holy places made with hands, figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;


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nor yet that he should many times offer himself, as the high priest enters into the holy places every year with blood of others;


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for then must he many times have suffered since the foundation of the world; but now once, in the end of the ages, he has been manifested for the putting away of sin by the sacrifice of himself.


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so also the Christ, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, will to those who look for him appear a second time without sin, unto salvation.


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FOR the law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never, with the same sacrifices which they offer year by year continually, make those who come to them perfect.


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For then would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers would have had no more consciousness of sins, having once been cleansed?


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Wherefore, when he comes into the world, he says: Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, But a body didst thou prepare for me;


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Saying above, Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin thou wouldest not, nor hadst pleasure therein, which are offered by the law,


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then has he said: Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He takes away the first, that he may establish the second.


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In which will we have been sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.


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And every priest indeed stands daily ministering, and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;


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This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, putting my laws upon their hearts, and on their minds I will write them, <n>[he further says,]</n>


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Having therefore, brethren, boldness as to the entrance into the holy places by the blood of Jesus, which <n>[entrance]</n> he instituted for us,


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Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having had our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience; and having had our body washed with pure water,


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not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the custom of some, but exhorting, and so much the more as ye see the day approaching.


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For if we willingly sin, after having received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,


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but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and a fiery indignation, which will devour the adversaries.


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Of how much worse punishment, suppose ye, will he be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has accounted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and has done despite to the Spirit of grace?


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For we know him who said: To me belongs vengeance; I will recompense, saith the Lord; and again: The Lord will judge his people.


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But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were enlightened, ye endured a great contest of sufferings;


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partly, whilst ye were made a spectacle both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became partakers with those who were so used.


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For ye sympathized with those in bonds, and ye took joyfully the plundering of your goods, knowing that ye have for yourselves a better and an enduring substance.


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But we are not of those who draw back unto perdition; but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.


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Through faith we perceive that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not arisen out of things which appear.


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By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he received testimony that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it, being dead, he yet speaks.


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By faith Enoch was translated, that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him; for before his translation, he has had the testimony that he pleased God.


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But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder to those who seek after him.


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By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning things not yet seen, moved with fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.


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By faith Abraham when called obeyed, to go forth into a place which he should afterward receive for an inheritance, and went forth, not knowing whither he went.


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By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise;


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By faith Sarah herself also received power to conceive seed, even when she was past age, because she accounted him faithful who had promised.


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Wherefore also there sprang from one, and him become as dead, even as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.


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These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them from afar, and greeted them, and professed that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth.


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And if indeed, they had in mind that from which they came out, they would have had opportunity to return.


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But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he prepared for them a city.


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By faith Abraham, when tried, has offered up Isaac; and he who had accepted the promises offered up his only begotten,


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accounting that God is able even to raise from the dead; whence he also received him back in a figure.


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By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and he worshiped, <n>[leaning]</n> on the top of his staff.


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By faith Joseph, when dying, made mention of the departure of the sons of Israel, and gave commandment concerning his bones.


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By faith Moses, when born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was fair; and they feared not the king's commandment.


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choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;


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esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked for the reward.


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By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.


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Through faith he has kept the passover, and the affusion of the blood, that he who destroyed the first-born might not touch them.


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By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land; which the Egyptians attempting were swallowed up.


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By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish with those who believed not, after having received the spies with peace.


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And why say I more? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, of Barak and Samson and Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets;


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who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,


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quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.


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Women received their dead, by resurrection to life; and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.


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They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword; they went about in sheep-skins and goats' skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented;


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of whom the world was not worthy; wandering in deserts and mountains and caves, and the clefts of the earth.


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God having provided something better concerning us, that they should not without us be made perfect.


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THEREFORE, let us also, having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding, us, lay aside every weight, and the easily besetting sin, and with patience run the race that is set before us,


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looking away to the author and finisher of the faith, Jesus; who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down on the right hand of the throne of God.


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For consider him who has endured such contradiction by sinners against him, that ye become not weary, fainting in your souls.


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and ye have forgotten the exhortation, which discourses with you as with sons: My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, Nor faint when reproved by him;


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If ye endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father chastens not?


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But if ye are without chastening, of which all have been made partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.


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Furthermore, we had fathers of our flesh, who chastened us, and we gave them reverence; shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?


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For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.


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Now all chastening for the present indeed seems not joyous, but grievous; but afterward, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness, to those who have been exercised thereby.


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and make straight paths for your feet, that the lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed.


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looking diligently, lest any one come short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and the many be thereby defiled;


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For ye know that he also afterward, when he wished to inherit the blessing, was rejected; for he found no place of repentance, though he sought after it with tears.


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For ye have not come to a mount that is touched, and burning with fire, nor to blackness, and darkness, and tempest,


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and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they who heard refused that more should be spoken to them;


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for they could not bear that which was commanded, Even if a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned;


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But ye have come to mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,


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to the general assembly and church of the first-born, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just ones made perfect;


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and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better than Abel.


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See that ye refuse not him who speaks; for if they did not escape, refusing him who declared the divine will on earth, much more shall not we, who turn away from him who speaks from heaven;


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whose voice then shook the earth; but now he has promised, saying: Yet once more I shake, not the earth only, but also heaven.


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And this, Yet once more, signifies the removing of the things shaken, as of things that have been made, that the things which are not shaken may remain.


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Wherefore, receiving a kingdom which can not be shaken, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear;


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Remember those in bonds, as bound with them; those in adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.


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Let your disposition be without covetousness, and be content with what ye have; for he has said: I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.


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Remember those who were your leaders, who spoke to you the word of God; considering the end of whose manner of life, imitate their faith.


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Be not carried away with various and strange teachings; for it is good that the heart be established with grace, not with meats, which did not profit those who walked therein.


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For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.


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Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered without the gate.


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Through him, therefore, let us offer up the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips giving thanks to his name.


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Obey those who are your leaders, and submit; for they watch for your souls, as those who shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not with sighing, for that is unprofitable for you.


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Pray for us; for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to deport ourselves well.


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Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep in virtue of the blood of an eternal covenant,


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make you perfect in every good work to do his will, doing in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory, forever and ever. Amen.


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Know that the brother, Timothy, has been set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.


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JAMES, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.


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But if any one of you is lacking in wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally, and upbraids not, and it will be given him.


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But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering; for he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.


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For the sun rose with the burning heat, and withered the grass, and its flower fell off, and the grace of its fashion perished; so also will the rich man fade away in his ways.


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Happy is the man that endures temptation; because, when he is approved, he will receive the crown of life, which He promised to those who love him.


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Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God; for God can not be tempted with evil, and himself tempts no one.


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Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the lights, with whom there is no variableness, or shadow of turning.


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Of his own will he begot us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures.


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Wherefore, putting off all filthiness and excess of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.


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For if any one is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like to a man beholding his natural face in a mirror.


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But he who looked into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and remained thereby, being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of work, this man shall be happy in his doing.


