# verses

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Moses was thinking his brothers would understand that God was using him to save them, but they did not understand.


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The next day Moses saw two of the sons of Israel fighting. He tried to make peace between them. He said, ‘Men, you are brothers! Why are you doing wrong to one another?’


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The man who was doing wrong to the other man pushed Moses away. He said to Moses, ‘Who made you our ruler and judge?


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When Moses heard him say this, he ran away from Egypt. He went to live in the land of Midian where he was a stranger. While he lived there, he had two sons.


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"After 40 years Moses was in the desert on Mount Sinai. An angel appeared to him in the flame of a burning bush.


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When Moses saw this, he was amazed. He went nearer to look at it more closely. He heard a Voice; it was the Lord’s.


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The Lord God said, ‘I am the same God of your ancestors — the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob.’ Moses began to shake with fear. He was afraid to look at the bush.


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The Lord said to him, ‘Take off your shoes, because the place where you are now standing is holy ground.


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I have seen My people suffer much in Egypt. I have heard My people moaning. I have come down to rescue them. And now, Moses, I am sending you back to Egypt.’


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"This Moses was the same man the people of Israel had rejected. They had asked him, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?’ Moses is the same man whom God sent to be a ruler and deliverer. God sent Moses with the help of an angel. This was the angel that Moses saw in the burning bush.


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"So Moses led the people out. He did powerful things and miracles in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the desert for 40 years.


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This is the same Moses who said these words to the sons of Israel: ‘God will raise up for you a prophet who is like me. He will come from among your own brothers.’


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This is the same Moses who was with the called out people in the desert at Mount Sinai. He was with the angel that spoke to him and with our ancestors. There at Mount Sinai Moses received commands from God which still live. Moses gave us these commands.


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"But our ancestors did not want to obey Moses. They rejected him. In their hearts, they wanted to go back to Egypt.


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Our ancestors said to Aaron, ‘Make us some gods to lead us! Moses brought us out of Egypt but we do not know what has happened to him.’


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So the people made an idol which looked like a calf. Then they brought sacrifices to it. The people were very happy with what they had made with their own hands!


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But God turned against them. He stopped trying to change their hearts. They were worshipping the sun, the moon, and the stars. This is what is written in the writings of the prophets; God says: ‘People of Israel, you killed animals and offered sacrifices in the desert for 40 years, but these sacrifices were not for Me.


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You carried with you the tent for Moloch and the image of the star of your god, Rephan — statues which you made to worship. So I will send you away beyond Babylon.’


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"God spoke to our ancestors in a special tent; it was with the people in the desert. God commanded Moses how to make this tent. He made it like the pattern which God showed him.


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Later, Joshua led our fathers to capture the lands of the other nations. Our people went in and God drove those people out. When our people went into this new land, they took this same tent with them. They had received it from their ancestors. They kept it until the time of David


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"God was very pleased with David. David asked God to allow him to build a house for Him, the God of Jacob,


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However, the Highest One does not live in houses which men build with their hands. This is what the prophet Isaiah wrote:


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‘The Lord God says, "Heaven is My throne. The earth is a place to rest My feet. What kind of house could you build for Me? There is no place where I need to rest!


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Stephen continued speaking: “You stubborn leaders! Your hearts are not circumcised! You won’t listen to God! You are always against what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell you. Your ancestors did this, and you are just like them!


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Your ancestors persecuted every prophet who ever lived. Those prophets said long ago that the one that is right would come, but your ancestors killed the prophets. And now you have turned against this one that is right and murdered him.


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You are the people who received the law of Moses, the commands which God gave through the angels — but you do not obey the law!"


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When the Jewish leaders heard Stephen say these things, they became very angry. They were so mad that they were grinding their teeth at Stephen.


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Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked up into the sky and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right side.


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Then they all shouted with a loud voice. They covered their ears with their hands. Together they all ran at Stephen.


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They took him out of the city to stone him to death. The men, who told lies against Stephen, gave their robes to a young man named Saul.


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They began to throw stones at Stephen but Stephen was praying. He said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"


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He fell on his knees and shouted this: "Lord, don’t blame them for this sin!" After Stephen said that, he died. Saul approved of the killing of Stephen.


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Some good men buried Stephen. They cried very loudly for him. On that day there was a fierce attack on the called out people in Jerusalem. Saul was also trying to destroy them. He even went into their homes. He dragged out men and women and put them in jail. All of the called out people had to leave Jerusalem; only the delegates stayed there. They all went to different places in Judea and Samaria.


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The crowds there heard Philip and they saw the miracles that he was doing. With a single purpose they all listened very carefully to the things Philip said.


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Many of these people had evil spirits. The spirits came out of them; they made a loud noise. There were also many paralyzed and crippled people. Philip healed them.


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However, there was in that city a man named Simon who did magic tricks before Philip came. He amazed all the people of Samaria with these tricks. Simon boasted and called himself a great man.


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All of the people — the least important and the most important — had listened closely to Simon. The people said, "This man is the power of God which is called ‘The Great Power’!"


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But Philip told the people the Good News about the kingdom of God and the authority of Jesus the Messiah. Men and women believed Philip and were immersed.


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Simon himself also believed and was immersed. Simon stayed near Philip. He saw the miracles and the very powerful things which Philip did. Simon was amazed.


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The delegates were still in Jerusalem. They heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message. So the delegates sent Peter and John to the people in Samaria.


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(These people had been immersed by the authority of the Lord Jesus, but the Holy Spirit had not yet come down on any of them.)


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Simon saw that the gifts of the Spirit were given to people when the delegates put their hands on them. So Simon offered the delegates some money.


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Simon said, "Give me this power so that when I put my hands on a person, he will receive the Holy Spirit."


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Peter said to Simon, "You and your money should both be destroyed! You thought you could buy God’s gift with money.


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Change your heart! Turn away from this evil thing which you have done. Pray to the Lord God. Perhaps He will forgive you for thinking this in your heart.


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Simon answered, "Both of you pray to the Lord God for me! Pray that the things you have said will not happen to me!"


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Then the two delegates told the people the things which they had seen Jesus do. The delegates preached the message of the Lord. Then they went back to Jerusalem. On the way they went through many Samaritan villages and preached the Good News to the people.


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An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip. The angel said, "Get ready and go south. Go to the road which leads down to the town of Gaza from Jerusalem — the road that is not used much now."


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So Philip got ready and went. On the road he saw a man from the country of Ethiopia. This man was an important eunuch in the service of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians. He was responsible for taking care of all her money. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship.


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Now he was on his way home. He was sitting in his chariot and reading from the book of Isaiah, the prophet.


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So Philip ran toward it, and he heard the man reading aloud. He was reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked him, "Do you understand what you are reading?"


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The man answered, "How can I understand? I have no one to explain it to me?" Then he invited Philip to climb in and sit with him.


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He was reading this part of Scripture: "He was like a sheep when it is taken away to be killed. He was like a lamb, which makes no sound when someone cuts off its wool.


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He was shamed; all his rights were taken away. His life on earth was ended. There will be no story about his descendants."


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The officer asked Philip, "Please tell me, whom is the prophet talking about? Is he talking about himself or about someone else?"


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Philip began to speak. He started with this same Scripture and told the man the Good News about Jesus.


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While they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The officer said, "Look! Here is water! What is stopping me from being immersed?"


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And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."


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Then the officer gave a command for the chariot to stop. Both Philip and the officer went down into the water, and Philip immersed him.


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When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away; the officer did not see him. The officer continued on his way home. He was very happy.


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Philip appeared in a town called Azotus. He was preaching the Good News about Jesus in all the towns along the way from Azotus to Caesarea.


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In Jerusalem, Saul was still trying to scare the students of the Lord Jesus, threatening to kill them. So he went to the high priest.


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Saul asked him to write letters to the Jews of the houses of worship in the city of Damascus. Saul wanted the authority to find people in Damascus who were students of the Way. If he found any there, men or women, he would tie them up and bring them back to Jerusalem.


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So Saul went to Damascus. When he came near the city, a bright light from the sky suddenly shined all around him.


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The men traveling with Saul stood there. They said nothing. The men heard the voice but they saw no one.


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Saul got up from the ground. He opened his eyes but he could not see anything. So the men with Saul held his hand and led him into Damascus.


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There was a student of Jesus in Damascus. His name was Ananias. The Lord Jesus spoke to Ananias in a vision, saying: "Ananias!" Ananias answered, "Here I am, Lord."


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The Lord said to Ananias, "Get up and go to Straight Street. Find the house of Judas. Ask for a man named Saul from the city of Tarsus. He is there now, praying.


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But Ananias answered, "Lord, many people have told me about this man Saul. They told me about how many terrible things he did to your saints in Jerusalem.


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Now he has come to Damascus. The ruling priests have given him the authority to arrest all people who trust in your name."


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But the Lord Jesus said to Ananias, "Go! I have chosen Saul for an important work. He will carry my name to kings, to the Jewish people, and to other nations.


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So Ananias left and went to the house of Judas. He put his hands on Saul and said, "Saul, my brother, the Lord Jesus sent me. He is the one you saw on the road when you came here. He sent me so that you may see again and so that you may be filled with the Holy Spirit."


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Immediately something which looked like fish scales fell off Saul’s eyes. Saul could see again! He got up and was immersed.


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Then he ate some food and began to feel strong again. Saul stayed with the students of Jesus in Damascus for a few days.


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Everyone who heard Saul was surprised. They were saying, "This is the same man who was in Jerusalem. He was trying to destroy the people who trust in this name! He had come here to do the same thing, to arrest the students of Jesus and take them back to Jerusalem to the ruling priests."


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But Saul became more and more powerful. He proved that Jesus is the Messiah. His proofs were so strong that the Jewish leaders who lived in Damascus did not know how to answer him.


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The Jews were watching the city gates day and night. They wanted to kill him, but Saul learned about their plan.


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One night some students, whom Saul had taught, helped him leave the city. The students put him in a basket. Then they lowered him down through a hole in the city walls.


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Then Saul went to Jerusalem. He was trying to join the group of students but they were all afraid of him; they did not believe that Saul truly was a student of Jesus.


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But Barnabas accepted him and brought him to the delegates. Barnabas told them that Saul had seen the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus. He explained to the delegates how the Lord had spoken to Saul. Then he told them how, in Damascus, Saul had preached to the people in the name of the Lord without fear.


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And so Saul stayed with the students. He went everywhere in Jerusalem preaching with the authority of the Lord Jesus without being afraid.


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Saul often talked with the Jewish people who spoke Greek. He had arguments with them so they were trying to kill him.


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When the brothers learned about this, they took Saul to the city of Caesarea. From Caesarea they sent Saul to the city of Tarsus.


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Everywhere in Judea, the Galilee, and Samaria, God’s called out people had a time of peace. With the help of the Holy Spirit, the community became stronger and stronger. They showed that they had awesome respect for the Lord by the way they lived. Because of this, the called out people grew larger and larger.


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Peter was traveling through all of the towns around Jerusalem. He visited the saints who lived in the town of Lydda.


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In Lydda he met a paralyzed man named Aeneas. Aeneas had not been able to leave his bed for the past eight years.


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Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed! You can do this for yourself now!" Aeneas got up immediately.


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All of the people living in Lydda and on the Plain of Sharon saw him. These people turned to the Lord Jesus.


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In the town of Joppa there was a student of Jesus named Tabitha (in Aramaic). (Her Greek name, Dorcas, means "a deer".) She always did good things for people. She always gave to people in need.


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While Peter was in Lydda, Tabitha became sick and died. They washed her body and put it in an upstairs room.


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The students in Joppa heard that Peter was in Lydda. (Lydda is near Joppa.) So they sent two men to Peter. They begged him, "Hurry, please come quickly!"


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Peter got ready and went with them. When he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. All of the widows stood around Peter. They were crying. They showed him the shirts and robes which Dorcas had made while she was still alive.


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Peter sent everyone out of the room. He kneeled down and prayed. Then he turned to Tabitha’s body and said, "Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up.


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He gave her his hand and helped her stand up. Then he called the saints and the widows into the room. He showed them Tabitha; she was alive!


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In the city of Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius. He was an officer in the "Italian" regiment of the Roman army.


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Cornelius was a good man. He and everyone who lived in his home had awesome respect for the true God. He gave much of his money to the poor people. Cornelius always prayed to God.


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One afternoon about three o’clock, Cornelius clearly saw a vision. In the vision an angel of God came to him and said, "Cornelius!"


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Cornelius stared at the angel. He became afraid and asked, "What do you want, sir?" The angel said to Cornelius, "God has heard your prayers. He has seen your gifts to the poor people. God has not forgotten the things you have done.


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Simon is staying with another man named Simon, who is a leather-worker. He has a house beside the sea."


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The angel who spoke to Cornelius left. Then Cornelius called two of his household slaves and a soldier. This soldier was a good man. They always stayed close to Cornelius.


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The next day these men came near Joppa. At that time Peter was going up to the roof to pray. It was about noon.


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Peter was hungry and wanted to eat. But while they were preparing the food for Peter to eat, a vision came to him.


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He saw something coming down through the open sky. It looked like a big sheet coming down to the ground. It was being lowered to the ground by its four corners.


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Every kind of animal was in it — animals which walk on four feet, animals which crawl on the ground, and birds which fly in the air.


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But the voice said to him the second time, "God has made these things pure. Do not call them ‘unholy’!"


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Peter was wondering what this vision meant. Then the men whom Cornelius had sent found Simon’s house. They were standing at the gate.


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While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Listen, three men are looking for you.


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So Peter went downstairs to the men. He said, "I am the man you are looking for. Why did you come here?"


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The men answered, "A holy angel told Cornelius to invite you to his house. Cornelius is a Roman army officer. He is a good man; he has awesome respect for the true God. All of the Jewish people respect him. The angel told Cornelius to invite you to his house so that he may listen to the words you have to say."


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Peter asked the men to come in and stay for the night. The next day Peter got ready and went away with the three men. Some of the Jewish brothers from Joppa went with Peter.


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The next day they came into the city of Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them. He had already called in his relatives and close friends.


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When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him. Cornelius fell down at Peter’s feet and worshipped him.


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Peter continued talking with Cornelius. Then Peter went inside and saw a large group of people there.


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Peter said to them, "You people understand that it is forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit any non-Jewish person. But God has shown me that I should not call any person ‘unholy’ or ‘unclean’.


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That is why I did not argue when the men invited me to come here. Now please tell me why you sent for me."


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Cornelius said, "Four days ago I was fasting. It was at this same time, three o’clock in the afternoon, when I was praying. Suddenly there was a man standing before me. He was dressed in shining clothes.


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The man said, ‘Cornelius! God has heard your prayer. He has seen your gifts to the poor people. God has not forgotten the things you have done.


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So send someone to the city of Joppa. Ask Simon Peter to come. Peter is staying in the house of another man named Simon, who is a leather-worker. His house is beside the sea.’


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So I sent for you immediately. It was very good of you to come here. Now we are all here in the presence of God. We want to hear everything that the Lord has commanded you to tell us."


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God accepts any person who worships Him and does what is right. It does not matter what race a person comes from.


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God has spoken to the sons of Israel. He sent them the message, that peace has come through Jesus the Messiah, who is the Lord of all men!


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You know what occurred all over Judea. It began in the Galilee after John preached to the people about immersion.


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You know about Jesus from Nazareth. God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and power. Jesus went everywhere doing good things for people. He healed everyone who was ruled by the devil. God was with Jesus.


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We saw all of the things that he did in Judea and in Jerusalem. But Jesus was killed; they put him on a cross made of wood.


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"However, on the third day after his death, God raised Jesus to life! God allowed a few people to see him clearly.


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Jesus was not seen by all of the people; only the witnesses whom God had already chosen — they saw him. We are those witnesses! We ate and drank with Jesus after he was raised from death.


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Jesus commanded us to preach to the people. He told us to tell them that he is the one whom God chose to be the judge of all people, living or dead.


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Every person who commits himself to Jesus will be forgiven through the authority of Jesus. All of the prophets say that this is true…"


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While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came upon all those people who were listening to his speech.


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The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed. They were shocked because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on people who were not Jewish.


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These Jewish believers heard them speaking different inspired languages and praising God. Then Peter said,


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"Can we refuse to allow these people to be immersed in water? They have received the Holy Spirit the same as we did!"


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So Peter commanded that Cornelius and his relatives and friends be immersed by the authority of Jesus the Messiah. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.


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The delegates and the brothers in Judea heard that non-Jewish people had also accepted God’s message.


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He said, “I was in the town of Joppa. While I was praying, a vision came to me. In the vision I saw something coming down from the sky. It looked like a big sheet. It was being lowered to the ground by its four corners. It came down and stopped very near to me.


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After staring, I looked inside it and I saw animals, both tame and wild. I saw animals which crawl and birds which fly in the air.


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But the voice from the sky answered a second time, ‘God has made these things pure. Do not call them unholy!’


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"Suddenly three men came to the house where I was staying. These three men were sent to me from the city of Caesarea.


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The Spirit told me to go along with them without doubts. These six brothers here also went with me. We went into the house of Cornelius.


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Cornelius told us about the angel that he had seen standing in his house. The angel said to him, ‘Send someone to Joppa. Invite Simon Peter to come.


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"After I began my speech, the Holy Spirit came upon them, the same as He did upon us in the beginning.