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If any one thinks that he is religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain.


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Religion, pure and undefiled before God and the Father, is this: To visit the orphans and widows in their affliction; to keep himself unspotted from the world.


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MY brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, <n>[the Lord]</n> of glory, with respect of persons.


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For if there have come into your assembly a man with a gold ring, in gay clothing, and there have come in also a poor man in mean clothing;


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and ye have respect to him that wears the gay clothing, and say: Sit thou here in a good place, and say to the poor man: Stand thou there, or, Sit under my footstool;


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Hearken, my beloved brethren. Did not God choose the poor as to this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him?


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But ye dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and do not they drag you before the judgment-seats?


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If indeed ye fulfill the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well.


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For he who said: Do not commit adultery, said also: Do not kill. Now if thou commit not adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.


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What does it profit, my brethren, if any one say that he has faith, and have not works? Can the faith save him?


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and one of you say to them: Depart in peace, be warmed, and be filled, but ye give them not the things needful for the body, what does it profit?


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But some will say: Thou hast faith, and I have works; show me thy faith without the works, and I will show thee the faith by my works.


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And the scripture was fulfilled which says: Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness; and he was called, Friend of God.


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And in like manner, was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she received the messengers, and sent them out by another way?


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For in many things we all offend. If any one offends not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle also the whole body.


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Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths, that they may obey us, we turn about also their whole body.


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Behold also the ships, though they are so great, and driven by fierce winds, are turned about by a very small helm, whithersoever the steersman may desire.


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So also the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. Behold, how great a forest a little fire kindles!


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And the tongue is a fire, that world of iniquity! The tongue among our members is that which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of life, and is set on fire by hell.


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For every nature of beasts and birds, of reptiles and things in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed, by the nature of man.


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Therewith we bless the Lord and Father; and therewith we curse men, who have been made after the likeness of God.


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Out of the same mouth comes forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.


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Who is wise and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show, out of his good deportment, his works in meekness of wisdom.


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But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, forbearing, easily persuaded, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.


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FROM whence are wars, and from whence are fightings among you? Are they not from hence, from your lusts that war in your members?


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Ye desire, and have not; ye kill, and envy, and can not obtain; ye fight and war. Ye have not, because ye ask not;


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Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore desires to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.


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Do ye think that the Scripture says in vain, the spirit he made to dwell in us has jealous longings?


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But he gives the more grace. Wherefore he says: God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.


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Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.


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Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heaviness.


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Do not speak against one another, brethren. He that speaks against his brother, or judges his brother, speaks against the law, and judges the law. But if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.


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One is the lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. Who art thou that judgest thy neighbor?


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Come now, ye that say: To-day and to-morrow we will go into this city, and spend one year there, and buy and sell, and get gain;


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(whereas ye know not what belongs to the morrow; for what is your life? for ye are a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away;)


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Your gold and silver is rusted; and the rust of them will be a witness against you, and will eat your flesh as fire. Ye heaped up treasure, in the last days.


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Behold, the hire of the laborers who reaped your fields, which is fraudulently kept back by you, cries out; and the cries of those who reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.


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Ye have been luxurious on the earth, and lived in pleasure; ye have nourished your hearts, in the day of slaughter.


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Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, till it shall have received the early and latter rain.


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Murmur not against one another, brethren, that ye be not judged. Behold, the judge stands before the door.


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Take, my brethren, the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, for an example of affliction, and of patience.


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Behold, we count those happy who endure. Ye heard of the patience of Job, and saw the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.


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But above all things, my brethren, swear not; neither by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath; but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; that ye fall not under condemnation.


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Is any sick among you, let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.


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And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and even if he have committed sins, it will be forgiven him.


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Confess therefore your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous man avails much.


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Elijah was a man of like nature with us; and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months.


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let him know, that he who converts a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death, and will hide a multitude of sins.


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PETER, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered through Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia;


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chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you.


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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy begot us again unto a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead;


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who by the power of God are kept through faith, unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.


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Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little time, if need be, made sorrowful by manifold trials;


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that the proof of your faith, much more precious than gold that perishes, but is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;


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whom having not seen ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory;


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Concerning which salvation the prophets diligently sought and searched, who prophesied of the grace toward you;


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searching as to what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them signified, when it testified beforehand the sufferings destined for Christ, and the glories that should follow;


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to whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you they were ministering them, which now have been announced to you, through those who brought you the good news by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.


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Wherefore, girding up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope perfectly for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;


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And if ye call him Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each one's work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear;


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knowing that not with perishable things, silver and gold, ye were redeemed from your vain course of life received by tradition from your fathers,


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who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but manifested in these last times for you,


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who through him believe on God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope are on God.


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Having purified your souls in obeying the truth unto unfeigned brotherly love, love one another from the heart fervently;


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being born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the word of God, which lives and abides forever.


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Because, All flesh is as grass, And all its glory as the flower of grass. The grass withered, and its flower fell off;


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LAYING aside therefore all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envyings, and all backbitings,


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as newborn babes, long for the spiritual, unadulterated milk, that ye thereby may grow unto salvation;


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ye yourselves also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.


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Because it is contained in the Scripture: Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner-stone, chosen, honored; and he that believes on him shall not be put to shame.


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To you therefore who believe is the honor; but to the disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is become the head of the corner,


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and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, who stumble, being disobedient to the word; to which they were also appointed.


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But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a possession; that ye should show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;


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who once were not a people, but are now the people of God; who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.


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Beloved, I exhort you as sojourners and strangers, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;


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having your deportment honorable among the Gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may from your good works, beholding them, glorify God in the day of visitation.


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Submit yourselves to every human institution, for the Lord's sake; whether to the king, as pre-eminent,


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or to governors as being sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers, and the praise of those who do well.


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For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of the foolish men;


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ye servants, being in subjection to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and reasonable, but also to the perverse.


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For what glory is it, if when ye are beaten for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.


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For to this ye were called; because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps;


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who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed it to him who judges righteously;


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who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, having died to our sins, should live to righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.


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For ye were going astray like sheep; but have returned now unto the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.


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IN like manner, ye wives, being in subjection to your own husbands; that even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be won by the deportment of their wives,


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Whose adorning, let it not be the outward one of braiding the hair, and of wearing golden ornaments, or of putting on apparel;


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but the hidden man of the heart, in that which is imperishable of the meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price.


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For so in the old time the holy women also, who hoped in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands,


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(as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; of whom ye became children,) doing good, and fearing no alarm.


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Ye husbands, in like manner, dwelling with them according to knowledge, giving honor to the female, as the weaker vessel, as also heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.


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not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but on the contrary blessing, because to this end ye were called, that ye might inherit blessing.


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For he who desires to love life, and to see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile;


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Because the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are toward their supplications; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.


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But if ye even suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye; but fear not with their fear, nor be troubled;


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but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts; ready always to give an answer to every one that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;


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having a good conscience, that wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good deportment in Christ.