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Then I remembered the words of the Lord Jesus when he used to say: ‘John immersed people in water, but you will be immersed in the Holy Spirit!’


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God gave the same gift to these people that He gave to us who believed in the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. So could I stop God?"


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When the group heard these things, they stopped arguing. They gave glory to God and said, "Then God is allowing non-Jewish people to change their hearts and have life too!"


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The believers were scattered by the persecution which occurred after Stephen was killed. Some of the believers went to places far away, like Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch in Syria. They told the message in these places, but they told it only to Jews.


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However, some of these believers came to the city of Antioch. They were men from Cyprus and Cyrene. These men were also talking to non-Jews, telling them the Good News, that Jesus is Lord.


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The called out people which were in Jerusalem heard about them in Antioch in Syria. So they sent Barnabas to Antioch.


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Barnabas was a good man. He was full of the Holy Spirit and full of faith. When Barnabas went to Antioch, he saw how much God had blessed them with help in time of need. This made him very happy. He began to encourage all the believers in Antioch. He told them, "Never lose your faith. Always obey the Lord with all your hearts." A large number of people became students of the Lord Jesus.


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When he found Saul, Barnabas brought him to Antioch. Saul and Barnabas taught a large crowd. For a whole year they met with the called out people. In Antioch, the students were called "Christ-like people" for the first time.


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Agabus stood up and spoke. With the help of the Holy Spirit, he said, "A very bad time is coming to the whole world. There will be very little food for people to eat." (This famine occurred during the time when Claudius was Caesar.)


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The students of Jesus decided that they would all try to help their brothers and sisters who lived in Judea. Each of them planned to send as much as they could.


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They gathered the money and gave it to Barnabas and Saul. Then Barnabas and Saul brought it to the elders.


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During that same time, King Herod Agrippa I began to persecute some members of the called out people.


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Herod saw that the Jewish leaders liked this. So he decided to arrest Peter too. (This happened during the time of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.)


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Herod had Peter arrested and put in jail. He turned Peter over to a group of 16 soldiers to guard him. Herod wanted to wait until after the Passover Festival. Then he planned to bring Peter before the people.


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Peter was sleeping between two of the soldiers. He was bound with two chains. More soldiers were guarding the jail entrance. It was at night and Herod planned to bring Peter out to the people the next day.


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Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood there. A light shined in the cell. The angel touched Peter on the side and woke him up. The angel said, "Hurry, get up!" Then the chains fell off of Peter’s hands.


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The angel said to Peter, "Get dressed and put your shoes on." So Peter did this. Then the angel said, "Put on your robe and follow me."


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Then the angel went out and Peter followed. Peter did not know if the angel was really doing this. He kept thinking that he might be seeing a vision.


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Peter and the angel went past the first guard and the second guard. Then they came to the iron gate which separated them from the city. The gate opened for them by itself. Peter and the angel went through it and walked about a block. Then the angel suddenly left.


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Then Peter realized what had happened. He thought, "Now I know that the Lord really did send his angel to me. He rescued me from Herod and everything which the Jewish people were expecting."


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When Peter realized this, he went to Mary’s house. She was the mother of John. (John was also called Mark.) Many people were gathered there; they were all praying.


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Rhoda recognized Peter’s voice. She was so happy she even forgot to open the door. Instead, she ran inside and told the group, "Peter is at the door!"


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They said to Rhoda, "You are crazy!" But she kept insisting that it was true. So they said, "It must be Peter’s angel."


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Peter made a sign with his hand to tell them to be quiet. He explained to them how the Lord led him out of jail. He said, "Tell Jacob and the other brothers what happened." Then Peter left to go to another place.


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Herod looked everywhere for Peter but could not find him. Herod asked the guards many questions and tortured them. Then he gave the order that the guards be killed. Later, Herod left Judea. He went down to the city of Caesarea and stayed there for a while.


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Herod was very angry with the people from the cities of Tyre and Sidon. However, they were able to get Blastus on their side. (Blastus was the king’s personal servant.) They came to Herod with one purpose in mind: they wanted peace, because their country needed food from Herod’s country.


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Herod decided on a day to meet with them. On that day Herod was wearing a beautiful royal robe. He sat on his throne and made a speech to the people.


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But Herod did not give the glory to God. So an angel of the Lord caused him to become sick. He was soon eaten by worms inside of him and he died.


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After Barnabas and Saul finished their work in Jerusalem, they returned to Antioch. John Mark went along with them.


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In the called out people at Antioch in Syria, there were some prophets and teachers. They were: Barnabas, Simeon (also called Black), Lucius (from the city of Cyrene), Manaen (who had grown up with Herod Antipas, the ruler), and Saul.


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They were all serving the Lord and fasting. The Holy Spirit said to them, "Appoint Barnabas and Saul for My service; I have chosen them to do a special work."


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Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit. They went to the city of Seleucia. Then they sailed from Seleucia to the island of Cyprus.


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When Barnabas and Saul came to the city of Salamis, they were preaching God’s message in the Jewish houses of worship. (John Mark went along to help them.)


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They went across the whole island to the town of Paphos. In Paphos, they met a Jewish man who did tricks of magic. His name was Barjesus. He said he was a prophet, but he was not.


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Barjesus always stayed closed to Sergius Paulus, the governor. Sergius Paulus was a wise man. He asked Barnabas and Saul to come to him; he wanted to hear God’s message.


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But Elymas, the magician, (the name for Barjesus in the Greek language) opposed Saul and Barnabas. Elymas tried to turn the governor away from the faith.


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However, Saul was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Saul’s other name was Paul.) Paul looked straight at Elymas


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and said, "You son of the devil! You are an enemy of everything which is right! You are full of evil tricks and lies. You always try to turn the Lord’s truths into lies!


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Now the Lord will touch you and you will be blind. For a time you won’t be able to see the light which comes from the sun." Then everything quickly became dark for Elymas. He walked around lost, trying to find someone to lead him by the hand.


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Paul and those who were with him sailed away from Paphos. They came to Perga, a town in Pamphylia. But John Mark left them; he went back home to Jerusalem.


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They continued their trip from Perga and went to Antioch, a city in Pisidia. In Antioch, on the Sabbath day, they went into the Jewish house of worship and sat down.


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The law of Moses and the writings of the prophets were read. Then the leaders of the house of worship sent a message to Paul and Barnabas: "Brothers, if you have something to say which will help the people here, please speak."


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Paul stood up. He raised his hand and said, “Men of Israel, and you other people who have awesome respect for the true God, please listen to me!


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The God of our people, Israel, chose our ancestors. God made His people great during the time that they lived in Egypt as strangers. God brought them out of that country with great power.


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"All of this happened in about 450 years. After this, God gave judges to our people until the time of Samuel, the prophet.


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Then the people asked for a king. God gave them Saul, the son of Kish. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin. He was king for 40 years.


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After God removed Saul, He made David their king. God vouched for David: ‘David, the son of Jesse, is the man I like. He will do all the things I want him to do.’


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God has brought one of David’s descendants to Israel to be their Savior; he is Jesus. God had promised to do this.


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"Before Jesus came, John preached to all the people of Israel. John told the people to change their hearts and to be immersed.


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As John was finishing his work, he always used to say, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the Messiah. He is coming later. I’m not worthy to untie his shoes!’


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"My brothers, sons in the family of Abraham, and you non-Jews who also have awesome respect for the true God, listen! The news about this safety from danger has been sent to us.


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The Jews living in Jerusalem and the Jewish leaders did not realize it. The words that the prophets wrote about the Messiah were read to the Jews every Sabbath day, but they did not understand. The Jewish leaders condemned the Messiah. When they did this, they made the words of the prophets come true!


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These Jews did all the things that the Scriptures said about him. Then they took him down from the cross of wood and put him in a tomb.


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"After this, for many days, Jesus was seen by the people who had gone with him from the Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people.


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We are telling you the Good News: God made a promise to our fathers. We are their descendants and God has made this promise come true for us. God did this by raising Jesus from death. We also read about this in Psalm 2: ‘You are My Son. Today I have become your Father.’


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"God raised Jesus from death. Jesus will never go back to the grave and decay. So God said: ‘I will give you the sure and holy promises which I made to David.’


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But David did God’s will during his own generation. Then he died. David was buried with his fathers and his body did decay!


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"Brothers, you must understand what we are telling you: you can have forgiveness of your sins through this man. The law of Moses could not make you right with God, but everyone who believes is made right.


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‘Look, you people who doubt! Wonder and die! During your time, I will do something which you will not believe. You would not believe it even if someone were to explain it to you!’"


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While Paul and Barnabas were leaving the house of worship, the people were begging them to come back on the next Sabbath day and tell them more about these things.


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After the meeting, many converts to the Jewish faith (who worshipped the true God) and many of the Jews followed Paul and Barnabas. Paul and Barnabas were persuading them to continue living in the help in time of need of God.


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On the next Sabbath day almost all the people in the city came together to hear the message of the Lord.


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The Jewish leaders saw the crowds there. So they became very jealous. They said some terrible things and argued against the words which Paul said.


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But Paul and Barnabas were very bold. They said, "It was necessary that we speak God’s message to you Jews first, but you will not listen. You are deciding that you are unworthy of having eternal life! Therefore we will now go to the people of other nations!


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This is what the Lord God commanded us to do: ‘I have made you a light for other nations so that you may show the way of safety from danger to people all over the world.’"


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When the non-Jewish people heard Paul say this, they were happy. They gave honor to the Lord’s message, and many of the people believed the message. These were the people appointed to have eternal life.


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But the Jewish leaders stirred up some of the important religious women and the leaders of the city to oppose Paul and Barnabas. They were angry. These people persecuted them and threw them out of town.


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When Paul and Barnabas went to the town of Iconium, they entered the Jewish house of worship. (This is what they did in every town.) They spoke to the people there in such a way that many Jews and non-Jews believed what they said.


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However, some of the Jews did not believe. These Jews stirred up the non-Jewish people and made them persecute the brothers.


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The Lord helped Paul and Barnabas to be bold, and they stayed in Iconium a long time. Paul and Barnabas preached boldly for the Lord. The Lord was proving what they said was true; He helped them do miracles and wonders.


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But some of the people in the town agreed with the Jews; other people in the town believed Paul and Barnabas — so the town was divided.


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Some non-Jewish people, some Jews and their Jewish leaders tried to hurt Paul and Barnabas. These people wanted to stone them to death.


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When Paul and Barnabas learned about this, they left that town. They went to Lystra and Derbe, towns in Lycaonia, and to the surrounding area.


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In Lystra there was a man whose feet were paralyzed. He had been born crippled; he had never walked. This man was sitting there


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and listening to Paul speak. Paul looked straight at him. Paul saw that the man believed that God could heal him.


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When the crowd saw what Paul did, they shouted in their own Lycaonian language. They said, "The gods have become like men! They have come down to us!"


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The people began to call Barnabas "Zeus". They called Paul "Hermes" because he was the main speaker.


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The temple of Zeus was near the town. The priest of this temple brought some bulls and flowers to the town gates. The priest and the crowds wanted to give an offering to worship Paul and Barnabas.


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But when the delegates, Barnabas and Paul, understood what the people were doing, they ripped their own clothes. Then they ran in among the crowd and shouted to them,


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"Men, why are you doing these thing? We are not gods! We have the same feelings you have! We came to tell you the Good News. We are telling you to turn away from these worthless things. Turn to the true living God. He is the One who made the land, the sea, the sky, and everything which is in them.


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But God did things to prove that He is real: He does good things for you. He gives you rain from the sky and good harvests at the right times. He gives you plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."


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Paul and Barnabas told the crowds these things. The people still wanted to offer sacrifices to worship them, but Paul and Barnabas stopped them.


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Then some Jews came from Antioch in Pisidia and Iconium. They persuaded the people to oppose Paul. And so the people stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town. The people thought that they had killed him.


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The students of Jesus gathered around Paul and he got up and went back into town. The next day he and Barnabas left and went to the town of Derbe.


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Paul and Barnabas told the Good News in the town of Derbe too. Many people became students of Jesus. Paul and Barnabas went back to the towns of Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch in Pisidia.


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In those cities they made the students of Jesus stronger. They helped them to stay in the faith. They said, "We must suffer many things on our way into God’s kingdom."


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They appointed elders in every called out group. They fasted and prayed for these men. These men had put their trust in the Lord Jesus. So Paul and Barnabas put them in the Lord’s care.


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And from there Paul and Barnabas sailed away to Antioch in Syria. This is the city where they had begun this work. They had sent them out with God’s help in time of need. Now their trip was over.


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When Paul and Barnabas arrived, they gathered the called out people together. Paul and Barnabas told them all about the things which God had done with them. They said, "God opened the door of faith so that non-Jewish people could believe too!"


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Then some men came down to Antioch in Syria from Judea. They began teaching non-Jewish brothers: "You cannot be saved if you are not circumcised. Moses told us to do it."


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Paul and Barnabas were very opposed to this teaching. They argued with these men about it. So the group decided to send Paul, Barnabas, and some other men to Jerusalem. These men were going there to talk more about this issue with the delegates and elders.


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The called out people helped the men with what they needed for the trip. These men went through the provinces of Phoenicia and Samaria. In these countries they told all about how non-Jewish people had turned to the true God. This made all the brothers very happy.


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Paul, Barnabas, and the others arrived in Jerusalem. The delegates, the elders, and the entire called out people welcomed them. Paul, Barnabas, and the others told about all the things which God had done with them.


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Some of the believers in Jerusalem had belonged to the Pharisee sect. They stood up and claimed, "The non-Jewish believers must be circumcised. We must command them to obey the law of Moses!"


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There was a long debate. Then Peter stood up and said to them, “My brothers, I know you remember what happened in the early days. At that time God chose me from among you to preach the Good News to non-Jewish people and they believed it.


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God knows the hearts of all men and He accepted these non-Jewish people. He showed this to us by giving them the Holy Spirit too.


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God did the same thing for them that He did for us. When they made a commitment, God made their hearts pure.


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"So now why are you testing God? You are putting a heavy load around the necks of the non-Jewish students. Neither we nor our ancestors were strong enough to carry it!


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No, we believe that both we and these people will be saved by the help in time of need of the Lord Jesus!"


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Then the whole group became quiet. They were listening to Paul and Barnabas tell all the miracles and wonders that God did through them among non-Jewish people.


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Simon Peter has told us how God showed His concern for non-Jewish people. For the first time, God accepted non-Jewish people and made them His own people.


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‘I will return later. I will build David’s house again. It has fallen down but I will build it up again. I will restore it."


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Then all men can look for the Lord God. All the other nations will search for Him. They can be My people too. The Lord God said this.’ And He is the One who does all these things.


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Instead, we should write them a letter to tell them these things: ‘Do not eat food which has been given to idols. Do not commit any kind of unlawful sexual intercourse. Do not eat animals which have been strangled. Do not taste blood.’


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There are those in every town who teach the law of Moses. The words of Moses have been read in the house of worship every Sabbath day for generations long past."


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The delegates, the elders, and the whole group of called out people wanted to send some men with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch in Syria. The called out community decided to choose some of their own men. They chose Judas, Barsabbas, and Silas. These men were respected by the brothers in Jerusalem.


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The called out people sent the letter with these men. The letter said: “From the delegates and elders, your brothers. To all non-Jewish brothers in the city of Antioch and in the countries of Syria and Cilicia: “Dear Brothers,


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We have heard that some men have come to you from our community. The things they said have troubled and upset you, but we did not tell them to do this!


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We have all agreed to choose some men and send them to you. They are with Barnabas and Paul, to whom we give ourselves, for their good, expecting nothing in return.


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"The Holy Spirit thinks you should have no more burdens. We agree. You only need to do these things:


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Do not eat any food which has been given to idols. Do not taste blood. Do not eat any animals which have been strangled. Do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. If you stay away from these things, you will do well. Now we say goodbye."


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So Paul, Barnabas, Judas, and Silas left Jerusalem. They went down to Antioch in Syria. They gathered the called out people and gave them the letter.


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Judas and Silas were prophets too. They said many things to help the brothers and make them stronger.


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After Judas and Silas stayed there for a while, they left with a blessing of peace from the brothers. Judas went back to the brothers in Jerusalem who had sent them.


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But Paul and Barnabas were staying on in Antioch. They and many others were preaching and teaching the people the word of the Lord.


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A few days later, Paul said to Barnabas, "We spoke the Lord’s message in many towns. We should go back to all of those towns to visit the brothers and see how they are doing."


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But John Mark had left them at Pamphylia; he did not continue with them in the work. So Paul did not think it was such a good idea to take him along.


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Paul and Barnabas had a sharp disagreement about this. They separated and went different ways. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed to the island of Cyprus.


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Paul chose Silas to go with him. The brothers in Antioch put Paul into the Lord’s help in time of need and sent him out.


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Paul and Silas went through the countries of Syria and Cilicia, helping the called out people grow stronger.


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Paul went to the towns of Derbe and Lystra. A student of Jesus named Timothy was there. Timothy’s mother was a Jewish believer. His father was not a Jew.


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Paul wanted Timothy to travel with him, but all of the Jewish people living in that area knew that Timothy’s father was not Jewish. Therefore, Paul took Timothy and circumcised him to please the Jews.


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Then Paul and Timothy were traveling through other towns. They gave the believers the rules and decisions from the delegates and elders in Jerusalem. Paul and Timothy told the believers to obey these rules.


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Paul and Timothy went through the countries of Phrygia and Galatia. The Holy Spirit did not allow them to preach the Good News in the country of Asia.


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They went near the land of Mysia. They wanted to go into the country of Bithynia but the Spirit of Jesus did not let them go in.


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That night Paul saw a vision. In this vision a man from the country of Macedonia appeared to Paul. The man stood there begging him, "Come across to Macedonia. Help us!"


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After Paul had seen the vision, immediately we prepared to leave for Macedonia. We understood that God had called us to tell the Good News to those people.


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We left Troas by ship and sailed to the island of Samothrace. The next day we sailed to the town of Neapolis.


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Then we went to Philippi. Philippi is an important city in that part of Macedonia. It is a city for Romans. We stayed there for a few days.


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On the Sabbath day we went through the city gate to the river. At the river we thought we might find a special place for prayer. Some women had gathered there. So we sat down and talked with them.


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There was a woman named Lydia from the city of Thyatira. Her job was selling purple cloth. She worshipped the true God. Lydia listened to Paul. The Lord opened her heart and she believed the things which Paul said.


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She and all of the people living in her house were immersed. Then Lydia invited us into her home. She said, "If you think I am truly faithful to the Lord Jesus, then come stay in my house." She persuaded us.


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Once we were going to the place for prayer. A slave-girl met us. She had an evil spirit in her. This spirit gave her the power to tell what would happen in the future. By doing this she earned a lot of money for the men who owned her.


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This girl followed Paul and us everywhere. She said loudly, "These men are slaves of the Highest God! They are telling you how you can be saved!"


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She continued doing this for many days. This bothered Paul, so he turned and said to the spirit, "By the authority of Jesus Christ, I order you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit came out.


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The men who owned the slave-girl saw this. These men knew that they could no longer use her to make money. So they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them into the meeting place of the city. The city officials were there.


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The men brought Paul and Silas to the leaders and said, "These men are Jews who are making trouble in our city.


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They are telling the people to do things which are not right for us. We are Roman citizens and cannot do these things."


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The crowd was against Paul and Silas. Then the leaders tore off the clothes of Paul and Silas and ordered some men to beat them with rods.


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The men beat them many times. Then the leaders threw Paul and Silas in jail. The leaders commanded the jailer, "Guard them very carefully!"


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The jailer heard this special order. So he put Paul and Silas into the inner prison far inside the jail. He locked their feet in wooden stocks.


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About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God. The other prisoners were listening to them.


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Suddenly there was a great earthquake. It was so strong that it shook the foundations of the jail. Then all the doors of the jail quickly opened. All prisoners were freed from their chains.


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The jailer woke up. He saw that the jail doors were open. He thought that the prisoners had escaped. So the jailer took his sword and was ready to kill himself.


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The jailer told someone to bring a light. Then he ran inside. He was shaking. He fell down in front of Paul and Silas.


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They said to him, "Commit yourself to the Lord Jesus and you will be saved — you and all the people living in your house."


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So Paul and Silas told the story of the Lord Jesus to the jailer and to all the people in his house.


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It was late at night, but the jailer took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. The jailer and all of his people were immersed right away.


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After this, the jailer took Paul and Silas and gave them some food. All of the people were very happy because they now trusted in God.


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The jailer said to Paul, "The leaders have sent these soldiers to set you free. You may leave now. Go in peace."


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But Paul said to the soldiers, "Your leaders did not prove that we did anything wrong, yet they beat us in public and put us in jail. We are Roman citizens. Now the leaders want to make us go away quietly. No! The leaders must come and bring us out!"


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The soldiers told the leaders what Paul had said. When the leaders heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were afraid.


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So the leaders came and told Paul and Silas how sorry they were. The leaders led them out of jail and kept asking them to leave the city.


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But when they came out of the jail, they went to Lydia’s house. They saw some of the brothers there and encouraged them. Then Paul and Silas left.


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Paul and Silas traveled through the towns of Amphipolis and Apollonia. Then they came to the city of Thessalonica. In that city there was a Jewish house of worship.


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According to Paul’s custom, he went to them in this house of worship, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures.


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Paul explained and clearly showed that the Messiah must die and then rise from death. Paul said, "This Jesus, whom I announce to you, is the Messiah!"


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Some of the Jews believed Paul and Silas and joined them. There were many Greeks among them.. They worshipped the true God. There were also many important women. They joined Paul and Silas too.


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But the Jews who did not believe became jealous. They hired some evil men from the city to gather many people and make trouble in the city. The people went to Jason’s house looking for Paul and Silas. The men wanted to bring them out to the people.


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But the group didn’t find them. So the people dragged Jason and some of the other brothers to the leaders of the city. The people all cried out, "These men have made trouble everywhere in the world. And now they have come here too!


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Jason is keeping them in his house. All of them do things against the laws of Caesar. They say that there is another king named Jesus."


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That same night the brothers sent Paul and Silas to another town named Berea. In Berea Paul and Silas went to the Jewish house of worship.


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These Jews were better people than the ones in Thessalonica. These Jews were very happy to listen to the things which Paul and Silas said. They wanted to know whether these things were true or not. They studied the Scriptures every day.


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But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was telling God’s message in Berea, they came to Berea too. The Jews from Thessalonica made the people in Berea upset and they caused trouble.


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The brothers who went with Paul took him to the city of Athens. These brothers carried a message from Paul back to Silas and Timothy. It said, "Come to me as soon as you can!"


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Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens. Paul felt deeply troubled because he saw that the city was full of idols.


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In the house of worship Paul debated with the Jews and the Greeks who worshipped the true God. Every day he also debated with some people in the business district of the city, with people who just happened to be there.


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Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers argued with him. Some of them said, "This man doesn’t really know what he is talking about. What is he trying to say?" Paul was telling them the Good News about Jesus rising from death. So they said, "He seems to be telling us about some other gods."


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They got Paul and took him to a meeting of the Areopagus Council. They said, "Please explain to us this new idea which you have been teaching.


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The things that you are saying are so new to us. We have never heard these things before. We want to know what this teaching means."


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(All the people of Athens and the people from other countries who lived there always used their time to talk about any new idea.)"


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Then Paul stood before the meeting of the Areopagus Council. Paul said, “Men of Athens, I can see that you are very religious in all things.


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I was going through your city and I saw the things you worship. I found an altar which had these words written on it: TO THE GOD WHO IS NOT KNOWN. You worship a God you do not know. This is the God I am telling you about!"


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"He is the God who made the whole world and everything in it. He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. He does not live in temples which men build!


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This God is the One who gives men life, breath, and everything else. He is not served by human hands; God has everything He needs.


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"God started with one man. He made all the different people in the world to live everywhere. God decided exactly when and where they must live.


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He wanted the people to look for Him. Perhaps they could search all around for Him and find Him — He is not far from any of us:


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Therefore we are God’s children. So you must not think that God is something like what man imagines or makes out of silver or stone.


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"In the past, although man did not understand God, God ignored this, but now God calls every person in the world to change his heart.


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God has set a day when He will judge the whole world. He will be fair, using a man to do this. He chose this man a long time ago. God proved it to everyone by raising that man from death!"


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When the people heard about Jesus rising from death, some of them began to laugh at Paul. The people said, "We will hear more about this from you later."


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However, some of the people did believe Paul and joined him. One of them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus Council. Another was a woman named Damaris. There were some others too.


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In Corinth he met a Jewish man named Aquila. Aquila was born in the country of Pontus. Aquila and his wife, Priscilla, had recently moved to Corinth from Italy. They left Italy because Claudius the Emperor had commanded all Jews to get out of Rome. Paul went to visit Aquila and Priscilla.


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Every Sabbath day Paul debated with the Jews and Greeks in the house of worship. He tried to persuade them to believe.


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Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia to Paul in Corinth. After this, Paul used all his time to tell people the Word of God. He showed the Jews that Jesus is Messiah.


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But the Jews would not accept Paul’s teaching. They said some terrible things. So Paul shook off the dust from his clothes. He said to the Jews, "If you are not saved, it will be your own fault! I have done all that I can do! After this I will go to non-Jewish people!"


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Paul left the house of worship and moved into the home of Titius Justus. This man worshipped the true God. His house was next door to the house of worship.


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Crispus was the leader of that house of worship. Crispus and all of the people who were living in his house trusted in the Lord Jesus. Many other people in Corinth also listened to Paul. They too believed and were immersed.


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Paul had a vision during the night. The Lord said to him, "Don’t be afraid! Keep on talking to people; don’t be quiet!


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Some of the Jews came together with only one thing in mind — to stop Paul. They took him to court. Gallio had become the governor of the country of Achaia.


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The Jews said to Gallio, "This man is influencing people to worship God in a way that is against our law!"


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Paul was ready to say something, but Gallio spoke to the Jews. Gallio said, "I would listen to you Jews if you were complaining about a terrible crime or some wrong.


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But the things you are claiming are only questions about words and names — arguments about your own law. You must solve this problem yourselves. I do not want to be a judge over these matters."


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So they all grabbed Sosthenes. (Sosthenes was now leader of the house of worship.) They were beating him in front of the courthouse, but this did not bother Gallio at all.


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Paul stayed with the brothers for many days. Then he left and sailed for Syria. Priscilla and Aquila were also with him. At Cenchrea, Paul cut off his hair. This showed that he had made a vow to God. They arrived in Ephesus.


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As Paul was leaving them, he said, "I will come to you again if God wants me to." And so Paul sailed away from Ephesus.


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Paul went down to the city of Caesarea. Then he went up and greeted the called out people in Jerusalem. After that he went down to the city of Antioch in Syria.


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Paul stayed in Antioch for a while. Then he left Antioch and went through the countries of Galatia and Phrygia. He traveled from town to town in these areas. He made all of the students of Jesus stronger.


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A Jewish man named Apollos came to Ephesus. Apollos was born in the city of Alexandria. He was an educated man. His knowledge of the Scriptures was very powerful.


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He had been taught the way of the Lord Jesus. Apollos was always very enthusiastic when he talked to people about Jesus. The things he taught about Jesus were correct, but the only immersion that he knew was the immersion which John taught.


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Apollos began to speak very boldly in the house of worship. Priscilla and Aquila heard him speak. They took him home and helped him understand the way of God better.


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Apollos wanted to go to the country of Achaia. So the brothers in Ephesus helped pay his expenses. They wrote a letter to the students of Jesus in Achaia. In the letter they asked them to accept Apollos. The students of Jesus in Achaia had believed in Jesus through God’s help in time of need. When Apollos went there, he helped them very much.


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He argued very convincingly in public against the Jews. Apollos clearly proved that they were wrong. He used the Scriptures to show that Jesus is the Messiah.


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While Apollos was in the city of Corinth, Paul was visiting some places along the northern route to the city of Ephesus. In Ephesus Paul found some students of John.


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Paul asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" These students answered him, "We have never even heard of a Holy Spirit!"


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Paul said, "John immersed people after they changed their hearts. John told people to trust in the one who would come after him. That person is Jesus."


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Then Paul put his hands on them and the Holy Spirit came upon them. They began speaking different inspired languages and prophesying.


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Paul went into the house of worship and began to speak very boldly. Paul did this for three months. He debated with the Jews and he tried to persuade them to believe in the kingdom of God


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but some of the Jews became stubborn. They refused to believe. They said some terrible things about the Way. The people heard these things. So Paul left and took the students of Jesus with him. He went to a place where a man named Tyrannus had a school. There he reasoned with people every day.


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He did this for two years. Because of this work, every Jew and Greek in the country of Asia heard the message of the Lord.


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Some people carried handkerchiefs and clothes which Paul had worn. The people put these things on sick people. When they did this, the sick people were healed and evil spirits left them.


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Some wandering Jews were also trying to make evil spirits go out of people. The seven sons of Sceva were doing this. (Sceva was an important Jewish priest.) These Jews were using the name of the Lord Jesus to do this. They all said, "By the same Jesus whom Paul proclaims, I order you to come out!"


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One time an evil spirit said to these Jews, "Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with, but who are you?"


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Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on these Jews. He was much stronger than they were. He beat them up and tore off their clothes. They ran away from that house.


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All of the people who lived in Ephesus, Jews and Greeks, learned about this. They all began to have awesome respect for the true God. The people were giving more and more honor to the name of the Lord Jesus.


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Some of the believers had used magic. These believers brought their books of evil magic and burned them up before everyone. Those books were worth hundreds of kilograms of silver.


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After these things, Paul made plans to go to Jerusalem. Paul planned to go through the countries of Macedonia and Achaia, and then go to Jerusalem. Paul thought, "After I visit Jerusalem, I must also visit Rome."


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Timothy and Erastus were two of Paul’s helpers. Paul sent them ahead to the country of Macedonia but he stayed in Asia for a while.


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However, during that time, there was some bad trouble in Ephesus. It was about the Way. This is how it all happened:


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there was a man named Demetrius, a silver-worker. He made little silver models which looked like the temple of the goddess Artemis. The men who did work like this made lots of money from it.


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Demetrius had a meeting with some other men who did the same kind of work. Demetrius told them, "Men, you know that we make a lot of money from our business.


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But Paul has influenced many people. He has done this in Ephesus and all over the whole country of Asia! Look at what this man Paul is doing! Listen to what he is saying! He says that the gods which men make are fake.


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This might turn the people against. our work But there is also another danger: people will begin to think that the temple of the great goddess Artemis is not important! Her greatness will be destroyed. Artemis is the goddess that everyone in Asia and the whole world worships."


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When the men heard this, they became very angry. The men shouted, "Artemis, the goddess of the city of Ephesus, is great!"


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All the people in the city became very upset. The people grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, men from Macedonia. (These men always traveled with Paul.) Then all the people ran together to the stadium with a single purpose.


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Also, some leaders of the country were friends of Paul. These leaders sent him a message, begging him not to come into the stadium.


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Some people were yelling one thing and others were yelling something else. The meeting was very confused. Most of the people didn’t even know why they had come there.


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The Jews had a man stand before the people. His name was Alexander. The Jews told him what to do. Alexander waved his hand because he wanted to explain things to the people.


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But when the people realized that Alexander was a Jew, they all continued shouting together for two hours. They shouted, "Great is Artemis of Ephesus! Great is Artemis of Ephesus…!"


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Then the main city official made the crowd be quiet. He said, “Men of Ephesus, everyone knows that Ephesus is the city which keeps the temple of the great goddess, Artemis, and her holy rock.


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No one can say that this is not true. So you should be quiet. You must stop and think before you do anything wrong.


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We have courts of law and there are judges. Do Demetrius and those men who work with him have a charge against anyone? They should go to the courts! That is where they can accuse each other!


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"Is there anything else you want to talk about? Then come to the regular town meeting of the people. It can be decided there.


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I say this because someone might see this trouble today and say that we were rioting. We could not explain all of this trouble because there is no real reason for this mob."


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When the trouble stopped, Paul invited the students of Jesus to come visit him. He wanted to encourage them. Then Paul said goodbye and left. He went to the country of Macedonia.


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He encouraged the students in the different places on his way through Macedonia. He told the students many things. Then Paul went to Achaia.


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He stayed there three months. He was ready to sail for Syria but some Jews were planning something evil against him. So Paul decided to go back to Syria through Macedonia.


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Some men were with him. They were: Sopater (the son of Pyrrhus, from the town of Berea), Aristarchus and Secundus (from the city of Thessalonica), Gaius (from the town of Derbe), Timothy, Tychicus and Trophimus (from Asia).


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We sailed from the city of Philippi after the Jewish Festival of Unleavened Bread. We met these men in Troas five days later. We stayed there for seven days.


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On the first day of the week, we all met together to eat the supper of the Lord. Paul was talking with the group. He was ready to leave the next day. Paul continued his speech until midnight.


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There was a young man named Eutychus sitting in the window. As Paul talked on and on, Eutychus became sleepier and sleepier. Finally Eutychus went to sleep and fell out of the window. He fell to the ground from the third floor. When they got to him, he was dead.


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Paul went down to Eutychus. He kneeled down and hugged him. Paul said to the others, "Don’t worry. He is alive now."


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They brought the young man inside. He was alive and they were very much comforted. Paul went upstairs again. After he broke off some of the bread and ate it, Paul spoke to them a long time. When he finished talking, it was early morning.


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We sailed for the town of Assos. We went first, ahead of Paul. He planned to meet us in Assos and join us on the ship there. Paul told us to do this because he wanted to walk to Assos.


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Later we met Paul at Assos and there he came onto the ship with us. Then we all went to the town of Mitylene.


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The next day we sailed away from Mitylene and came to a place near the island of Chios. The next day we sailed to the island of Samos. A day later we came to the town of Miletus.


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Paul had already decided not to stop at Ephesus. He didn’t want to stay in Asia too long. He was hurrying because he wanted to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost if that were possible.


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Paul sent a message back to Ephesus from Miletus. He invited the elders of the called out people in Ephesus to come to him.


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When the elders came, Paul said to them, “Do you remember when I came to you on my first day in Asia? I stayed with you the whole time. The Jewish leaders planned evil things against me. Although this troubled me very much (sometimes I even cried), I always served the Lord. I never thought about myself first.


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I always did what was best for you, teaching you everything about Jesus in public and also in your homes.


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I told both Jewish and non-Jewish people to change their hearts and turn to God. I told them all to trust in our Lord Jesus.