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Because Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit;


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who were disobedient in times past, when the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, wherein a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water;


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which in an antitype, immersion, now saves us also (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the requirement of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ;


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who is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.


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CHRIST then having suffered for us in the flesh, do ye also arm yourselves with the same mind; because he who suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin;


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that ye no longer may live the remaining time in the flesh by the lusts of men, but by the will of God.


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For the time past suffices us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in wantonness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, carousings, and unhallowed idolatries;


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at which thing they are astonished, as ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you;


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For to this end was the good news preached also to those who are dead, that they might indeed be judged according to men in the flesh, but may live according to God in the spirit.


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but above all things having your love toward one another fervent, because love covers a multitude of sins;


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according as each received a gift, ministering the same to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God;


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if any one speaks, as <n>[uttering]</n> God's oracles; if any one ministers, as of the ability which God bestows; that God in all things may be glorified, through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and the dominion, forever and ever. Amen.


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Beloved, be not astonished at the fiery test taking place among you to prove you, as though a strange thing were befalling you;


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but, in so far as ye share in Christ's sufferings, rejoice; that also, at the revelation of his glory, ye may rejoice with exceeding joy.


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If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you; <n>[on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.]</n>


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For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a busy-body in other men's matters;


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Because the time is come that judgment should begin from the house of God; but if it begin first from us, what shall be the end of those who obey not the gospel of God?


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Wherefore let those also, who suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as to a faithful Creator.


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THE elders among you I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed;


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tend the flock of God which is among you, overseeing it not by constraint but willingly, not for base gain but with good will;


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In like manner, ye younger, submit yourselves to the elder. Yea, all of you submitting to one another, gird yourselves with humility; because, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.


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Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour;


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whom resist, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.


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But the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after ye have suffered a little while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.


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By Silvanus, the faithful brother, as I consider, I wrote to you in few words, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God, wherein ye stand.


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SIMON PETER, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:


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Seeing that his divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and might;


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through which he has given us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world through lust;


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yea for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith fortitude; and to fortitude, knowledge;


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For if these things are in you, and abound, they cause that ye shall not be inactive nor unfruitful in attaining to the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.


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But he that lacks these things is blind, not seeing afar off, having forgotten the cleansing away of his old sins.


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Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.


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For so shall be richly ministered to you the entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.


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Wherefore, I will not neglect to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and are established in the truth that is with you.


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But I think it right, so long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;


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Moreover I will endeavor that at all times ye may be able after my departure to call these things to mind.


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For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but had been eye-witnesses of his majesty.


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For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when such a voice was borne to him from the excellent glory: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;


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And we have more sure the prophetic word; to which ye do well that ye take heed, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts;


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for prophecy was never brought by the will of man; but moved by the Holy Spirit, men spoke from God.


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BUT there were false prophets also among the people, as there will be false teachers among you also, who stealthily will bring in destructive factions, even denying as Master him who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.


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And many will follow their dissolute ways; by reason of whom the way of truth will be evil spoken of.


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And in covetousness will they with feigned words make merchandise of you; for whom the judgment from of old lingers not, and their destruction slumbers not.


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For if God spared not angels, having sinned, but casting them down to hell delivered them over to chains of darkness, reserved unto judgment;


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and spared not the old world, but kept Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing the flood on the world of ungodly men,


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and turning to ashes the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah condemned them to overthrow, having made them an example of those who should afterward live ungodly;


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(for that righteous man, dwelling among them, with seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)


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the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust under punishment to the day of judgment;


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but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise dominion. Presumptuous, self-willed, they are not afraid to rail at dignities;


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whereas angels, being greater in strength and power, bring not a railing judgment against them before the Lord.


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But these, as natural brute beasts born to be taken and destroyed, railing at things that they understand not, shall utterly perish in their own corruption,


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receiving the wages of unrighteousness, as they who account reveling for a day pleasure; spots, and blemishes, reveling in their own deceits while feasting with you;


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having eyes full of the adulteress, and that cease not from sin; alluring unstable souls; having a heart exercised in covetousness; children of a curse;


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forsaking the right way, they went astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness,


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but was rebuked for his iniquity; the dumb ass, speaking with man's voice, forbade the madness of the prophet.


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These are wells without water, mists driven by a tempest, to whom the blackness of darkness is reserved forever.


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For, speaking swelling words of vanity, in lusts of the flesh they allure, by wanton ways, such as partly escape those who live in error;


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promising them liberty, while they themselves are servants of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by the same he is also brought into bondage.


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For if, having escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christy but having again become entangled therein they are overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first.


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For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.


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But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: A dog, returned to his own vomit; and, A sow that was washed, to the wallowing in the mire.


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THIS second letter, beloved, I now write to you; in both which I stir up your pure mind by putting you in remembrance;


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that ye may be mindful of the words spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of the Lord and Savior by your apostles;


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knowing this first, that there shall come in the last of the days scoffers, in their scoffings, walking after their own lusts,


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and saying: Where is the promise of his coming? for from the day the fathers fell asleep, all things so continue, from the beginning of the creation.


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For of this they willingly are ignorant, that by the word of God there were heavens of old, and earth framed out of water and by means of water,


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but the heavens that now are, and the earth, by his word are kept in store, being reserved for fire unto the day of judgment and of perdition of ungodly men.


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But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.


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The Lord is not tardy in respect to the promise, as some account tardiness; but is long-suffering toward us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.


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But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in which the heavens will pass away with a rushing noise, and the elements will be dissolved with burning heat, and the earth and the works therein will be burned up.


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Seeing then that all these things are dissolving, what manner of men ought ye to be, in all holy deportment and godliness;


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looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens being on fire will be dissolved, and the elements will melt with burning heat?


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But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.


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Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, be diligent that ye may be found without spot and blameless in his sight, in peace.


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And the long-suffering of our Lord account salvation; as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you;


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as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things; in which things are some that are hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction.


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Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know beforehand, beware lest, being carried away with the error of the lawless, ye fall from your own steadfastness.


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


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THAT which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we looked upon, and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life;


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(and the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and report to you the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested to us;)


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that which we have seen and have heard we report to you also, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.


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And this is the message which we have heard from him, and announce to you, That God is light, and in him there is no darkness.


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but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.


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If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, that he may forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.


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MY little children, these things I write to you, that ye may not sin. And if any one have sinned, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.


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But whoever keeps his word, of a truth in him the love of God is perfected. In this we know that we are in him.


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Beloved, I write not to you a new commandment, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye heard from the beginning.


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Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light now shines.


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But he that hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and knows not where he goes, because the darkness blinded his eyes.


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I write to you, fathers, because ye know him that was from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because ye have overcome the evil one. I wrote to you, little children, because ye know the Father.


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I wrote to you, fathers, because ye know him that was from the beginning. I wrote to you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and ye have overcome the evil one.


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Love not the world, neither the things in the world. If any one loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.


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Because all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the empty pomp of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.