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"But now I must obey the Holy Spirit and go to Jerusalem. I do not know what will happen to me there.


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My life does not matter. The most important thing is that I finish the race — the work which the Lord Jesus gave me to do, telling people the Good News about God’s help in time of need.


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And now listen to me. I know that none of you will ever see my face again! During the whole time I was with you, I was preaching to you about the kingdom of God.


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So today I can tell you one thing that I am sure of: I’m not to blame if some of you will not be saved!


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"Watch out for yourselves and for all the people God has given you. The Holy Spirit chose you to guard this flock. You must shepherd the called out people of God whom he bought with his own blood.


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I know that after I leave, some men will come into your groups. They will be like vicious wolves, trying to destroy the flock.


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Also, men from your own group will begin to teach things which are wrong, leading some students away from the truth.


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So be alert! Always remember: I was with you for three years. During this time I never stopped warning each one of you. I taught you night and day. I often cried over you.


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"Now I am giving you to God. I am depending on the message of God’s help in time of need to make you strong. That message is able to give you the blessings which God gives to all His saints.


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You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.


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I always showed you that you should work as I did and help people who are weak. I taught you to remember the words of the Lord Jesus. Jesus once said, ‘You will be happier when you give than when you receive.’"


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They all cried and cried. They were especially sad because Paul had said that they would never see his face again. They hugged Paul and kept on kissing him. They went with him to the ship to say goodbye.


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After we all said goodbye to the elders, we sailed away, straight for Cos Island. The next day we went to the island of Rhodes. From Rhodes we went to Patara.


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We sailed near the island of Cyprus. We could see it on the north side but we did not stop. We sailed to the country of Syria. We stopped at the city of Tyre because the ship needed to unload its cargo there.


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In Tyre we found some students of Jesus, and we stayed with them for seven days. They warned Paul not to go to Jerusalem because of what the Holy Spirit had told them.


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But when we finished our visit, we left and continued our trip. All the students of Jesus, including the women and children, came outside the city with us to say goodbye. We all kneeled down on the beach and prayed.


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We continued our trip from Tyre and went to the city of Ptolemais. We greeted the brothers there and stayed with them one day.


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The next day we left Ptolemais and went to the city of Caesarea. We went into the home of Philip and stayed with him. Philip was a preacher of the Good News. He was one of the seven servants.


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He came to us and borrowed Paul’s belt. Then Agabus used the belt to bind his own hands and feet. Agabus said, "The Holy Spirit tells me. ‘This is how the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the man who wears this belt. Then they will hand him over to non-Jewish people.’"


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We all heard these words; so we and the local students of Jesus kept begging Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.


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But Paul asked, "Why are you crying? Why are you making me so sad? I am ready to be bound in Jerusalem. I am even ready to die for the name of the Lord Jesus!"


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We could not persuade him to stay away from Jerusalem. So we stopped trying and said, "We pray that what the Lord wants will be done."


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Some of the students of Jesus from Caesarea went with us. These students took us to the home of Mnason, a man from Cyprus. Mnason was one of the first people to become a student of Jesus. They took us to his home so that we could stay with him.


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Paul greeted all of them. Then he told them exactly how God had used him to do many things among non-Jewish people.


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When the leaders heard these things, they gave glory to God. Then they said to Paul, “Brother, you can see that thousands of Jews have become believers, and they all think it is very important to obey the law of Moses.


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These Jews have heard that you tell Jews who live in other countries among non-Jews to abandon the law of Moses. They heard that you tell those Jews not to circumcise their children and not to obey Jewish customs.


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Take these men with you and share in their washing ceremony. Pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads. Do this and it will prove to everyone that the things they have heard about you are not true. They will see that you yourself respect the law of Moses in your own life.


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"But as for non-Jewish believers, we have already sent a letter. The letter said: ‘Do not eat food which has been given to idols. Do not taste blood. Do not eat animals which have been strangled. Do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse.’"


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Then Paul took the four men with him. The next day Paul shared in the washing ceremony. Then he went to the temple. He announced the time when the days of the cleansing ceremony would be ended. On the last day an offering would be given for each of the men.


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The seven days were almost over but some Jews from Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd. They grabbed Paul


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and shouted, "Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who is teaching things which are against the law of Moses, against our people, and against this place. This man is teaching these things to all people everywhere. And now he has even brought some non-Jewish men into the temple! He has made this holy place unclean!"


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(These Jews said this, because they had seen Trophimus with Paul in Jerusalem. Trophimus was a non-Jewish man from the city of Ephesus. They thought that Paul had taken him into the temple.)


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All of the people in Jerusalem became very upset. They all ran together and grabbed Paul. They dragged him out of the temple courtyard. Immediately the temple gates were closed.


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The people were trying to kill Paul. Then the commander of the Roman army in Jerusalem learned that there was much confusion in the whole city of Jerusalem.


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Right away the commander ran down to the place where the people were. He brought some officers and soldiers with him. The people saw the commander and his soldiers. Then they stopped beating Paul.


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The commander went to Paul and arrested him. He ordered his soldiers to bind Paul with two chains. Then the commander asked, "Who is this man? What has he done wrong?"


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Some people there were yelling one thing and other people were yelling something else. Because of all this confusion and shouting, the commander could not learn the truth about what had happened. So the commander ordered the soldiers to take Paul to the fortress.


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All of the people were following them. When the soldiers came to the steps, they had to carry Paul. They did this to protect him because the people were so wild. The people shouted, "Kill him!"


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The soldiers were ready to take Paul into the fortress, but Paul spoke to the commander. Paul asked, "Do I have the right to say something to you?" The commander said, "Oh! Do you speak Greek?


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Then you are not the man I thought you were. I thought you were the Egyptian man who started some trouble against the government not long ago. He led 4,000 murderers out to the desert."


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Paul said, "No, I am a Jew from Tarsus, in the country of Cilicia. I am a citizen of that important city. Please, let me speak to the people."


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The commander allowed Paul to speak to the people. So Paul stood on the steps. He made signs with his hands so that the people would be quiet. The people became even quieter when Paul used the Hebrew language to speak to them.


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"I am a Jew. I was born in Tarsus in the country of Cilicia. I grew up in this city of Jerusalem. I was a student of Gamaliel. He carefully taught me everything about the law of our ancestors. I was very serious about serving God, the same as all of you here today.


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I persecuted the people who believed in the Way. Some of them were killed because of me. I arrested men and women, and I put them in jail.


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The high priest and the whole council of the Jewish elders can tell you that this is true! One time these leaders gave me some letters. The letters were to the Jewish brothers in the city of Damascus. I was going there to arrest the students of Jesus and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.


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"However, something happened to me on my way to Damascus. It was about noon when I came close to the city. Suddenly, a bright light from the sky shined all around me.


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I asked, ‘Who are you, Sir?’ The voice answered, ‘I am Jesus from Nazareth, the one you are persecuting.’


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I said, ‘What should I do, Sir?’ The Lord Jesus answered, ‘Get up and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all of the things I have planned for you to do.’ The men who were with me did not understand the voice, but they saw the light.


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"In Damascus, a man named Ananias came to me. He was a devout man; he obeyed the law of Moses. All of the Jews who lived there respected him.


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Ananias came to me, stood over me, and said, ‘Brother Saul, you can see again!’ At that moment I was able to see him.


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Ananias told me, ‘The God of our ancestors chose you a long time ago to know His plan. God wanted you to see the one that is right and to hear words from his mouth.


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Now don’t wait any longer. Rise up, you yourself be immersed and have your sins washed away, trusting in his name.’


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I saw Jesus, and he said to me: ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem now! The people here will not accept the truth about me.’


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I said, ‘But Lord, the people know that I was the one who put the believers in jail and beat them. I went through all the houses of worship to find and arrest those who believe in you.


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The people also know that I was there when Stephen, your witness, was killed. I stood there and agreed that they should kill him. I even held the robes of the men who were killing him!’


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The people stopped listening when Paul spoke this last sentence. They all shouted, "Kill him! Get him out of the world! A man like this should not be allowed to live!"


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Then the commander ordered the soldiers to take Paul into the fortress. He told the soldiers to beat Paul. The commander wanted to force Paul to tell him why the people were shouting against him like this.


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As the soldiers were tying Paul, preparing to beat him, Paul asked an officer who was standing there, "Do you have the right to beat a Roman citizen who has not been proven guilty?"


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When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and told him about it. The officer asked, "Do you know what you are doing? This man is a Roman citizen!"


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The commander came to Paul and asked, "Tell me, are you really a Roman citizen?" Paul answered, "Yes."


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The commander said, "I paid a lot of money to become a Roman citizen." But Paul said "I was born a citizen."


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The men who were preparing to torture Paul moved away from him immediately. The commander was afraid because he had already bound Paul and Paul was a Roman citizen.


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The next day the commander decided to learn why the Jews were accusing Paul. So he commanded the most important priests and the entire Jewish Council to meet together. Then he brought Paul out and took his chains off. Then he made Paul stand before their meeting.


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Paul looked straight at the Jewish Council and said, "My Jewish brothers, I have always lived my life before God in all good conscience, and that includes today!"


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Ananias, the high priest, was there. Ananias heard Paul and told the men who were standing near Paul to hit him on the mouth.


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Paul said to Ananias, "God will hit you too! You are like a dirty wall which has been painted white! You sit there and judge me, using the law of Moses, yet you are telling them to hit me. That is against the law!"


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Paul said, "Brothers, I did not know this man was the high priest. It is written in the Scriptures, ‘You must not say evil things about a ruler of your people.’"


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Some of the men in the meeting were Sadducees and some others were Pharisees. Paul knew this. Therefore, he said to them, so that everyone could hear, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee and my father was a Pharisee! I am on trial here because I believe that people will rise from death!"


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When Paul said this, it caused a big argument between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The group was divided.


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(The Sadducees believe that after people die, they cannot live again. The Sadducees also teach that there are no angels or spirits but the Pharisees believe in all these things.)


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All these Jews began shouting louder and louder. Some of the teachers of the law, who were Pharisees, stood up and argued: "We find nothing wrong with this man! Perhaps an angel or a spirit did speak to him on the road to Damascus!"


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The argument turned into a fight. The commander was afraid that the Jews would tear Paul to pieces. So the commander ordered the soldiers to go down and take Paul away from them and put him in the fortress.


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The next night the Lord Jesus came and stood by Paul. He said, "Be strong! You have told the people in Jerusalem the truth about me. You must also go to Rome to do the same thing there."


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The next morning some of the Jews made a plan. They wanted to kill Paul. These Jews vowed to themselves that they would not eat or drink anything until they had killed Paul!


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They went and talked to the most important priests and the older Jewish leaders. These Jews said, "We have vowed to ourselves that we won’t eat or drink until we have killed Paul!


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So this is what we want you to do: send a message to the commander from you and the Jewish Council. Tell the commander that you want him to bring Paul out to you as if you want to ask Paul more questions. While he is on the way here, we will be waiting to kill him."


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Then Paul called one of the officers and said to him, "Take this young man to the commander. He has a message for him."


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So the officer brought Paul’s nephew to the commander. The officer said, "The prisoner Paul asked me to bring this young man to you. He wants to tell you something."


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The commander led the young man to a place where they could be alone. The commander asked, "What do you want to tell me?"


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The young man said, "The Jewish leaders have decided to ask you to bring Paul down to their council tomorrow. They want you to think that they plan to ask Paul more questions.


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But don’t believe them. There are more than 40 Jews who are hiding and waiting to kill Paul. They have all vowed not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are now waiting for you to say yes."


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The commander ordered him, "Do not tell anyone that you have told me this." Then the commander sent the young man away.


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After this, the commander called two officers. He said to them, "I need some men to go to Caesarea. Get 200 soldiers ready. Also get 70 horsemen and 200 men to carry spears. Be ready to leave at nine o’clock tonight.


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"The Jews had taken this man, and they were about to kill him, but I learned that he is a Roman citizen. I went with my soldiers and saved him.


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This is what I learned: the Jews said that Paul did some things which were wrong, but these charges were about their own Jewish laws. None of these things were worthy of jail or death.


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I was told that some of the Jews were plotting to kill Paul; therefore I sent him to you. I also ordered those Jews to tell you the things they have against him."


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The soldiers did the things they were told. They got Paul and took him to the town of Antipatris that night.


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The next day the horsemen went with Paul to Caesarea, but the soldiers and the spearmen went back to the fortress in Jerusalem.


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The governor read the letter. He asked Paul, "What country are you from?" He learned that Paul was from Cilicia.


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The governor said, "I will hear your case when the Jews, who are accusing you, come here too." Then the governor gave orders for Paul to be kept in the palace. (This building had been built by Herod the Great.)


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Five days later, Ananias went down to the city of Caesarea. Ananias was the high priest. He also brought some of the older Jewish leaders and a lawyer named Tertullus. They went to Caesarea to make charges against Paul before the governor.


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Paul was called into the meeting, and Tertullus began to make his charges. Tertullus said, "Our people have enjoyed much peace because you are a wise reformer,


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Most Excellent Felix. We are very thankful to accept these things from you, always and in every place.


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This man Paul is a troublemaker. He stirs up trouble among the Jews everywhere in the world. He is a leader of the Nazarene sect.


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He was also trying to make the temple unclean when we stopped him. We planned to judge him according to our own law,


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Then Lysias gave orders that his accusers should come before you. You can decide whether all of our charges are true or not. Ask him some questions yourself."


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The governor signaled for Paul to speak. So Paul answered, “Governor Felix, I know that you have been a judge over this nation for many years. So I am happy to defend myself before you.


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I went up to worship in Jerusalem only twelve days ago. You can learn for yourself that this is true.


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These Jews who are accusing me did not find me arguing with anyone in the temple. I was not stirring up a crowd. And I was not causing trouble or arguing in the houses of worship or any place else in the city.


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"However, I will admit this to you: I worship the God of our ancestors as a student of the way. The Jewish leaders claim that the Way is a ‘sect’. I believe everything which is taught in the law of Moses and everything which is written in the books of the prophets.


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I have the same belief in God that these Jews have — the hope that all people, good and bad, will be raised from death.


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I was away from Jerusalem for many years. I went back there to bring money to my people and to give some offerings.


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I was doing this when some Jews found me in the temple courtyard. I had just finished the cleansing ceremony. No crowd was gathered around me. I had not caused any trouble.


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"However, some Jews from Asia were there. They should be here, standing before you. If I have really done anything wrong, those Jews from Asia are the ones who should accuse me.


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Ask these Jews here if they found any wrong in me when I stood before the Jewish Council in Jerusalem.


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I did say one thing when I stood before them: I said, loud enough for all to hear, ‘You are judging me today because I believe that people will rise from death!’"


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Felix already understood much about the Way. He stopped the hearing and said, "When commander Lysias comes here, I will decide on these things later."


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Felix ordered the officer to keep Paul guarded, but he told the officer to give him some freedom and to let Paul’s friends bring the things that he needed.


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After a few days, Felix came with his wife, Drusilla. She was a Jewish woman. Felix asked for Paul to be brought to him. He listened to Paul talk about believing in Christ Jesus.


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However, Felix became afraid when Paul spoke about such things as being made right, self-control, and the Judgment Day which will come in the future. Felix said, "Go away now! When I have time, I will call for you."


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After two years, Portius Festus became governor so Felix was no longer governor. But Felix left Paul in prison because he wanted to do something to please the Jewish leaders.


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The most important priests and the important Jewish leaders made charges against Paul before Festus.


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They asked Festus to do something for them; they wanted Festus to send Paul back to Jerusalem. They had a plan to kill Paul along the way.


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Some of your leaders should go down with me. They can accuse the man there in Caesarea if he really has done something wrong."


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Festus stayed in Jerusalem another eight or ten days and then went back down to Caesarea. The next day Festus ordered the soldiers to bring Paul before him. Festus was seated on the judgment seat.


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Paul came into the room. The Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They said that Paul had done many serious crimes but they could not prove any of them.


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This is what Paul said to defend himself: "I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law, against the temple, or against Caesar!"


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However, Festus wanted to please the Jewish leaders. So he asked Paul, "Do you want to go up to Jerusalem? Do you want me to judge you there on these charges?"


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Paul said, "I am standing at Caesar’s judgment seat now. This is where I must be judged! I have done nothing wrong to the Jews; you know this is true.


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If I have done anything wrong and the law says I must die, then I agree that I should die. I don’t ask to be spared from death. But if these charges are not true, then no one can give me to these Jews. No! I want Caesar to hear my case!"


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Festus talked about this with his advisors. Then he said, "You have asked to see Caesar, so to Caesar you will go!"


text:
They stayed there many days. Festus told the king about Paul’s case. Festus said, “There is a man whom Felix left in prison.


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When I went to Jerusalem, the most important priests and the Jewish elders made charges against him. These Jews wanted me to order his death.


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But I answered, ‘When a man is accused of doing something wrong, Romans do not give the man to other people to judge. First, the man must face the people who are accusing him. Then he must be allowed to defend himself against their charges.’


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"Some Jews came here to Caesarea for the trial. I did not waste any time. The next day I sat on the judgment seat and ordered that the man be brought in.


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The Jewish leaders stood up and accused him. They did not accuse him of any of the crimes I thought they would.


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They wanted to argue about their own religion and about a man named Jesus. Jesus died but Paul said that Jesus is still alive.