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And the world is passing away, and the lust thereof; but he that does the will of God abides forever.


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Little children, it is the last time; and as ye heard that antichrist should come, even now many antichrists have arisen; from whence we know that it is the last time.


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They went out from among us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but it was in order that they might be made manifest, that all are not of us.


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I wrote not to you because ye do not know the truth, but because ye know it, and because no lie is of the truth.


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Who is the liar, but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son.


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Every one that denies the Son, the same has not the Father; he that acknowledges the Son has also the Father.


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What ye heard from the beginning, let it abide in you. If what ye heard from the beginning shall abide in you, ye also will abide in the Son, and in the Father.


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And the anointing which ye received from him abides in you, and ye have no need that any one teach you; but, as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is truth, and is not a lie, and even as it taught you, abide in him.


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And now, little children, abide in him; that, if he should be manifested, we may have confidence, and not turn away from him with shame at his coming.


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If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that does righteousness has been begotten of him.


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BEHOLD what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. For this cause the world knows not us, because it knew not him.


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Beloved, now are we the children of God, and it was never yet manifested what we shall be. We know that if it shall be manifested, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.


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Little children, let no one deceive you. He that does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.


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He that commits sin is of the Devil; because the Devil sins from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil.


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Whoever has been begotten of God does not commit sin; because his seed abides in him; and he can not sin, because he has been begotten of God.


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In this are manifest the children of God, and the children of the Devil. Every one that does not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loves not his brother;


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Not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore did he slay him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.


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We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loves not his brother abides in death.


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Every one that hates his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.


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In this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.


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But whoever has the world's sustenance, and sees his brother having need, and shuts up his pity from him, how abides the love of God in him?


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And whatever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.


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And this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and should love one another, as he gave us commandment.


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And he that keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in him. And in this we know that he abides in us, from the Spirit which he gave us.


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BELOVED, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.


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Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God; and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus, is not of God; and this is that of the antichrist, of which ye have heard that it should come; and now, it is already in the world.


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Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you, than he who is in the world.


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We are of God; he that knows God, hears us; he that is not of God, hears us not. From this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.


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Beloved, let us love one another; because love is of God, and every one that loves has been begotten of God, and knows God.


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In this was manifested the love of God in respect to us, that God has sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.


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Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son, a propitiation for our sins.


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No man has ever seen God. If we love one another, God abides in us, and the love of him is perfected in us.


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And we have known, and have believed, the love that God has in respect to us. God is love; and he that abides in love abides in God, and God in him.


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In this has love been perfected with us, that we have confidence in the day of judgment; because as he is, we also are in this world.


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There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment; and he that fears is not made perfect in love.


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If any one say, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?


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EVERY one who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been begotten of God; and every one that loves him who begot, loves also him that has been begotten of him.


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For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome;


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because all that is begotten of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.


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This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus the Christ; not in the water only, but in the water and in the blood. And the Spirit is that which bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth.


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If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God, that he has borne witness concerning his Son.


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He that believes on the Son of God has the witness in himself; he that believes not God has made him a liar; because he has not believed in the witness which God has borne concerning his Son.


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These things I wrote to you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, who believe on the name of the Son of God.


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And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.


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And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.


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If any one see his brother sin a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and he will give him life,—to those who sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death; for that I do not say that he shall pray.


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We know that every one who has been begotten of God sins not; but he that was begotten of God keeps himself; and the evil one touches him not.


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And we know that the Son of God is come, and has given us understanding, that we may know the True one; and we are in the True One, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.


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THE elder to the elect lady, and to her children, whom I love in truth,—and not I alone but also all that know the truth,—


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Grace, mercy, peace, shall be with you, from God the Father, and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.


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I rejoiced greatly, that I have found of thy children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.


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And now I beseech thee, lady, not as writing to thee a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.


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And this is love, that we walk according to his commandment; and this is the commandment, as ye heard from the beginning, that ye should walk in it.


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Because many deceivers went out into the world, who acknowledge not that Jesus Christ comes in the flesh. This is the deceiver, and the antichrist.


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Every one who transgresses, and abides not in the teaching of Christ, has not God. He that abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.


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If any one comes to you, and brings not this teaching, receive him not into your house, and do not bid him good speed;


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Having many things to write to you, I would not <n>[write]</n> with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you, and to speak face to face, that our joy may be full.


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Beloved, concerning all things I pray that thou mayest prosper and be in health, as thy soul prospers.


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For I rejoiced greatly, when brethren came and bore witness to thy truth, as thou walkest in the truth.


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Beloved, thou doest a faithful thing, in whatever thou doest to the brethren, and that to strangers,


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who bore witness to thy love before the church; whom if thou send forward on their journey worthily of God, thou wilt do well;


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I wrote somewhat to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to have the pre-eminence among them, receives us not.


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Therefore, if I come, I will bring to remembrance his deeds which he does, prating against us with evil words. And not content therewith, neither does he himself receive the brethren, and those who are willing he forbids, and casts them out of the church.


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Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He that does good, is of God; he that does evil, has not seen God.


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To Demetrius, testimony has been borne by all, and by the truth itself; yea, we also bear witness, and thou knowest that our witness is true.


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but I hope immediately to see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. The friends salute thee. Salute the friends, by name.


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JUDE, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept by Jesus Christ:


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Beloved, while giving all diligence to write to you concerning the common salvation, I found it needful for me to write to you exhorting to contend earnestly for the faith, delivered once for all to the saints.


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For there crept in stealthily certain men, who of old were appointed beforehand to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into wantonness, and denying the only Master, and our Lord Jesus Christ.


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But I wish to remind you, as once knowing all, that Jesus, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who believed not.


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And angels who kept not their principality, but left their own habitation, he has kept in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day.


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As Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, in like manner with them giving themselves over to fornication, and going away after other flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.


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Yet, in like manner, these also in their dreamings defile the flesh, despise dominion, and rail at dignities.


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But Michael the archangel, when, contending with the Devil, he disputed concerning the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a railing judgment, but said: The Lord rebuke thee.


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But these rail at the things which they know not; but what things naturally, as the brute beasts, they understand, in these they corrupt themselves.


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Woe to them! For they went in the way of Cain, and rushed on in the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.


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These are rocks in your feasts of love, feasting with you fearlessly, feeding their own selves; clouds without water, carried away by winds; autumnal trees, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;


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raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness is reserved forever.


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Yea, and of these Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied, saying: Behold, the Lord came, with his holy myriads.


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to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly among them of all their acts of ungodliness which they committed, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners spoke against him.


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These are murmurers, complaining of their lot, walking according to their lusts; and their mouth speaks swelling words; having respect to persons, for the sake of profit.


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But ye, beloved, remember the words which were before spoken by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;


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that they told you, that at the last of the time there will be scoffers, walking after their own lusts of ungodliness.


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keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal life.


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Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy;


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to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and power, before all time, and now, and forever. Amen.


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THE Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to show to his servants what things must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John;


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Happy he that reads, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep the things written therein; for the time is at hand.


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John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you, and peace, from him who is, and who was, and who is to come; and from the seven spirits that are before his throne;


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and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,


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and made us a kingdom, priests to God and his Father, to him be the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever. Amen.


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Behold, he comes amidst the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.


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<J>I am the Alpha and the Omega,</J> saith the Lord God, <J>he who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.</J>


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I, John, your brother, and partner with you in the affliction, and kingdom, and patient endurance in Jesus, was in the island called Patmos, on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.


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saying: <J>What thou seest, write in a book, and send to the seven churches; to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamus, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.</J>


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And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lamp-stands;


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and in the midst of the lamp-stands one like to the Son of Man, clothed with a garment falling down to the feet, and girded round at the breasts with a golden girdle.


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But his head and his hairs were white, as white wool, as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;


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and his feet were like to burnished brass, as if burning in a furnace; and his voice was as the sound of many waters.


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And he had in his hand seven stars; and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword; and his countenance was as the sun shining in his strength.


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And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand on me, saying: <J>Fear not: I am the first and the last,</J>


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<J>and the living one; and I became dead, and behold I am alive forevermore; and I have the keys of death and of the underworld.</J>


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<J>Write therefore the things which thou sawest, and the things which are, and the things which shall be after these;</J>


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<J>the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest on my right hand, and the seven golden lamp-stands. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches; and the seven lamp-stands are the seven churches.</J>


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<J>TO the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These things says he who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lamp-stands.</J>


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<J>I know thy works, and thy labor and patience, and how thou canst not bear evil men; and thou didst try those who say they are apostles, and are not, and didst find them liars;</J>


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<J>Remember therefore from whence thou hast fallen, and repent, and do the first works; but if not, I am coming to thee, and will remove thy lamp-stand out of its place, if thou repent not.</J>


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<J>He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him that overcomes, to him I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.</J>


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<J>And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These things says the first and the last, who became dead, and lived again.</J>


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<J>I know thy affliction, and poverty (but thou art rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.</J>


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<J>Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer. Behold, the Devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye will have affliction ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life.</J>


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<J>He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He that overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.</J>


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<J>And to the angel of the church in Pergamus write: These things says he who has the sharp two-edged sword.</J>


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<J>I know where thou dwellest, where the throne of Satan is; and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny the faith in me, even in the days in which Antipas was my faithful witness, who was slain among you, where Satan dwells.</J>


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<J>But I have a few things against thee. Thou hast there men holding the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the sons of Israel, to eat things offered to idols, and to commit fornication.</J>


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<J>Repent therefore; but if not, I come to thee quickly, and will make war with them, with the sword of my mouth.</J>


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<J>He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him that overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna; and I will give to him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he that receives it.</J>


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<J>And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These things says the Son of God, who has his eyes as a flame of fire, and his feet are like to burnished brass.</J>


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<J>I know thy works, and thy love, and faith, and service, and patience; and thy last works are more than the first.</J>


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<J>But I have against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess; and she teaches and seduces my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things offered to idols.</J>


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<J>Behold, I cast her into a bed, and those who together with her commit adultery, into great affliction, if they repent not of their works.</J>


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<J>And her children I will slay with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he who searches the reins and hearts; and I will give to you every one according to your works.</J>


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<J>But to you I say, the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, who knew not the depths of Satan, as they speak: I put upon you no other burden;</J>


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<J>And he that overcomes, and he that keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations;</J>


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<J>and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter are they dashed in pieces, as I also have received from my Father;</J>


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<J>AND to the angel of the church in Sardis write: These things says he who has the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars. I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.</J>


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<J>Be watchful, and strengthen the remaining things, that were ready to die; for I have not found thy works complete before my God.</J>


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<J>Remember therefore how thou hast received, and didst hear, and keep, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come as a thief, and thou shalt not know at what hour I will come upon thee.</J>


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<J>But thou hast a few names in Sardis, which did not defile their garments; and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.</J>


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<J>He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white garments; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, and I will acknowledge his name before my Father, and before his angels.</J>


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<J>And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These things says the Holy, the True, he who has the key of David, he who opens, and no one shall shut, and shuts, and no one opens.</J>


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<J>I know thy works. Behold, I have set before thee a door opened, which no one can shut; because thou hast little power and didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name.</J>


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<J>Behold, I make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews, and they are not, but do lie, behold, I will make them to come and bow down before thy feet, and to know that I loved thee.</J>


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<J>Because thou didst keep my word of patient endurance, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which is about to come upon the whole world, to try those who dwell upon the earth.</J>


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<J>He that overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out no more; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my new name.</J>


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<J>And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.</J>


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<J>So, because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am about to vomit thee out of my mouth.</J>


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<J>Because thou sayest: I am rich, and have gotten wealth, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art the wretched and the pitiable one, and poor, and blind, and naked;</J>


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<J>I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest be rich, and white garments, that thou mayest be clothed, and the shame of thy nakedness not be made manifest, and to anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.</J>


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<J>Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any one hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and I will sup with him and he with me.</J>


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<J>He that overcomes, I will give to him to sit with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne.</J>


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AFTER these things I saw, and, behold, a door set open in heaven, and that first voice (which I heard as of a trumpet speaking with me) saying: Come up hither, and I will show thee what things must take place after these.


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Immediately I was in the Spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.


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And he who sat was like in appearance to a jasper and sardine stone; and there was a rainbow round the throne, like in appearance to an emerald;


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and around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and on their heads crowns of gold.


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And out of the throne proceed lightnings, and voices, and thunders; and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God;


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and before the throne as it were a sea of glass like to crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, four animals full of eyes before and behind.


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And the first animal was like to a lion, and the second animal like to a calf, and the third animal having its face as of a man, and the fourth animal like to an eagle flying.


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And the four animals had each of them six wings apiece; around and within they are full of eyes; and they have no rest by day and by night, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God the Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.


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And when the animals shall give glory, and honor, and thanksgiving, to him who sits upon the throne, to him who lives forever and ever,


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the twenty-four elders will fall down before him who sits upon the throne, and will worship him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying:


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Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory, and the honor, and the power; because thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created.


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AND I saw, on the right hand of him who sat on the throne, a book written within and on the back side, sealed up with seven seals.


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And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice: Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose its seals?


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And no one was able, in heaven, nor on the earth, nor under the earth, to open the book, nor to look thereon.


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And one of the elders says to me: Weep not; behold, the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, prevailed to open the book, and its seven seals.


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And I saw, in the midst of the throne and of the four animals, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as if having been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.


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And when he took the book, the four animals, and the twenty-four elders, fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden cups full of odors, which are the prayers of saints.


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And they sing a new song, saying: Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open its seals; because thou wast slain, and didst redeem to God by thy blood out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation;


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And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels, around the throne and the animals and the elders, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,


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saying with a loud voice: Worthy is the Lamb that has been slain, to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.


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And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: To him who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb, be the blessing, and the honor, and the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever.