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I didn’t know much about these things so I did not ask questions. Instead I asked Paul, ‘Do you want to go to Jerusalem and be judged there?’


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But Paul asked to be kept in Caesarea. He wants a decision from the Emperor. So I commanded that Paul be held until I could send him to Caesar in Rome."


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Agrippa said to Festus, "I would also like to hear this man." Festus said, "You can hear him tomorrow!"


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The next day Agrippa and Bernice appeared. They dressed and acted like very important people. Agrippa and Bernice, the army leaders, and the important men of Caesarea went into the courtroom. Festus ordered the soldiers to bring in Paul.


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Festus said, "King Agrippa and all of you men gathered here with us, you see this man. All the Jewish people here and in Jerusalem have complained to me about him. They cry out that he should not be allowed to live anymore.


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When I judged him, I could find nothing wrong. I found no reason to order his death, but he asked to be judged by the Emperor. So I have decided to send him to Rome.


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But I really do not know what to tell Caesar that this man has done. Therefore I have brought him before all of you — especially you, King Agrippa. I hope that you will question him and give me something to write to Caesar.


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Agrippa said to Paul, "You are now permitted to defend yourself." Then Paul raised his hand and began to speak.


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He said, “King Agrippa, I will answer all of the charges that the Jews make against me. I think it is a privilege that I can stand here before you today and do this.


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I am very happy to talk to you because you know much about all of the Jewish customs and issues. Please listen to me patiently.


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"All the Jewish people know about my whole life. They know the way I lived, from the beginning among my own people and later in Jerusalem.


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These Jews have known me for a long time. If they want to, they can tell you that I was a Pharisee. And the Pharisees obey the laws of the Jewish faith more carefully than any other group of Jewish people.


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"Now I am on trial because I believe in God’s promise which all the twelve tribes of our people hope to receive. For this hope, the Jews earnestly serve God day and night. O King, the Jews have accused me because I hope for this same promise!


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And in Jerusalem I did persecute the saints. The most important priests gave me authority to put many of these people in jail. When they were being killed, I voted for it.


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In every house of worship I punished them. I tried to force them to say evil things against Jesus. I was so crazed against these people that I hunted them down among other towns.


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It was noon, O King. I was on my way to Damascus. I saw a light from the sky. It was brighter than the sun. The light shined all around me and around the men who were traveling with me.


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We all fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice talking to me in the Hebrew language. The voice said, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? By fighting me you are only hurting yourself.’


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Get up! Stand on your feet! I have chosen you to be my servant. You will be my witness telling people the things that you have seen and the things I will show you. This is why I have appeared to you today.


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You will show the non-Jewish people the truth. They will turn away from darkness to light, turning from the power of Satan back to God. Then they can receive forgiveness of their sins. They will have a share with those people who have become saints by their faith in me.’"


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First, in Damascus I began to tell Jews that they should change their hearts. I told them to turn back to God. I also went to Jerusalem and to the area around Judea and to the Non-Jews also. I said, ‘Change your lives and do good things. This will show that you have truly changed your hearts.’


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But God helped me, and He is still helping me today. With God’s help I am standing here today and telling all people, whether important or unimportant, the things I have seen. I am saying nothing new; I am only saying the same things which Moses and the prophets said would take place:


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they said that the Messiah would die and be the first to rise from death; and that the Messiah would bring light to Jewish people and non-Jewish people."


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While Paul was saying these things to defend himself, Festus shouted, "Paul, are you crazy? Too much education has made you insane!"


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Paul said, "Most Excellent Festus, I’m not insane. The things I say are true. My words are not the words of a foolish man; I am serious.


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King Agrippa knows about these matters. I can speak freely to him. I know that he has heard about all of these things because these things happened where everyone could see.


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King Agrippa asked Paul, "Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christ-like person so easily?"


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Paul said, "It doesn’t matter whether it is easy or hard; I pray to God that not only you but everyone, who is listening to me today, could be like me — except for these chains!"


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and left the room. They began to talk to each other. They said, "This man should not be killed or put in prison; he has done nothing that bad!"


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And Agrippa said to Festus, "We could have let this man go free but he has already asked to be judged by Caesar."


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It was decided that we would sail for Italy. A Roman officer named Julius guarded Paul and some other prisoners. Julius served in the Emperor’s regiment.


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We went aboard a ship which was from the city of Adramyttium. It was ready to sail for ports along the coast of Asia. Then we set sail. Aristarchus went with us. He was a man from the city of Thessalonica in Macedonia.


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The next day we came to the city of Sidon. Julius was very kind to Paul. He gave Paul freedom to go visit Paul’s friends who took care of his needs.


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We left the city of Sidon. We sailed south of the island of Cyprus, because the wind was blowing against us.


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In Myra the Roman officer found a ship from the city of Alexandria. This ship was going to Italy so he put us on it.


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We sailed slowly for many days. It was hard for us to reach the town of Cnidus because the wind was blowing against us. We could not go any further that way. So we sailed past the south side of the island of Crete near the town of Salmone.


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We sailed along the coast, but sailing was hard. Then we came to a place called Safe Harbors. The town of Lasea was near there.


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However, we had lost much time. It was now dangerous to sail because it was after mid-September. So Paul warned them,


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"Men, I can see that there will be much destruction on this trip. The ship and the things on this ship will be lost. Even our lives may be lost!"


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But the captain of the ship and its owner did not agree with Paul. The Roman officer believed what they said, rather than what Paul said.


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That harbor was not a good place for the ship to stay for the winter. Therefore most of the men decided that the ship should leave there. The men hoped that we could go to Phoenix; the ship could stay there for the winter. (Phoenix was a city on the island of Crete. It had a harbor which faced southwest and northwest.)


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Then a good wind began to blow from the south. The men on the ship thought, "This is the wind we wanted and now we have it!" So they pulled up anchor. We sailed very close to the island of Crete,


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This wind took the ship and carried it away. The ship could not hold against the wind. So we stopped trying to resist and let the wind blow us.


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We went below a small island named Cauda. Then we were able to bring in the lifeboat. (It was very hard to do this.)


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After the men took the lifeboat in, they tied ropes around the ship to hold the ship together. The men were afraid that the ship would hit the sandbanks of Syrtis. So they lowered the sail and let the wind carry the ship along.


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The next day the storm was blowing us so hard that the men threw some things out of the ship to make the ship lighter.


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For many days we couldn’t see the sun or the stars to guide us. The storm was very bad. We lost all hope of staying alive; we thought we would die.


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For a long time the men did not eat. Then one day Paul stood up before them and said, "Men, I told you not to leave Crete. You should have listened to me. Then you would not have had all of this trouble and loss.


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God’s angel said, ‘Paul, don’t be afraid! You must stand before Caesar. And God has promised to give you something good: He will save the lives of all those sailing with you.’


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On the 14th night we were floating around in the Adriatic Sea. The sailors sensed that we were close to land.


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They threw a rope into the water with a weight on the end of it. They found that the water was about 37 meters deep. They went a little further and threw the rope in again. It was about 27 meters deep.


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The sailors were afraid that we would hit the rocks; therefore they threw four anchors into the water. Then they prayed for daylight to come.


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Some of the sailors wanted to leave the ship. They lowered the lifeboat to the water, trying to make the other men think that they were throwing out more anchors from the front of the ship.


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But Paul told the officer and the other soldiers, "If these men do not stay in the ship, then your lives cannot be saved!"


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Just before dawn, Paul started persuading everyone to eat something. He said, "For the past two weeks you have been waiting and watching. You have not eaten for 14 days.


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Now, I beg you, eat something! You need it to stay alive. Not one of you will lose one hair of your head."


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After he said this, Paul took some bread and, in front of them all, thanked God for it. He broke off a piece and began to eat.


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When daylight came, the sailors saw land but they did not know where we were. We saw a bay with a beach. The sailors wanted to sail the ship to the beach if they could.


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So the men cut the ropes to the anchors and left the anchors in the sea. At the same time, the men untied the ropes which were holding the rudders. Then the men raised the front sail into the wind and sailed toward the beach.


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But the ship hit a sandbank and the front of the ship stuck there; the ship could not move. Then the big waves began to break up the back of the ship.


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The soldiers decided to kill the prisoners so that none of the prisoners could swim away and escape,


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but the officer wanted to let Paul live. Therefore he did not allow the soldiers to kill the prisoners. Julius ordered the people who could swim to jump into the water and swim toward land.


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Others used wooden boards or pieces from the ship. This is how all of the people got to land. No one died.


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It was very cold and raining. The people who lived there were very kind to us. They made a fire for us and welcomed us all.


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Paul picked up a pile of sticks for the fire. He was putting the sticks on the fire. Then, because of the heat, a poisonous snake came out and bit him on the hand.


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The people living on the island saw the snake hanging from Paul’s hand. They said to each other, "Surely this man is a murderer! He didn’t die in the sea, but fairness will not permit him to live."


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The people expected him to swell up or to suddenly fall down dead. For a long time the people waited and watched him, but nothing bad happened to him. So the people changed their minds and they began to say, "He is a god!"


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There were some fields around that same area. A very important man on the island owned these fields. His name was Publius. He welcomed us into his home. Publius was very kind to us. We stayed in his house for three days.


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Publius’ father was very sick. He had a fever and dysentery but Paul went to him and prayed for him. Paul put his hands on the man and healed him.


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After this occurred, all the other sick people on the island began to come to Paul; they too were healed.


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The people on the island gave us many honors. We stayed there three months. When we were ready to leave, the people gave us the things we needed. We got on a ship from the city of Alexandria. The ship had stayed on the island of Malta during the winter. On the front of the ship was the sign for the twin gods.


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Then we came to the town of Rhegium. The next day a wind began to blow from the southwest so we were able to leave. A day later we came to the town of Puteoli.


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We found some brothers there. They asked us to stay with them seven days. Finally, we came near to Rome.


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The believers in Rome heard that we were there. They came out to meet us at the Market of Appius and at the Three Inns. When Paul saw these people, he felt better. He thanked God.


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Then we went to Rome. In Rome, though Paul was allowed to live alone, a soldier stayed with Paul to guard him.


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Three days later Paul sent for some of the most important Jewish leaders. When they came together, Paul said to them, “My Jewish brothers, I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, yet I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.


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The Romans asked me many questions, but they could not find any reason why I should be put to death. They wanted to let me go free.


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However, the Jewish leaders there did not want me to go free. So I was forced to ask to have my trial before Caesar in Rome. I am not accusing my people of anything wrong.


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This is the reason I wanted to see you and talk with you. I am bound with this chain because I believe in the hope of Israel."


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These Jews answered Paul, "We have received no letters from Judea about you. None of our Jewish brothers who have traveled from Judea brought any news about you or told us anything bad about you.


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Paul and the Jewish leaders set a day for a meeting. On that day many more of these Jews met with Paul at his house. Paul spoke to them all day long. He explained to them the truth about the kingdom of God. Using the law of Moses and the writings of the prophets, Paul tried to persuade them about Jesus.


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They disagreed among themselves. The Jewish leaders were ready to leave, but Paul said one more thing to them: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah. He said:


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‘Go to this people and tell them: you will certainly hear, but you will not understand! You will certainly see, but you won’t understand!


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The heart of this people has become hard. They have ears, but they do not listen. They have shut their eyes. Otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their minds, and then turn. I would heal them.’


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I want you Jewish leaders to know that God has sent His safety from danger to non-Jewish people. They will listen!"


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Paul was preaching about the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. He was very bold. No one tried to stop him from speaking.


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Letter to the Ones in Rome From Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus. I was chosen to be a delegate — especially selected for telling God’s Good News.


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But long ago it was planned that our Lord Jesus Christ be the Son of God with power in a holy, divine way. How? By rising from death!


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Through Jesus we have received help in time of need and the work of a delegate so that for Jesus’ name we could try to call all non-Jewish people to believe and obey.


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To all of you in Rome to whom God has given Himself, for your good, expecting nothing in return, and called to be saints. May help in time of need and peace come to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.


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First, through Jesus Christ, I thank my God for all of you. People all over the world talk about your faith.


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I serve God with my spirit by telling the Good News about His Son. I never forget you. God is my witness.


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You are always in my prayers. I ask God for some way that I may come to you — if it is all right with Him.


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that is, so that we could encourage each other. My faith would help you and your faith would help me.


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Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that I planned to come to you many times; but, until now, I was stopped. I wanted to win some students for Jesus among you too, as I have among other non-Jewish people.


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I feel I owe something to all people. I must help the civilized and the uncivilized, the educated and the uneducated people.


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I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ because it is God’s power for saving anyone who believes it — Jews first, then non-Jews.


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The Good News reveals the way that God makes people right. It begins and ends by faith. This is written: "The person who is right with God by faith will live forever."


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God’s punishment is being revealed from heaven against all sin and, not being like God, of those people who use sin to hide the truth.


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Since the beginning of the world, the unseen qualities of God — His unseen power and His divinity — could be clearly seen and understood from what God made. They have no excuse.


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Because, even though they knew God, they didn’t give God the glory that He should have. They weren’t thankful either. Instead, their thinking became nonsense and their foolish hearts became dark.


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They exchanged the glory of an undying God for something else — idols that look like men, birds, animals with four feet, or reptiles. All these die.


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So God handed them over to the sinful desires of their hearts. They became sexually unclean, degrading their own bodies with one another.


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They exchanged God’s truth for a lie. Instead of worshipping God, their Maker, they worshipped and gave themselves to that which they made. (God is praised forever. Amen.)


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This is why God handed them over to immoral, unnatural drives. Even their females exchanged their natural sexual drives for unnatural ones.


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In the same way, males stopped feeling natural sexual drives for females and burned up in their lust for one another — males with males. They do what is shameful, but they must receive in themselves the consequences for this error.


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Also, since they didn’t want to know God, God handed them over to weak and worthless thinking, to do things they should never do.


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They are filled with all kinds of wrong, with evil, greed, and unlawful sexual intercourse. They are full of jealousy, murder, fighting, tricks, malice, gossiping,


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slander, haters of God, insults, pride, boasting, and new ways to do evil. They don’t obey their parents.


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They always break promises. They are stupid and heartless. They have no natural affection for others.


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They know that what God said is right — that people who practice such things deserve death — but they do them anyway. And they even encourage others to practice the same things.


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Now if you feel like setting yourself up as a judge of those who sin, let me assure you — whoever you are — that you are in no position to do so. For, at whatever point you condemn others, you automatically condemn yourself since you, the judge, commit the same sins.


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So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on people who practice such things — yet you are doing the same things — will you escape God’s condemnation?


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Do you look down on the wealth of God’s kindness, tolerance, and patience? Surely you know that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to a change of heart.


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But your heart is hard and unchanged. You are storing up punishment for yourself on the Day of punishment when God’s right judgment will be revealed.


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Eternal life will go to those who, by patiently doing good things, are looking for glory, honor, and life with no end.


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But punishment and anger will go to those who are following the wrong way, by being selfish and not obeying the truth.


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There will be trouble and pain for every human being who does evil. This is true first for a Jew, then also for a non-Jew.


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Glory, honor, and peace will belong to any person who is doing good — for a Jew first, then also a non-Jew.


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All people who sin without law will be destroyed without law. All people who sin with the law will be condemned by the same law.


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The people who only listen to the law are not right with God, but the people who obey the law are the ones who are made right with God.


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Sometimes non-Jews (who do not have the law) naturally obey things of the law. So they are their own law (even though they don’t have the law).


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Their actions show that the law is written in their hearts. Their consciences prove this is true because their thoughts sometimes accuse them and sometimes even excuse them.


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On that Day, God will use this Good News that I speak to judge the secret things of men through Jesus Christ.


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a master over uneducated people, and a teacher of those who are not mature; because in the law, you have all knowledge and truth.


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So you teach others, but surely you teach yourself. You tell others, "You must not steal!" but do you steal?


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You say, "You must not commit unlawful sexual intercourse!" but do you commit unlawful sexual intercourse? You hate false gods, but do you rob temples?


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This is written: "They say evil things about the name of God among the people of the world because of you."


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True, being circumcised is important if you always follow the law. However, if you don’t obey the law, it is as if you had never been circumcised.


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Therefore, if a man who is not circumcised obeys the things that the law says are right, God will regard his uncircumcision as if he were circumcised!


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The man who is not physically circumcised — but who obeys the law — will condemn you. You are circumcised and you have the law written down but you don’t obey the law.


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No, being a Jew depends on what is on the inside. True circumcision is circumcision of the heart performed by the Spirit, not the written code. This person has praise from God, not men.


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Never! Even though every man is a liar, God will be true. This is written: "When You speak, You will be just. When You judge, You will conquer."


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Now if our wrong makes God’s justice look better, what should we say? God would be wrong to punish us, wouldn’t He? (I am thinking as a human being.)


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But if my lie makes God’s truth look better and gives God more glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?


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Perhaps we should say, "Let’s do evil things so that good things will happen." (Some people are saying awful things about us. They claim that we said this. They deserve to be condemned.)


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What should we think? Are Jews better off? Not at all! We have already proved that all Jews and also non-Jews are under sin’s power.


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All men have turned away from God and become completely useless. No one is kind — not even one person!"


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"Their throats are like an open grave. They use their tongues to hurt people." "Like dangerous snakes, poison is on their lips."


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We know that everything the law says, it says to people who live within the law so that every mouth must be shut. The whole world must be guilty before God.


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So no one will be made right with God by living within the law because, through the law, we become aware of sin.


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Now without the law, the way God makes people right has been revealed. The law and the prophets point toward this truth:


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committing oneself to Jesus Christ is what makes a person right with God. Safety from danger is for anyone who believes! It makes no difference who you are


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But, with God’s help in time of need, we are made right with God through Christ Jesus who sets us free. And all of this is free!


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God offered Christ as our sacrifice. When Christ shed his blood, this became the way that sins are taken away — if we believe. This showed God’s justice too. God passed over sins which had been committed before this time.


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God was tolerant but now, at this present time, to show His justice, He makes a person right who trusts in Jesus, and He is still fair.


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"So what room is left for bragging?" It is shut out. "How? Through some kind of law? Through deeds?" No! But through the principle of faith!


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Because we conclude that a person is made right with God by faith — without following the law of Moses.


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Is God only a God for the Jews? Isn’t He a God for non-Jews? "Yes, He is a God for non-Jewish people too."


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Since there is only one God, He will make a Jew right from faith and make a non-Jew right through faith.


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If Abraham was made right by human effort, then he would have something to boast about." — but not with God!


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What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God and, therefore, God declared him an upright man."


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But suppose a person doesn’t work for it? Instead, he believes in God who makes an ungodly man right. Then his faith is regarded as being made right.


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Therefore, this happiness is for Jews and non-Jews because we are saying that Abraham’s faith was regarded as being made right.


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When Abraham received the mark of circumcision, it was a seal to prove that the faith he had (while he was not circumcised) was considered as being made right by God. So Abraham is an ancestor to all believers who are declared "made right", even though they are not circumcised.


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Abraham is also the father of the circumcised. Not only those who are circumcised, but those who walk in the footsteps of the faith which Abraham, our ancestor, had while he was not circumcised.


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God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants (that Abraham would inherit the world) did not come through the law. Instead, it came through being made right which comes by faith.


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This is why it is by faith so that it will be a favor — to confirm the promise that God made to every descendant — not only for the Jew but also for the non-Jew who has the same kind of faith that Abraham had. Abraham is the ancestor of all the faithful!


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This is written: "I have made you to be an ancestor of many nations." In the presence of God, Abraham believed that God could make dead people come back to life, that God could call for things that did not exist, as though they existed.


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When there was no hope, Abraham believed with hope that he would become an ancestor of many nations, just as God said: "Your descendants will be like this."


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He understood that his body was practically dead (He was about 100 years old.) and that Sarah couldn’t have children either. But Abraham’s faith didn’t weaken.


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He did not doubt God’s promise. He believed. His faith made him even stronger. He gave glory to God.


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it was also written for us! We are going to be accepted too. We believe in the One who raised our Lord Jesus from death.


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Since we have been made right with God by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.


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Through Jesus, we have access by faith into this help in time of need where we now stand. We feel good because now we can hope for the glory of God.


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Not only that, we can feel good about our troubles because we know that suffering develops endurance.


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And hope never disappoints us because God has poured into our hearts the giving of Himself, for our good, expecting nothing in return, through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.


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It is rare when someone dies for a person that has been made right. However, some do dare to die for a good man.


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But God reassures us of His giving of Himself to us — for our good, expecting nothing in return — in this way: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!


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Since Christ’s blood has made us right with God, even more we will be saved from God’s punishment through Christ.


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We were God’s enemies but the death of His Son was used to make us God’s friends. Now that we have become friends of God, we will be saved even more by Christ’s life.


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Not only that, we feel good about being in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We now have friendship with God through Christ.


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Sin came into the world through one man. And death came into the world through sin. In this way, death spread to all men because all sinned.


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Sin was in the world before the law of Moses came but, because the law had not yet come, sin was not thought of as sin.


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But from Adam’s time to the time of Moses, death ruled over people who did not sin in the same way that Adam did. Adam was a picture of what was going to happen.


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But the gift of God was not like the sin of Adam; many people died because of one man’s sin. No, God’s help in time of need and the free gift that comes through one man, Jesus Christ, overflowed even more to many people.


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Also, the gift of God is not like that which came through one man’s sin. Following the sin of one man came the verdict of "guilty", but the free gift of God followed many sins and made people right with God.


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Death used one man’s sin to rule through one man. Those who receive the overflow of God’s help in time of need and the gift of being made right will rule even more in life through one man, Jesus Christ!


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So when one man sinned, all mankind became condemned. But, in the same way, through one man came an act of being made right. It could bring life and make all men right with God.


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Many people were made sinners through the disobedience of one man. But, through the obedience of one man, many people are made upright.


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The law came in to increase sin. But where sin increased, God’s help in time of need increased much more.


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Sin used death to rule. In the same way, God’s help in time of need rules through being made right through our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life.


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What should our answer be? Should we continue in sin so that God’s help in time of need will overflow?


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You know that all of us were immersed into Christ Jesus. Don’t you know that we were immersed into his death?


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So through immersion, we were buried with him into death. Christ was raised from death through the glory of the Father. In the same way we will live a new life.


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Because if we have been planted with Christ, dying as he died, we will also be raised to life with him.


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We know that our sinful selves were nailed to the cross with Christ so that the body of sin would lose its power, so that sin will no longer be used to make us slaves to sin.


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You know that Christ was raised from death, never to die again — death does not rule over him anymore!


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This was the type of death he died: he died for sin, once for all time, but the kind of life that he now lives is for God.


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Don’t allow the members of your body to be used as evil tools for sin. Instead, give yourselves to God as people who have come back to life from death. Use the members of your body as tools made right for God.


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Sin shall not rule over you, because you are not under the law — you are under God’s help in time of need!


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What does this mean? Should we sin because we are not under the law, but under God’s help in time of need? Never!


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Surely you know that you are slaves to whomever you offer yourselves to obey. The one you obey is your master. You could obey sin which leads to death, or you could obey God. This leads to being made right.


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But thank God that, even though you were slaves of sin, you obeyed from your hearts that pattern of teaching which you were given.


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Because of your human weakness (I am speaking as a man), you once gave the members of your body to be slaves to moral impurity, and to more and more sin. Now in the same way, give the parts of your body to be slaves to being made right, for being holy.


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So what good do you have from that time? You are ashamed of those things now! Those things will end up in death


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but now that you have been set free from sin, you are slaves to God. You get something good for being holy — the goal is eternal life!


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Brothers, surely you know (because I am talking to those who understand the law) that the law only rules over a person for as long as he lives.


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A married woman is bound to her husband by the law for as long as he lives but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage.


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Therefore, if she were married to a different man while her real husband is still alive, God would call her an adulteress. However, if her husband dies, she is free from the law of marriage. She would not be an adulteress if she got married to a different man later.


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So, my brothers, you also died to the law through Christ’s body. You can marry someone else — the one who was raised from death — so that you can produce fruit for God.


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When we were controlled by our human nature, the sinful desires which came through the law were working in our bodies. We produced fruit for death.


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But now we have been released from the law. We died to what bound us before so that we can serve with a new spirit, not by following a strict code.


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What should our answer be? Is the law the same thing as sin? Never! Only through the law could I have learned what sin was. Without the law, one could not know what evil desire is. It said: "You must not want things which don’t belong to you."


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Sin took the opportunity to use the command to make me want all kinds of things which didn’t belong to me because, without the law, sin is dead.


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Did what was for my good become death? Never! But so that sin would look like sin, sin worked through what was for my good to bring death! Sin would become very, very sinful through the command.


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I don’t understand what is happening to me: I don’t always do what I really want to do. Instead, I am always doing what I actually hate.


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I know that good does not live in me. (I mean, in my human nature.) I am ready and willing to do good but I can’t do it.


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I am not doing the good that I actually want to do. Instead, I continue doing something evil that I really don’t want to do.


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Since I am doing what I really don’t want to do, it is not I doing it anymore — it is the sin which is living in me that is doing it!


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However, I see a different law in my body, making war with the law of my mind. It is making me a prisoner to the sinful law which is in my body.


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Thank God, I can escape through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Therefore I serve God’s law with my mind but I serve the sinful law of my body with my human nature.


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The law was weak through human nature. God did what the law could not do: He sent His own Son as a sacrificial offering for sin. He came with a nature like man’s sinful human nature. And, concerning sin, this is how God used human nature to condemn sin.


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He wanted to completely satisfy in us what the law says is right. We are living by following the Spirit, not by following human nature.


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People who follow human nature are thinking about the evil things which human nature wants. People who follow the Spirit are thinking about the things that the Spirit wants.


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The way human nature thinks is hatred for God. It doesn’t want to put itself under the law of God. It can’t!


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However, you are not being controlled by human nature; you are being controlled by the Spirit — if God’s Spirit lives in you. If anyone does not have Christ’s Spirit, this person does not belong to Christ.


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But since Christ is in you, even though your body is dying (because of sin), your spirit is alive (because you have been made right with God).


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And if the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from death lives in you, then the One who raised Christ from death will make your dead bodies live, using His Spirit who is living in you.


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God did not give you a spirit to make you slaves, to be afraid again. Instead, you received the Spirit who makes you sons. Through the Spirit, we cry out, "Daddy, dear Father!"


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Since we are children, we are also heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. If we suffer together, we will share glory together.


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I consider the sufferings of the present time not worth comparing with the future glory which will be revealed to us.


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Creation was tied to frustration. That was not what it wanted, but God wanted it that way. So He bound it. However, there is hope!


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Creation itself will be set free from the slavery of decay and be brought into the glorious freedom of God’s children.


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We know, even now, that all creation is groaning with pain. It feels pain, like a woman who will soon give birth.


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Not only that but we, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan with pain also. We are waiting to become true sons — when our bodies will be set free!


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We don’t know how we should pray, but the Spirit helps our weakness. He personally talks to God for us with feelings that our language cannot express.


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God searches all men’s hearts. He knows what the Spirit is thinking. The Spirit talks to God in behalf of saints, using the manner which pleases God.


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We know that all things work together for good for people who give themselves to God, for His good, expecting nothing in return. They are called for God’s purpose.


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The people whom God knew about long ago were made a part of God’s plan long ago. God wanted them to become just like His Son. This is the way Christ would be the firstborn among many brothers.


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God made them a part of His plan long ago. These are the people whom He called. The people whom God called are the people He made right. Those whom God made right are the same ones who received glory from God.


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God did not keep His own Son. Instead, God gave him up for all of us. Therefore, wouldn’t God give us everything?


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Who will condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died and was raised from death. And he is at God’s right side, talking to God for us.


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Who can separate us from Christ’s giving of himself to us, for our good, expecting nothing in return? Will trouble, pain, persecution, having no food or clothes, danger, or violence separate us?


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This is written: "All day long we are in danger of dying for You. We are treated like sheep which will soon be killed."


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But in all these things, we are more than conquerors through the one who gave himself to us, for our good, expecting nothing in return.


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I am sure that nothing will be able to separate us from God’s giving of Himself to us, for our good, expecting nothing in return, which is found in Christ Jesus, our Lord. None of these things: death, life, angels, rulers, the present time, the future, powers, height, depth.


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I could wish that I were condemned — cut off from Christ — for the sake of my Jewish brothers, my human relatives.


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They are the people of Israel. God’s adopting them as sons – glory, covenants, law, worship, and promises belong to them.


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They have the family roots. Christ, in the human sense, came from them. However, God is over everyone. Praise Him forever. Amen.


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Not all the people who descended from Abraham are children of Abraham either. No, "Your true descendants will come through Isaac."


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This means that not all physical descendants are children of God. Instead, the children of God’s promise are counted as the real descendants.


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But before they were born, before they had done anything — good or bad — God told her, "The older son will serve the younger son." This happened in order to show that the choice came from God, not from human effort. God wanted His special choice to last.


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This is written: "I gave Myself to Jacob, for his good, expecting nothing in return, but I hated Esau."


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God said to Moses, "I will show mercy to the people I want to show mercy to. I will feel sorry for the people I want to feel sorry for."


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Because the Scripture said this about Pharaoh: "I allowed you to become a leader for a reason — that I might show My power through you. My name will spread to the whole world."


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So God shows mercy to those to whom He wants to show mercy. And, if God wants to do so, He makes some people hard.


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Who are you? You are only a human being. You cannot talk back to God. The thing which is made cannot say to the One who made it, "Why did you make me like this?".


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Does the potter have the right to use the same clay in two ways? Yes, He may use part of it to make a beautiful pot; or he may use part of it for something ordinary.


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God wanted to show His anger and to make His power clear. So He was very patient with people who would be punished. They were made ready for destruction.


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God wanted to make the wealth of His glory clear to people who would receive mercy. Long ago He prepared them to receive glory.


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It is as God says in the book of Hosea: "I will call people who didn’t belong to Me ‘My People’. I will give Myself to the nation that I did not give Myself to, for their good, expecting nothing in return."


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"This will happen where they said, ‘You are not My people’: they will be called ‘the sons of the living God’ in that same place!"


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Isaiah cried out for Israel: "Even if the number of the sons of Israel becomes as large as the number of grains of the ocean sands, only some of them will be saved.


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It is like Isaiah said long ago: "If Almighty God had not left us some descendants, we would have become like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah."


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What should we conclude? Non-Jews (who were not trying to be made right) received being made right; it was the kind of being made right which comes from faith.


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The people of Israel were trying to chase after a "law of being made right" in the law of Moses, but they did not get it.


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Why? Because that kind of being made right does not come from faith. Instead, it comes from human effort. They stumbled on the stone for stumbling.


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This is written: "Look! I am putting a stone for stumbling and a rock for tripping in Jerusalem. The person who believes in him will not be ashamed."


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I tell you the truth: they have much enthusiasm for God but their enthusiasm is not based on knowledge!


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They ignored God’s being right and tried to establish their own type of being made right. They did not put themselves under God’s kind of being right.


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Moses wrote about the type of being made right which comes from the law: "A person who wants to find life by following these things must do the things that the law says."


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But the kind of being made right which comes from faith says things like this: "You must not say this in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (This means to bring Christ down.)


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But what does it say? "The message is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart." This refers to the message about faith which we teach.


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If you confess with your mouth that "Jesus is Lord" and if you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from death, you will be saved.


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To become right with God, a person believes with his heart. Declaring it openly, that person comes into safety from danger.


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There is no difference between Jews and non-Jews! The Lord is the same Lord of everybody. He richly blesses everyone who trusts in Him:


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But how could they trust in One in whom they did not believe? How could they believe in One about whom they had never heard? How can they hear about Christ if someone doesn’t teach about Him?


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How are they going to be able to teach about Him if men are not being sent? This is written: "It is wonderful when men come to tell good news!"


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Therefore faith comes from hearing the Good News, and the Good News is heard through the preaching of the Word of Christ.


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But I ask, "Didn’t they hear?" Yes! "The sound of their voices went out to all the earth. Their words went out to the farthest places in the world."


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But I ask, "Didn’t Israel know this?" First, Moses said: "I will make you jealous by using those who are not a nation. I will make you angry with a foolish nation."


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Then Isaiah dared to say: "The people who were not looking for Me found Me. I appeared to people who were not asking for Me."


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God said this to the people of Israel: "I have held out my hands all day long to a people that is rebellious and will not obey."


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So I ask, "God has not rejected His people, has He?" Never! I am a Jew too. I am a descendant of Abraham. I come from the tribe of Benjamin.


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God did not reject His people whom He knew about ahead of time. You know the Scripture about Elijah when he was pleading to God against the people of Israel:


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"Lord God, they have killed Your prophets. They have torn down Your altars. I am the only one left. And they are trying to kill me!"


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So it is the same today. There is only a small community whom God has chosen through His help in time of need.


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Since it is by God’s mercy, it is not through human effort anymore. If that were not true, help in time of need would not mean help in time of need.


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So what does this mean? The people of Israel tried so hard to get something, but they didn’t get it. However, God’s chosen few did get it! The rest became hardhearted.


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This is written: "God gave them a numb spirit. They have eyes, but they don’t see. They have ears, but they don’t listen." This is true even today.


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David said, "I hope they will be caught and trapped at their own table! I hope they will trip and be paid back!


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So I ask, "When the Jews stumbled, did it ruin them?" No! Through their sin, safety from danger came to people who are not Jewish. Why? To make Jewish people jealous!


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But if their sin brings rich blessings to the world and their defeat brings rich blessings to non-Jews, then including them would bring even richer blessings!


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Now, I am talking to you non-Jews. Since I am the delegate to non-Jewish people, I will be proud of my ministry.


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If throwing them away means that the world is brought back to God, what would receiving them be? It would be like coming back to life from death!


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If the first piece of bread offered to God is holy, then all of it is holy. And if the root is holy, the branches are holy too.


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Yes, some of the branches were broken off. You non-Jews are like part of a wild olive tree which has been grafted in among the natural olive branches. You are sharing in the sap of the root of the olive tree.


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Don’t brag! You are not more important than the natural branches. If you brag, remember, you are not holding up the root. The root is holding you up!


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True, they were broken off, but it was because they did not believe. But you keep your position by faith. Don’t think you are more special. Instead, have awesome respect!


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So look at how kind God is and how harsh God is! He was harsh to those who fell, but He is kind to you — if you stay in His kindness. If you don’t, you will be cut off.