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AND I saw, when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four animals saying, as a voice of thunder: Come!


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And I saw, and behold a white horse, and he who sat on him having a bow; and a crown was given to him; and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.


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And there went forth another horse that was red. And to him who sat thereon it was given to take away peace from the earth, and that they should slay one another; and there was given to him a great sword.


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And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third animal saying: Come! And I saw, and behold a black horse, and he who sat on him having a balance in his hand.


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And I heard a voice in the midst of the four animals, saying: A quart of wheat for a denбry, and three quarts of barley for a denбry; and: Hurt not the oil and the wine.


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And I saw, and behold a pale horse; and he who sat on him, his name was Death, and the underworld followed with him. And authority was given to them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with famine, and with death, and by the beasts of the earth.


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And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those slain on account of the word of God, and on account of the testimony which they had.


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And they cried with a loud voice, saying: How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell upon the earth?


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And a white robe was given to each one of them; and it was said to them, that they should rest yet a little time, until also their fellow-servants and their brethren, who are about to be killed as they were, should be fully numbered.


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And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became all as blood;


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and the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig-tree casts its untimely figs, when shaken by a great wind;


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and the heaven parted asunder as a scroll rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.


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And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the chief captains, and the rich men, and the strong men, and every bondman and freeman, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains;


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and they say to the mountains and to the rocks: Fall upon us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb;


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AND after this, I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that no wind should blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.


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And I saw another angel coming up from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,


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saying: Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads.


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And I heard the number of the sealed. A hundred and forty-four thousand were sealed, out of every tribe of the sons of Israel.


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out of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand;


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out of the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand;


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out of the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand;


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out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand; out of the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand, were sealed.


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After these things I saw, and behold a great multitude, which no one could number, out of every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palms in their hands.


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And they cry with a loud voice, saying: Salvation to our God, who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb.


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And all the angels were standing round the throne and the elders and the four animals, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God,


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saying: Amen; the blessing, and the glory, and the wisdom, and the thanksgiving, and the honor, and the power, and the might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.


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And one of the elders answered, saying to me: These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and whence came they?


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And I said to him: Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me: These are they who come out of the great affliction, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.


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Therefore are they before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them.


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They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun fall upon them, nor any heat;


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because the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and will lead them to the fountains of the waters of life; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.


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And another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense, that he should give it to the prayers of all the saints, upon the golden altar which is before the throne.


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And there went up the smoke of the incense to the prayers of the saints, out of the hand of the angel, before God.


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And the angel has taken the censer; and he filled it out of the fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth. And there followed thunders, and lightnings, and voices, and an earthquake.


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The first sounded; and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast into the earth, and the third part of the earth was burnt up, and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.


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And the second angel sounded; and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea, and the third part of the sea became blood;


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and the third part of the creatures that are in the sea, that have life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.


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And the third angel sounded; and there fell out of heaven a great star, burning as a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of the waters.


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And the name of the star is called Wormwood. And the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.


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And the fourth angel sounded; and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars, that the third part of them might be darkened, and the day not shine for a third part of it, and the night in like manner.


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And I saw, and heard an eagle flying in mid-heaven, saying with a loud voice: Woe, woe, woe, to those who dwell upon the earth, by reason of the remaining voices of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!


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AND the fifth angel sounded; and I saw a star fallen out of heaven to the earth, and there was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss.


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And he opened the pit of the abyss, and there went up a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.


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And out of the smoke went forth locusts into the earth; and there was given to them power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.


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And it was said to them, that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who have not the seal of God upon their foreheads.


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And it was given to them, that they should not kill them, but that they shall be tormented five months. And their torment is as the torment of a scorpion, when it has smitten a man.


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And in those days men will seek death, and shall not find it; and they will desire to die, and death flees from them.


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And the shapes of the locusts were like to horses prepared for battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.


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And they had breastplates, as breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running into battle.


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And they have tails like to scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men, five months.


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They have over them a king, the angel of the abyss. His name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon; but in the Greek tongue he has for a name, Apollyon.


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And the sixth angel sounded; and I heard a voice out of the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,


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saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet: Loose the four angels who are bound, by the great river Euphrates.


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And the four angels were loosed, who had been prepared for the hour, and day, and month, and year, that they may slay the third part of men.


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And the number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred thousand thousand. I heard the number of them.


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And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those who sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of hyacinth, and like brimstone; and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions, and out of their mouths issue fire, and smoke, and brimstone.


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By these three plagues was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and the smoke, and the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.


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For the power of the horses is in their mouth, and in their tails; for their tails are like to serpents, having heads, and with them they do hurt.


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And the rest of men, who were not killed in these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood, which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk;


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and they repented not of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.


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AND I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud, and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire.


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And he had in his hand a little book opened. And he set his right foot upon the sea, and the left upon the land;


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and he cried with a loud voice, as a lion roars; and when he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices.


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And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; and I heard a voice out of heaven saying to me: Seal up the things which the seven thunders spoke, and write them not.


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And the angel, whom I saw standing upon the sea and upon the land, lifted up his right hand to heaven,


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and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things therein, and the earth and the things therein, and the sea and the things therein, that there shall be time no longer;


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but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then is the mystery of God finished, as he gave the joyful message to his servants the prophets.


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And the voice which I heard out of heaven <n>[I heard]</n> again speaking to me, and saying: Go, take the little book which lies opened in the hand of the angel, who stands upon the sea and upon the land.


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And I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me: Take, and eat it up; and it will make thy belly bitter, but in thy mouth it will be sweet as honey.


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And I took the little book out of the hand of the angel, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth as honey, sweet; and when I had eaten it, my belly became bitter.


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AND there was given me a reed, like to a staff, saying: Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and those who worship therein.


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And the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; because it was given to the Gentiles, and they will tread down the holy city forty-two months.


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And I will give <n>[power]</n> to my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.


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And if any one desires to hurt them, fire goes forth out of their mouth, and devours their enemies; and if any one desires to hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.


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These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy; and have power over the waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they will.


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And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and will overcome them, and will kill them.


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And their remains are on the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord also was crucified.


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And some out of the peoples, and tribes, and tongues, and nations, look on their remains three days and a half, and suffer not their dead bodies to be put into a tomb.


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And they who dwell on the earth rejoice ever them, and are glad; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.


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And after three days and a half, the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon those who beheld them.


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And they heard a loud voice out of heaven, saying to them: Come up hither. And they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them.


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And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell; and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand names; and the rest became afraid, and gave glory to the God of heaven.


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And the seventh angel sounded; and there followed loud voices in heaven, saying: The kingdom of the world is become our Lord's, and his Christ's; and he will reign forever and ever.


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And the twenty-four elders, who sit before God on their thrones, fell upon their faces, and worshiped God,


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saying: We give thanks to thee, O Lord God the Almighty, who art, and who wast; because thou hast taken thy great power, and didst reign.