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And if the Jewish people start believing, they will be grafted in! God is able to graft them in again.


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Because since you non-Jews were cut from a wild olive tree and grafted in — in an unnatural way, against nature — into a tame olive tree, how much easier it would be to graft in these natural branches into their own olive tree.


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Brothers, I want you to know this secret: (this should make you feel humble) part of the people of Israel have become stubborn until the time when the complete number of non-Jewish people have come in.


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And in this way, all "Israel" will be saved. This is written: "The Savior will come out of Jerusalem. He will remove all ungodly ways from the people of Jacob.


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For the sake of you non-Jews, they are enemies of the Good News. But because of the patriarchs, God gives Himself to them, for their good, expecting nothing in return, by choice.


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You non-Jews did not obey God in the past, but now you have received mercy because they did not obey.


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In the same way the Jewish people are now disobedient to God so that they can receive God’s mercy too. You have already received His mercy.


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God has classed all men under the category of disobedience so that He may show mercy to all of them.


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O the depth of God’s wealth, wisdom, and knowledge! His decisions cannot be searched. His ways cannot be found:


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So, brothers, with God’s tender feelings, I beg you to offer your bodies as a living, holy, pleasing sacrifice to God. This is true worship from you.


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Don’t act like people of this world. Instead, be changed inside by letting your mind be made new again. Then you can determine what is good, pleasing, and perfect — what God wants.


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Through God’s help in time of need which has been given to me, I am telling each one of you: don’t think you are better than you really are. Instead, be modest in the way you think. God distributed a measure of faith to each person.


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God’s help in time of need gave us different gifts: If it is prophesying, then prophesy by degree of faith. If it is helping other people, then help.


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If it is encouraging people, then encourage. If it is giving money, then be generous. If it is leading others, then work hard. If it is showing mercy, then be cheerful.


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Giving yourselves to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, must be sincere. Hate evil. Hold onto good.


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Have the same kind of love for one another which brothers have. Give each other more honor than you do yourselves.


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If someone does wrong to you, don’t pay him back with another wrong. Be sure you do what is right in the eyes of everybody.


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Don’t avenge yourselves — you, who give yourselves to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return. Instead, leave room for God to punish. This is written: "The Lord says, ‘Revenge belongs to me — I will pay it back!’"


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"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. By doing this, you will make him burn with shame."


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Every person must put himself under existing authority. God is over all authority; the government positions are those which God appointed.


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So if someone rebels against authority, he is going against what God appointed. Rebels will receive condemnation.


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Rulers don’t scare people who do good things; only evildoers should be afraid. Do you want to be unafraid of a man in authority? Do good things! Then he will honor you.


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He is God’s servant for your own good. But if you commit a crime, you should be afraid because he can use real force! He is God’s servant to give fair punishment to anyone who commits a crime.


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The only thing you should owe anyone is the giving of yourself to him, for his good, expecting nothing in return. The person who gives himself to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, has completed the Law:


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"You must not commit unlawful sexual intercourse." "You must not commit murder." "You must not steal." "You must not want something which belongs to someone else." And any other command is covered by this one sentence: "Give yourself to other people, for their good, expecting nothing in return, the same way you give to yourself for your good."


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Giving yourself to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, does not hurt people. So giving yourself to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, is the completion of the law.


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You know this is the right time for you to wake up from sleeping. It’s late! The time for our deliverance is now nearer than when we first believed.


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The night is almost gone; daytime is near! So put away deeds of darkness. Put on the weapons of light.


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We should live properly, like people do during the daytime, not with orgies or by getting drunk, not committing unlawful sexual intercourse or having wild sex parties, not with fighting or jealousy.


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Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t think about how to satisfy the evil desires of your human nature.


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One person believes that he is allowed to eat anything; but the weaker brother eats nothing but vegetables.


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The one who eats anything must not look down on the one who does not eat. And the one who does not eat meat must not condemn the one who eats, because God accepts him too.


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Who are you? Can you judge the servant of someone else? That servant’s master decides whether he stands or falls, not you. He will be made to stand; the Lord is able to make him stand.


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One person thinks that one day is more holy than another day. But another man thinks that every day is the same. Each person must be sure in his own mind.


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When someone is honoring a special day, he is doing this for the Lord. When someone is eating in a special way, he is thanking God. And the brother who is not eating meat is doing that for the Lord. He also thanks God!


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If we live, let’s live for the Lord. If we die, let’s die for the Lord. It doesn’t matter whether we live or die — we belong to the Lord!


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But who are you? Can you judge your brother? Also, why do you look down on your brother? Because we will all stand in front of God at the Judge’s bench.


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This is written: "The Lord says, ‘As sure as I am alive: every knee will bow to Me. Every tongue will declare that I am God.’"


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Stop criticizing one another. Instead, do this: decide not to put anything in the way that could trip your brother or cause him to sin.


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In the Lord Jesus, I know and I’m sure that nothing is unholy in and of itself — unless it becomes "unholy" to the person who thinks it is unholy.


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If your brother feels upset because of what you eat, you are not giving yourself to him, for his good, expecting nothing in return, anymore. Don’t destroy that brother with your food — Christ died for him!


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God’s kingdom does not consist of eating and drinking; what’s important is being right with God, having peace, and being happy in the Holy Spirit.


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Don’t destroy God’s work for the sake of food. Everything is pure. But it is wrong for a person to eat anything that might trip someone else.


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You have your own faith. Keep it between yourself and God! The person who doesn’t feel condemned is happy. He knows what he is doing.


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But the person who has doubts feels condemned if he goes ahead and eats, because he is not sure. A person must be sure that everything he does is by faith, or else it is sin.


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Because even Christ did not please himself. This is written: "The insults of the people who were insulting You fell on me."


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Everything that was written long ago was written to teach us. We should learn that we can have hope through the endurance and encouragement we get from the Scriptures.


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The God who gives you the endurance and encouragement will help you agree with one another as you follow Christ Jesus.


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Then with one voice, all together, you will give glory to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.


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I tell you, Christ became a servant of the Jewish people for the sake of God’s truth. He did this to confirm God’s promises to our ancestors.


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Then other nations would give glory to God for His mercy. This is written: "This is why I will acknowledge You among the nations. I will sing to Your name."


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Again Isaiah said, "The descendant of Jesse will come. He will rise to rule the nations. The nations will place their hopes on him."


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The God of hope will fill you with every kind of happiness and peace while you trust Him. He will use hope to flood you with the power of the Holy Spirit.


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My brothers, I feel sure about you. You are full of goodness, complete with every kind of knowledge, and able to warn one another.


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In this letter I have written to you about several things. I was very honest with you because of the help in time of need that God gave me. I wanted to help you remember.


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I have been allowed to be Christ Jesus’ minister to non-Jews. I am performing holy service to God’s Good News. Then, after the nations have been made holy by the Holy Spirit, they will become an acceptable offering to God.


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Because I dare not say anything about the way Christ has used me to get something done about leading the non-Jewish people to obey God. He just used my words, my actions,


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powerful proofs from God, miracles, and the power of the Spirit. I have told the Good News everywhere — from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.


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I’ve always wanted to teach it where they didn’t know anything about Christ. I didn’t want to build on someone else’s foundation.


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This is written: "The people who were not told about him will learn. Those who have not heard will begin to understand."


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But now I have no more places to teach in this area. And I’ve wanted very much to come to you for many years.


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So whenever I travel to Spain, I hope to visit you while passing through. After I have enjoyed my visit for a while, you can help me to continue my trip to Spain.


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The saints in the areas of Macedonia and Achaia were delighted to share in doing something for the poor saints in Jerusalem.


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They were delighted because they owe them a lot. Since non-Jews have shared in the spiritual blessings of Jews, they should help them with physical things.


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When I have finished this and made sure that it does some good, I will come to you on my way to Spain.


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Brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the giving by the Holy Spirit, for your good, expecting nothing in return, I beg you to pray to God for me. Help me fight on!


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Pray that I will be rescued from people in the land of Judea who are not persuaded. Pray that my ministry to Jerusalem will be acceptable to the saints there.


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I recommend our sister Phoebe to you. She is a servant of the called out people in the town of Cenchrea.


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I want you to accept her, as saints should in the Lord Jesus. Help her with anything she might need from you because she has been very helpful to many people and to me also.


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They risked their very lives for me. I am not the only one who is thankful for them; all the non-Jewish called out people are thankful too!


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Also greet the called out people which meets in their house. Greet Epaenetus, to whom I give myself, for his good, expecting nothing in return. He was the first fruit to Christ in the land of Asia.


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Greet my relatives, Andronicus and Junias. They were in jail with me. The delegates think they are special. They were in Christ before I was.


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Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and Stachys, to whom I give myself, expecting nothing in return.


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Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa. These women worked very hard in the Lord Jesus. Greet Persis, to whom I give myself, for her good, expecting nothing in return. She has worked very hard in the Lord Jesus too.


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Brothers, I beg you, watch out for people who cause splits and do things which cause people to sin. This is against the teaching which you learned from us. Turn away from them.


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People like this are only serving their own appetites. They fool innocent people with smooth talk and flattery.


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Everyone has heard about how you obeyed. I’m proud of you. However, I want you to be experts in good, and not even beginners in evil.


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The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet soon. May the help in time of need of Jesus our Lord be with you.


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Gaius greets you. The whole called out people and I are his guests. Erastus greets you. He is the city manager. Brother Quartus sends you his greeting too.


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I commit you to God who is able to make you strong with my Good News (the preaching about Jesus Christ) and the secret revelation which has been kept hidden for a long, long time.


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This secret has now been made clear through the prophetic writings. The eternal God ordered this so that, when it becomes known, all nations will believe it and obey.


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The First Letter to the Ones in Corinth From Sosthenes, our brother, and from Paul, a delegate of Christ Jesus. God wanted me to be a delegate — He called me.


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To the called out people who belong to God in the city of Corinth. You have been set apart in Christ. God called you to be holy. This letter is also addressed to people everywhere who trust in the name of Jesus Christ. He rules both them and us.


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You do not need any more gifts while you are waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed from heaven.


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Jesus will make you strong until the end. On the Judgment Day of our Lord Jesus Christ, you will be innocent.


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Brother and sisters, I beg you by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ: all of you must agree with each other. Get together. Have the same attitude and the same purpose. There should be no divisions among you.


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To each one of you who is saying, "I belong to Paul.", "I belong to Apollos.", "I belong to Peter.", or "I belong to Christ.", this is what I have to say:


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is Christ divided into pieces? Paul was not nailed to the cross for you, was he? You were not immersed by Paul’s authority, were you?


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Christ sent me not to immerse people but to tell the Good News about Jesus. I must not tell it in a way that men regard as "wise". The meaning of the cross of Christ must not lose its power.


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To people who are being lost, the message about Jesus’ being nailed to a cross sounds senseless; but to us who are being saved, it is God’s power.


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This is written: "I will destroy the so-called ‘wisdom’ of wise men and reject the ‘understanding’ of people of understanding."


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Where does that leave the "wise" man? Where is the "expert"? Where is the man in the world who can argue so skillfully? God has made this world’s "wisdom" look foolish.


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Evil people used their "wisdom", but they could not know the true God. This shows how wise God really is. It pleased God to save people who believe the "absurd" message of preaching!


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Jewish people are always asking for "proofs" from God. Non-Jewish people are always looking for "wisdom".


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But we always preach Christ, the one who was nailed to the cross! This is embarrassing to Jews and nonsense to non-Jews.


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To those of us who were called by God, whether we are Jews or non-Jews, this is the true message: Jesus is the Christ, God’s power and God’s wisdom!


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God’s "nonsense" is still wiser than the "wisdom" of men. His "weakness" is still stronger than man’s "strength".


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Brothers, look at the way that God called you: by human standards, not many of you were educated, important leaders, nor people with much influence.


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But God chose things which seem meaningless to people in the world. Why? To make wise men ashamed. God chose things which seem weak to the world to make strong people humble.


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God chose things which the world thinks are not important, but He destroyed things which they think are important.


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But because of God, you are now in Christ Jesus. To us, Christ has become wisdom — the only true wisdom that comes from God. Christ means being made right with God, being holy and free.


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Brothers, when I came to you, I told you about God’s secret. And I didn’t use fancy words or man’s wisdom.


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I didn’t use the words of educated men to persuade people. Instead, I preached the message. I showed that it was backed up by the Spirit and real power.


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We are speaking true wisdom to people who are spiritually mature. We are not talking about what this world calls "wisdom" or the rulers of this world, who are losing their power.


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No, we are talking about God’s secret wisdom, which has been hidden. Since before time began, God planned this glory for us.


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None of the rulers of this world understood this. If they had known it, they would not have nailed the Lord of glory to the cross.


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This has been written: "No eye has ever seen this and no ear has ever heard this. No human being has ever imagined this. But this is what God prepared for those who give themselves to Him, for His good, expecting nothing in return."


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God used the Spirit to show this secret to you. The Spirit searches everything — even the deep things of God.


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How many people truly understand the thoughts which are inside just one person? Only that person’s spirit really knows the person. In the same way too, no one knows the thoughts of God except God’s Spirit.


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It is not the spirit of the world which we have received. Instead, we received the Spirit who comes from God so that we may understand the things which God freely gave to us.


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These are the things we are continually saying. We are not using human ideas of wisdom which man taught us. Instead, we are using words which the Spirit teaches. We explain spiritual things with spiritual words.


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A person that is not different does not receive messages from God’s Spirit. To him they are without meaning; he cannot understand them. They can only be understood in a spiritual way.


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"Who can completely understand the Lord’s mind? Who can give Him advice?" — But we have the mind of Christ!


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Brothers, I couldn’t talk to you as I talk to people who are spiritual. Instead, you were like worldly people, like babies in Christ.


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You are still worldly. There is jealousy and arguing among you. Are you not worldly then? You are living like sinful people, aren’t you?


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When someone says, "I belong to Paul" and another one says, "I belong to Apollos", you are acting like people in sin.


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Who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only ministers. You believed by listening to us. The Lord gave each of us a job to do.


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The person who did the planting is not important. The person who gave it water is not important, but God, who made it grow, is important!


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The planter and the person who waters work together. Each person will receive his own reward for doing his work.


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With the help in time of need that God gave me, I laid the foundation like a skillful worker and another man builds upon that foundation. Each builder must be careful how he builds on it.


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Someone may use gold, silver, or precious stones to build upon the foundation. Other people may use wood, hay, or straw.


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The results of each person’s effort will become plain. The Judgment Day will make it clear. Fire will test it to see how solid each person’s work really is.


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Even if his efforts are completely destroyed, he will be saved, though he will feel hurt. It will be difficult — like going through fire.


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If someone tries to destroy God’s temple, God will destroy him because God’s temple is holy and you are God’s temple.


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No one should fool himself! If anyone among you thinks he is "wise" (by this world’s standards), he ought to become a "fool" — then he can become truly wise.


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This world’s "wisdom" is really foolishness to God. This has been written: "God trapped the so-called ‘wise’ people with their own tricks."


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My conscience isn’t hurting me, but this does not make me right with God. The Lord is the One who judges me.


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You must not pre-judge anything before the Lord Jesus comes. He will bring to light the things which are hidden in the dark. He will make clear the motives of the hearts of people. At that time God will reward each person.


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Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your sakes so that you may learn from our example. You must not go beyond what the Scriptures say. Don’t be more proud of one person than another.


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How are you better than anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive from God? Since you received it from God, then why do you brag as though you did not receive it?


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You are already satisfied with yourselves. You have already become "rich". You have become "kings", ruling without us. I wish you really were kings. Then we could rule with you!


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It seems as though God has made us delegates look like the least important of all men, like men condemned to die. We have become a show to people, to the world, and to the angels.


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Because of Christ we are fools, but you are such wise men in Christ. We are powerless, but you are strong. You are famous, but we have no honor.


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We work hard with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless them. When they persecute us, we endure.


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When people say cruel things to us, we encourage. We have become like the world’s garbage. At this very moment, we are like the scum of the earth!


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I’m not writing these things to shame you. I am only warning you like my children to whom I give myself, expecting nothing in return.


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Though you may have 10,000 trainers in Christ, you don’t have more than one father. With the Good News I fathered you in Christ Jesus.


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This is why I sent Timothy to you. He is my precious, faithful child to whom I give myself, for his good, expecting nothing in return, in the Lord Jesus. Timothy will help you remember the ways in Christ which I teach in each group of called out people everywhere.


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But I will come to you soon if that is what the Lord wants. I will find out — not what these proud people can say but — what they can do!


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Which do you prefer? Should I come to you with a rod for punishing, or by giving myself to you, for your good, expecting nothing in return, with a gentle attitude?


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It is being told everywhere that there is a terrible sexual sin among you. And it is the kind of sexual sin that almost never occurs — even among people of the world: some man is having unlawful sexual intercourse with his stepmother!


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But instead of feeling sorry about this, you seem proud of it! The man who has done this should be put out from your group.


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Although my body is not there, my spirit is present with you. I have already decided, as if I were present, what you should do about the man who has behaved in this way.


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When you and my spirit gather together, by the authority of our Lord Jesus and with his power, this is what should be done:


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turn such a man over to Satan! This may destroy his flesh so that his spirit may be saved on the Judgment Day of the Lord Jesus.


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Your pride is not good. Don’t you realize that only a little yeast makes a whole lump of dough rise?