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And the nations were enraged, and thy wrath came, and the time of the dead to be judged, and to give the reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to those who fear thy name, the small and the great; and to destroy those who destroy the earth.


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And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of his covenant was seen in his temple; and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and a great hail.


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AND a great sign was seen in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.


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And another sign was seen in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns.


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And his tail drags the third part of the stars of heaven; and it cast them to the earth. And the dragon stands before the woman who was about to bring forth, that when she has brought forth, he may devour her child.


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And she brought forth a man-child, who will rule all nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God, and to his throne.


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And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they may nourish her there a thousand two hundred and sixty days.


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And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting with the dragon. And the dragon fought, and his angels,


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And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, who leads astray the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.


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And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying: Now is come the salvation, and the strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ; because the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accused them before our God day and night.


text:
And they overcame him, because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life, unto the death.


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For this cause rejoice, ye heavens, and they who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea! For the Devil is come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has little time.


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And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who brought forth the man-child.


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And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.


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And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood.


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And the earth helped the woman; and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.


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And the dragon was enraged at the woman; and he departed to make war with the rest of her seed, who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus.


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AND I stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads names of blasphemy;


text:
(and the beast which I saw was like to a leopard, and his feet as of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion, and the dragon gave to him his power, and his throne, and great authority;)


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and one of his heads as it were wounded unto death. And his deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered after the beast.


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And they worshiped the dragon, because he gave the authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying: Who is like to the beast, and who is able to make war with him?


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And there was given to him a mouth speaking great and blasphemous things; and power was given him to work forty-two months.


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And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, those who tabernacle in heaven.


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And it was given him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them; and power was given him over every tribe, and tongue, and nation.


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And all who dwell upon the earth will worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb which is slain, from the foundation of the world.


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If any one is for captivity, he goes into captivity; if any to be killed with the sword, he must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.


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And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon.


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And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.


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And he does great signs, so that also he causes fire to come down out of heaven on the earth, in the sight of men;


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and he leads astray those who dwell on the earth, because of the signs which it was given him to do in the presence of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which has the wound of the sword, and lived.


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And it was given him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should also speak, and should cause that as many as worship not the image of the beast should be killed.


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And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, to receive a mark on their right hand, or on their forehead;


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and that no one should be able to buy or sell, save he that has the mark, the name of the beast, or the number of his name.


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Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count up the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred and sixty-six.


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AND I saw, and behold, the Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father written on their foreheads.


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And I heard a voice out of heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of loud thunder; the voice which I heard was as that of harpers, harping with their harps.


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And they sing as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four animals and the elders; and no one was able to learn the song, except the hundred and forty-four thousand, who are redeemed from the earth.


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These are they who were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they who follow the Lamb, whithersoever he goes. These were redeemed from men, a first-fruits to God and to the Lamb.


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And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people;


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saying with a loud voice: Fear God, and give glory to him, because the hour of his judgment is come; and worship him who made heaven and earth, and sea, and fountains of waters.


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And another, a second angel followed, saying: Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, because she has made all the nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.


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And another, a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice: If any one worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead, or on his hand,


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he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his wrath, and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.


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And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.


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And I heard a voice out of heaven saying: Write, Happy are the dead who die in the Lord, henceforth; yea, says the Spirit, that they shall rest from their labors, for their works follow with them.


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And I saw, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sitting like to the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.


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And another angel came forth out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud: Put forth thy sickle, and reap; because the time to reap is come; because the harvest of the earth is ripe.


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And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire; and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying: Put forth thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.


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And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great wine-press of the wrath of God.


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And the wine-press was trodden without the city, and blood came forth out of the wine-press, even to the bits of the horses, as far as a thousand and six hundred furlongs.


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AND I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having seven plagues; which are the last, because in them is completed the wrath of God.


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And I saw as it were a sea of glass, mingled with fire; and those who had gained the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over the number of his name, standing by the sea of glass, having harps of God.


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And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God the Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of the nations.


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Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify thy name? Because thou alone art holy; because all the nations shall come and worship before thee; because thy judgments are made manifest.


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And after these things I saw, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened;


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and there came forth the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure, shining linen, and girded about the breasts with golden girdles.


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And one of the four animals gave to the seven angels seven golden cups, full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever.


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And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no one was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels should be completed.


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AND I heard a loud voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels: Go, and pour out the seven cups of the wrath of God into the earth.


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And the first departed, and poured out his cup into the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men who have the mark of the beast, and who worship his image.


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And the second poured out his cup into the sea; and it became blood, as of a dead man; and every living thing died that was in the sea.


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And the third poured out his cup into the rivers, and the fountains of water; and they became blood.


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And I heard the angel of the waters saying: Righteous art thou, who art and who wast holy, because thou didst thus judge;


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because they shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink. They are worthy.


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And I heard, out of the altar, one saying: Even so, Lord God the Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.


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And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, who has the power over these plagues, and repented not, to give him glory.


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And the fifth poured out his cup upon the throne of the beast; and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,


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and blasphemed the God of heaven, because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their works.


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And the sixth poured out his cup upon the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, that the way of the kings, who are from the rising of the sun, might be prepared.


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And I saw come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits as frogs;


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for they are spirits of demons, working signs, which go forth over the kings of the whole habitable world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God the Almighty.


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<J>Behold, I come as a thief. Happy is he that watches, and keeps his garments, that he may not walk naked and they see his shame.</J>


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And the seventh poured out his cup upon the air; and there came forth a loud voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying: It is done.


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And there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since there was a man upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, so great.


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And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell; and Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give to her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.


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And great hail, as of a talent's weight, comes down out of heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God on account of the plague of the hail; because the plague thereof was exceeding great.


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AND there came one of the seven angels who have the seven cups, and talked with me, saying: Come hither; I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot, that sits upon many waters;


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with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.


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And he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, full of the names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.


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And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and gilded with gold, and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand, full of abominations and the impurities of her fornication.


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And upon her forehead was a name written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.


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And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus; and I wondered when I saw her, with great wonder.


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And the angel said to me: Wherefore didst thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.


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The beast that thou sawest was, and is not, and is to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition; and they will wonder who dwell on the earth, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, seeing the beast, that he was, and is not, and shall come.


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And they are seven kings; the five are fallen, and the one is; the other is not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little time.


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And the beast that was, and is not, he also is an eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into perdition.


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And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, who received no kingdom as yet; but receive authority as kings one hour, along with the beast.


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These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them; because he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they who are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.


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And he says to me: The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes, and nations and tongues.


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And the ten horns, and the beast, these will hate the harlot, and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh, and will burn her up with fire.


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For God put it into their hearts to do his will, and to form one purpose, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.


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AFTER these things I saw another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority; and the earth was lightened with his glory.


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And he cried with a strong voice, saying: Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.


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Because all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth became rich out of the abundance of her luxury.


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And I heard another voice out of heaven, saying: Come out of her, my people, that ye partake not in her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.


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Reward her as she also rewarded, and render twofold according to her works; in the cup which she mixed, mix for her twofold.


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By as much as she glorified herself, and lived luxuriously, so much torment and mourning give her; because in her heart she says: I sit a queen, and not a widow, and shall not see mourning.


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Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be burned up with fire because strong is the Lord God who judged her.


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And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her, shall weep, and shall lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning;


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standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying: Alas, alas, the great city Babylon, the mighty city! Because in one hour thy judgment is come.


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And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their lading any more;


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the lading of gold, and of silver, and of precious stones, and of pearls, and of fine linen, and of purple, and of silk, and of scarlet; and all citron wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel of most precious wood, and of brass, and of iron and of marble,


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and cinnamon, and amomum, and odors, and ointment, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep; and <n>[lading]</n> of horses, and of chariots, and of slaves; and souls of men.


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And the fruit that thy soul desired departed from thee, and all the dainty and goodly things perished from thee, and thou shalt no more find them.


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The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning,


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saying: Alas, alas, the great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and gilded with gold, and precious stone, and pearls;


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because in one hour so great riches are made desolate. And every pilot, and every one that sails to any place, and seamen, and as many as do business at sea, stood afar off,


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And they cast dust upon their heads, and cried out, weeping and mourning, saying: Alas, alas, the great city, whereby all that have the ships in the sea became rich by reason of her costliness; because in one hour she is made desolate.


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Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye saints, ye apostles, and ye prophets; because God judged your cause upon her.


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And a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying: Thus with violence shall Babylon the great city be cast down, and shall be found no more.


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And the voice of harpers, and of musicians, and of pipers, and of trumpeters, shall be heard in thee no more; and no craftsman, of whatever craft, shall be found any more in thee, and the sound of a millstone shall be heard in thee no more;


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and the light of a lamp shall shine in thee no more; and the voice of bridegroom and of bride shall be heard in thee no more; because thy merchants were the great men of the earth; because by thy sorcery all the nations were led astray.


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And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints and of all that have been slain upon the earth.


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AFTER these things, I heard as it were a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, of those saying: Alleluia; the salvation, and the glory, and the power, are our God's;


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because true and righteous are his judgments; because he judged the great harlot, who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.


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And the twenty-four elders, and the four animals, fell down and worshiped God, who sits on the throne, saying: Amen; Alleluia.


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And a voice came out from the throne, saying: Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye who fear him, the small and the great.


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And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the sound of many waters, and as the sound of mighty thunders, saying: Alleluia; because the Lord God the Almighty reigns.


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Let us rejoice and exult, and we will give to him the glory; because the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife made herself ready.


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And it was given her that she should be clothed in fine linen, pure and shining; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.


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And he says to me: Write, Happy are they who are called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb. And he says to me: These are the true sayings of God.


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And I fell before his feet to worship him. And he said to me: See thou do it not. I am a fellow-servant of thee and of thy brethren who have the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.


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And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he who sat upon him, called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he judges, and makes war.


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His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, which no one knows but he himself.


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And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white, pure.


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And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he may smite the nations; and he will rule them with a rod of iron; and he treads the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of God the Almighty.


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And I saw an angel standing in the sun. And he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven: Come, and gather yourselves together to the great supper of God;


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that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains of thousands, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all, both free and bond, both small and great.


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And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war with him who sat on the horse, and with his army.


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And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his presence, with which he led astray those who received the mark of the beast, and who warship his image. The two were cast alive into the lake of fire, that burns with brimstone.


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And the rest were slain with the sword of him who sat upon the horse, which went forth out of his mouth; and all the birds were filled with their flesh.


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AND I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss, and a great chain in his hand.


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And he laid hold of the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,


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and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and set a seal over him, that he mislead the nations no more, until the thousand years are finished; after these he must be loosed a little time.


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And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them; and the souls of those beheaded on account of the testimony of Jesus, and on account of the word of God, and whoever did not worship the beast, neither his image, and did not receive the mark upon the forehead, or upon their hand; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.


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The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.


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Happy and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection; on these the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.


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and will go out to mislead the nations that 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.


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And they went up upon the breadth of the earth, and encompassed the camp of the saints, and the beloved city; and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.


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And the Devil who misleads them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are also the beast and the false prophet; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.


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And I saw a great white throne, and him who sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.


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And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. And books were opened; and another book was opened, which is <n>[the book]</n> of life; and the dead were judged out of the things written in the books, according to their works.


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And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and the underworld gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged each one according to their works.


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And death and the underworld were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.


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AND I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and the sea is no more.


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And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.


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And I heard a loud voice out of the throne, saying: Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and GOD-WITH-THEM himself will he their God.


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And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, nor shall mourning, nor crying, nor pain be any more; because the former things are passed away.


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And he who sat upon the throne said: Behold, I make all things new. And he says: Write; because these words are faithful and true.


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And he said to me: It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to him that thirsts, of the fountain of the water of life freely.


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He that overcomes shall inherit these things; and I will be to him a God, and he shall be to me a son.


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But the fearful, and unbelieving, and defiled with abominations, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all the liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.


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And there came one from among the seven angels, who have the seven cups full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying: Come hither; I will show thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb.


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And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,


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having the glory of God; her luminary like to a most precious stone, as it were to a jasper stone, clear as crystal;


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having a wall great and high; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel;


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on the east three gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.


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And the wall of the city had twelve foundation-stones, and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.


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And he who talked with me had a golden reed for a measure, that he might measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.


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And the city lies foursquare, and its length is as great as the breadth. And he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equal.


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And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty-four cubits, the measure of a man, which is that of an angel.


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The foundation-stones of the wall of the city were adorned with every precious stone. The first foundation-stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald;


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the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprasus; the eleventh, hyacinth; the twelfth, amethyst.


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And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each several gate was of one pearl; and the street of the city was pure gold, as transparent glass.


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And the city has no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine on it; for the glory of God lightened it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.


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And there shall not enter into it any thing unclean, or that works abomination or falsehood; but they who are written in the Lamb's book of life.


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AND he showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.


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In the midst of its street, and on either side of the river, was a tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.


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And there will be no more curse. And the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it; and his servants will serve him,


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And there will be no night there; and they will have no need of a lamp, nor of the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give them light; and they will reign forever and ever.


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And he said to me: These sayings are faithful and true; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show to his servants what things must shortly come to pass.


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And I, John, am he who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel, who showed me these things.


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And he says to me: See thou do it not. I am a fellow-servant of thee and of thy brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the sayings of this book; worship God.


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He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still.


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<J>Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give to each one according as his work is.</J>


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<J>Happy are they who wash their robes, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.</J>


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<J>without are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one that loves and makes a lie.</J>


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<J>I, Jesus, sent my angel, to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright, the morning star.</J>


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And the Spirit and the bride say: Come. And let him that hears say: Come. And let him that thirsts, come; let him that will, take the water of life freely.


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I testify to every one that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if any one shall add to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book;


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and if any one shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written of in this book.