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Clean out the old yeast of sin so that you may become a new batch of dough. Then you will be pure. Christ, our Passover lamb, was sacrificed.


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So let us celebrate our Passover Festival, but not by using the old yeast of sin and evil. Instead, let us use sincerity and truth.


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I wrote this to you in another letter: "You must not associate with people who commit unlawful sexual intercourse."


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But I didn’t mean the people from this world who commit unlawful sexual intercourse, or greedy people, or robbers, or people who worship false gods. You would need to leave the earth to get away from them.


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But in this letter I am telling you not to associate with a person (who calls himself a brother) if he commits unlawful sexual intercourse, or if he is a greedy person, or if he worships false gods, or if he says slanderous things about people, or if he is a drunkard, or if he robs people. Don’t even eat with such a person!


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It is none of my business to judge people on the outside of the called out people. God is the One who will judge outsiders. You are supposed to judge people on the inside. So put this evil man away from you!


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One of you has a serious matter in court against another brother. Does this person dare to have himself judged in front of sinners? This should be judged before the saints.


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Surely you realize that the saints are the ones who will judge the world. Since you will judge the people in the world, aren’t you worthy to judge small matters among yourselves?


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Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? Surely we should be able to judge matters in this life.


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When you have such civil cases, why do you put them before outsiders whose opinion the called out people does not consider important?


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I am saying this to make you feel ashamed. Do you not have even one person in your group who is wise? Is there no one who can decide what is right between two of his brothers?


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Instead, one brother is against his brother in court — and this is happening in front of unbelievers!


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You already have lawsuits among you. This shows that you have completely failed! It would be better to allow someone to do wrong to you, wouldn’t it? Why not let someone cheat you?


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Surely you must realize that evil people will not enter God’s kingdom? Don’t be fooled. These are the kind of people I’m talking about: they commit sexual sin. They worship false gods. They commit unlawful sexual intercourse. They are perverts. They are homosexuals.


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They steal. They are greedy. They are drunkards. They say terrible things about people. They rob people. People like this won’t enter the kingdom of God.


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Some of you were like that, but you were washed of sin and made holy. You have been made right with God by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and with the Spirit of our God.


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"I may do anything I want to do", but not everything is best for me. Yes, "I may do anything I want to do", but I won’t allow myself to be a slave to anything.


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Food helps to keep the stomach satisfied. The stomach is supposed to receive food, but God will destroy both the stomach and food. The human body should function for the Lord’s purpose. Committing unlawful sexual intercourse is not the purpose of the body. The body should be used for the Lord. The Lord will take care of the body.


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Surely you realize that your bodies are parts of Christ’s body. Should the parts of Christ’s body be changed to the parts of a whore’s body? Certainly not!


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Don’t you know that the person who has sex with a whore is one body with her? The Scripture says: "A man and a woman will become one flesh."


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Run away from unlawful sexual intercourse! Any other sin which a person might do is outside his body, but if a person commits a sexual sin, he is sinning against his own body.


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Surely you realize that your body is a temple? You have received the Holy Spirit from God. The Holy Spirit is inside you — in the temple. You do not belong to yourselves.


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However, there is so much unlawful sexual intercourse everywhere; so each man should be married and each woman should be married.


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The husband should satisfy his wife sexually. In the same way, the wife should satisfy her husband’s sexual needs.


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The wife does not own her body; it belongs to her husband. And the husband does not own his body; his wife does.


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Don’t cheat one another of sex. You may agree to stop for a while so that you may pray to God more but, after this time, you should come together again. Otherwise Satan might tempt you through not having enough self-control.


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I wish everyone could be single like me, but God has given each person his own special gift. One has one gift and one has another gift.


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This is what I say to single people and widows: if you were to stay unmarried as I am, it would be better for you.


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But if you don’t have self-control, then go ahead and get married. It would be better for you to get married than always to be burning with sexual desire.


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To married people I am giving this order (the command is not mine; the Lord Jesus gave this order): a wife must not separate from her husband.


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If she does, she must stay unmarried — or come back to her husband. A husband must not leave his wife either.


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I am saying this to others there (the Lord Jesus did not give a direct command): a brother might be married to a woman who is not a believer. Suppose she likes being married to him; he must not leave her.


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A believing woman might have a husband who is an unbeliever but he likes being married to her. She must not leave him


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because the unbelieving husband is made "holy" by his believing wife. And the unbelieving wife is made "holy" by the believing brother. Otherwise, your children would be spiritually unclean; now they are holy.


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If the unbeliever wants to separate from his mate, allow that person to separate. A brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God called us to live in peace.


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O wife, who knows — you might convert your unbelieving husband. O husband, who knows — you might convert your unbelieving wife.


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The Lord has given a role to each person. He should live his life the way it was when God called him. This is what I tell people to do in all the called out groups:


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if God called someone with the marks of circumcision, he must not try to remove those marks. If God called someone else without the marks of circumcision, he must not become circumcised.


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Circumcision is not important; being uncircumcised is not important either. Obeying God’s commands is what is important.


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Were you a slave when God called you? That shouldn’t bother you. But if you can get your freedom, get it.


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The person who was a slave when God called him is now the Lord’s free man. In the same way the person who was a free man when God called him is now Christ’s slave.


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You wrote me a letter about virgin girls. I don’t have a direct command from the Lord Jesus, but I am giving you what I know. I’m dependable; the Lord has given me mercy.


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But if you do get married, you have not done wrong. And if a virgin girl gets married, she has not sinned. However, married people will have many troubles at this time and I would like to protect you.


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Brothers, I am saying this because time is short. Soon men who have wives must act as though they are not married.


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People who are crying must act as though they are not really crying. Those who are happy must act as though they are not happy. People who buy things must act as though they don’t own what they have bought.


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Those who do business with the world must act as though they don’t care. Why? Because this world, as you see it, won’t last long.


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I want you to be free from worry. An unmarried believing man is concerned about the Lord’s things and he is trying to please the Lord.


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He is torn between the two. An unmarried believing woman or virgin girl is concerned about the Lord’s things: she wants to be holy in body and spirit. A married believing woman worries about worldly things: she is trying to please her husband.


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I am saying this to help you. I’m not trying to add an extra burden to you. Do what seems right. Give yourselves completely to the Lord without distraction.


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Someone may not think he is doing the right thing with his bride-to-be. She may not be getting any younger either. He may feel he should marry her. Let him do what he wants to; he is not sinning. Let them get married!


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However, another man may have already firmly decided that he does not need to get married because he has complete control of his sexual will power. He has decided in his heart that he won’t marry her. He’ll be doing a fine thing too.


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The man who marries his bride-to-be is doing a good thing, but the man who does not marry will be doing even better.


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A believing woman is bound by her marriage promise as long as her husband lives, but if her husband dies, she becomes free from it. She may marry anyone — anyone in the Lord Jesus.


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But I think she would be happier if she stayed a widow. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.


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You wrote me about meat offered to false gods. We know that all of us have spiritual knowledge. Knowledge makes a person proud but giving yourself to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, builds up people.


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You wrote me about eating meat which has been offered to false gods. We know that they really don’t exist. There is only one true God.


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To us, there is only one God — the Father. He is the Source of everything. We live for Him. There is only one Lord — Jesus Christ. Everything was created through him. We live through him.


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However, not everyone has this spiritual knowledge. Some people still have the habit of treating idols as though they were real when they eat such meat. Their conscience is weak; they feel that the food makes them unclean.


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Food is not the thing that brings us closer to God. We are not losing anything if we don’t eat some things. We are not any better off if we do eat.


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You have spiritual knowledge. Suppose you sit down to eat meat inside the temple of a false god and suppose a person with a weak conscience sees you. His conscience would become bold; he would go inside and eat meat offered to false gods too!


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So your spiritual knowledge would destroy a person with a weak conscience. And Christ died for that brother!


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In this way you would have sinned against the brothers. You would have hurt their weak consciences and you would have sinned against Christ!


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Therefore if meat causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat. I don’t want to make my brother sin.


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I am free, am I not? I’m a delegate, am I not? I have seen our Lord Jesus, haven’t I? You are the result of my efforts for the Lord, aren’t you?


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Others may not think I truly am a delegate. At least to you I am a delegate because you are the proof of it in the Lord Jesus!


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Do not each of us have the right to travel with a believing wife? We have the same right as the other delegates, brothers of the Lord Jesus, and Peter.


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Soldiers don’t pay their own wages. A farmer who plants a vineyard is allowed to eat some of the grapes. A shepherd who takes care of the flock of sheep gets some of the milk from the flock.


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This is written in the law of Moses: "Don’t cover the ox’s mouth while it is walking around on the wheat straw." Did God say this because He cares about oxen?


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God said all this for us; it was written to teach us something. The person who is plowing should plow with hope. The man who separates the grain from the straw should hope to share part of the grain.


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Since we planted spiritual things among you, it should be no big thing to harvest physical things from you.


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Other people have the right for support from you. Shouldn’t we have it too? Yes, but we have not used this right. We endure all of these things because we don’t want to do anything to slow down the Good News of Christ.


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Surely you realize that those priests who work in the temple area eat some of the food that is offered there. And those who work near the altar share in the food that is offered there.


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In the same way, the Lord Jesus commanded that the men who are preaching the Good News should be able to make a living from preaching it.


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I have not used any of these privileges. I am not writing these things so that I can get something from you — I would rather die first! No one will take away what I’m so proud of!


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I am telling the Good News, but that is nothing I can brag about. I feel compelled to do it. How awful it would be for me if I were not telling the Good News!


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If I do it because I really choose to do it, I could get a reward. But if I do it as a duty, I am only doing the job that God gave me.


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What reward do I get? I tell the story of the Good News of Christ free of charge. So I don’t use my privilege when I am telling the Good News.


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I am my own man; no man owns me. I make myself a slave to everyone so that I may win many people for the Good News.


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To Jews, I became more Jewish to win them. I obey the law for the good of those who think they are under its rule. (I am not really under its authority). I am only trying to win those who obey the law.


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I obey no special rules for the good of non-Jewish people. This does not mean that I am free from God’s law; I am within Christ’s law! I am only trying to win non-Jewish people for the Good News.


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To weak people, I became weak so that I could win weak people. I have become almost anything for the good of everyone so that I could save some of them in some way.


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Surely you realize that, of all those who are running a race in the stadium, only one of them can receive the prize. In the same way, run your race so that you may win the prize.


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Every athlete who is in training must have complete control of his body. He trains to receive a prize — it will not last. But we do it to receive a prize which lasts forever.


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I make my body tough, bringing it under complete control. Otherwise I might be disqualified after I have preached to others.


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Brothers, I want you to realize that all of our ancestors were under the cloud and all of them passed through the Red Sea.


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All of them drank the same spiritual drink. They were drinking from the spiritual rock which was following them. (That rock was Christ.)


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However, God was not pleased with most of them. Their dead bodies were scattered all over the desert.


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We must not worship false gods as some of them did. This is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and then they got up to play around."


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We must not commit unlawful sexual intercourse as some of them did. In one day God destroyed 23,000 people!


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But all of these things happened to them for examples. This was written to warn us — we who are confronted by the end of the ages.


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You have been tempted the same way all people have been tempted, but God is faithful. He will not allow Satan to tempt you with more than you can resist. No, when you are being tempted, God will also give you a way to escape so that you can endure it.


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The cup of blessing for which we thank God is the sharing of Christ’s blood, isn’t it? When we all break off a piece of bread, it is the sharing of Christ’s body, isn’t it?


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No! The people of this world are offering things to demons, not to the true God. I don’t want you to be partners with demons!


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You must not drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons. You must not share at the Lord’s table and at the table of demons.


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"I am allowed to do anything", but not everything is the best thing to do. Yes, "I am allowed to do anything", but not everything builds up other people.


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If an unbeliever invites you to his home and you want to go, eat whatever he puts in front of you. Don’t ask any questions because of conscience.


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But if anyone says this to you: "This was offered to an idol!" Don’t eat it — because of the one who said this and because of conscience.


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By "conscience" I mean not yours, but his! But why is my freedom being judged by the conscience of someone else?


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If I am thankful for what I have, why can someone say evil things about something for which I am thankful to God?


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I try to please everyone in every way. I’m not looking for what is best for me, but what is best for most people so that they will be saved.


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I praise you because you remember me in all things. You are loyal to the teaching that I passed on to you:


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I want you to understand that God is over Christ. Christ is over every male. And males are over females.


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Any female who is praying or prophesying with her head uncovered brings shame on her head. This means the same thing as shaving the head.


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If a woman’s head is not covered, she should cut off all her hair! Since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or shaved, she should wear a covering.


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A male ought not to cover his head. He is the image and glory of God; the female is the glory of the male.


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This is why a female ought to show some sign on her head that she is respecting authority. She should also do it because of the angels.


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Decide for yourselves: does it seem right to you that a woman should pray to God without a covering?


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If someone wants to argue about it, we don’t have a different custom, neither do the called out people who belong to God.


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I am not praising you with the following instructions: your meetings are hurting you instead of helping you!


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First, when you come together as a called out people, I hear that there are divisions among you. I believe part of this is true.


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It is apparently necessary to have factions among you so that it will become plain which of you are "true" believers.


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because each person takes his own supper. He does not wait for others; he just goes ahead and eats. So one stays hungry and another gets drunk.


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You have houses where you can eat and drink. Do you look down on God’s called out people? Do you want to make poor people ashamed? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I most certainly do not!


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I received from the Lord what I passed on to you: during the night that the Lord Jesus was betrayed, he took bread.


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Then he thanked God for it and broke off some of it. Jesus said, "This bread is my body which is broken for you. Eat this to remember me."


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After supper, Jesus took a cup in the same way. He said, "This cup is the new covenant with God in my blood. Drink this to remember me. Every time you drink this, you will be remembering me."


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Every time you eat this bread and drink from this cup, you are telling about the Lord Jesus’ death until he returns.


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So if anyone eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord with the wrong attitude, he will be guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ!


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Each person must look deeply into his own heart. Then he should eat the bread and drink from the cup in the right way.


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If someone is eating and drinking without recognizing the meaning of the body of Christ, he is condemning himself by eating and drinking!


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No, the Lord judges us. We are being corrected so that we will not be condemned with the people of the world.


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If someone comes only for the food, he should stay home and eat there! Meeting together should not bring condemnation on you. I will give more orders when I come.


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Do you remember when you were people of the world? You were controlled by false gods which couldn’t talk; you followed them.


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So I make this clear to you: no one who is speaking by God’s Spirit can say, "Jesus, be cursed!"; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord", unless he says it by the Holy Spirit.


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There are many different abilities, but it is the same God who gives them. God gives all of these powers to all of the people who have them.


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the ability to speak wisely is given through the Spirit to one person. The ability to give knowledge is given by the same Spirit to another person.


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A different person receives faith by the same Spirit. The ability to heal diseases is given to another by the one Spirit.


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The ability to work miracles is given to someone else. The ability to prophesy is given to another person. The ability to see the difference between what spirits teach is given to another one. The ability to speak different languages is given to one. The ability to interpret different languages is given to someone else.


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All of these powers are given by one and the same Spirit. He distributes them to each person as he chooses.


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The body is a unit but it has many parts. All of the many parts of the body make up one body. Christ is the same way.


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All of us were immersed into this one body of Christ by one Spirit — Jews/non-Jews, slaves/free men — we all drink from the same Spirit.


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The foot might say, "Since I am not a hand, I don’t belong with the body." But it still belongs with the body!


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The ear might say, "Since I’m not an eye, I don’t belong with the body." But it still does belong with the body!


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If the whole body were an eye, how would the body hear? If the whole body were an ear, where would smelling come from?


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The eye cannot say this to the hand: "I do not need you!" Again the head cannot say to the feet: "I do not need you!"


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There are parts of the body which we think are ugly. We give these parts special care. We treat an unmentionable part of the body with special attention.


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The more beautiful parts of our body do not need this. But God has joined the parts of the body together. He gives more honor to the parts that need it.


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If one member is suffering, all of the members are suffering too. If another member receives an honor, then all the members are happy for him.


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Among all those called out peoples, God put in: first, delegates; second, prophets; third, teachers; next, those who work miracles; then, people who heal diseases; people who help others; organizers; those who speak different languages.


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All of them are not delegates, are they? Not all of them are prophets, are they? Are all of them teachers? All of them are not miracle workers, are they?


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All of them do not have the gift of healing diseases, do they? Not all of them speak different languages, do they? All of them cannot interpret different languages, can they?


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Even if I speak with human languages or the language of angels, but do not give myself to others for their good, expecting nothing in return, I have only become like the noisy sound of a gong or the ringing sound from cymbals.


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I may have the ability to prophesy, know all secrets, possess all knowledge, and have the kind of faith which can move mountains — but if I don’t give myself to others for their good, expecting nothing in return, I am nothing.


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I could give away everything I own and sacrifice my body so that I could brag about it, but if I did not give myself to others for their good, expecting nothing in return, I have gained nothing.


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Giving yourself to others for their good, expecting nothing in return, is patient; is kind; is not jealous; is not boastful; is not proud;


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Giving yourself to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, lasts forever. There are such things as prophecies, but they will disappear. There are languages, but they will stop. There is such a thing as knowledge from God, but it will disappear.


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When I was a child, I used to talk about the things that a child would talk about. I thought and reasoned as a child does; but now that I have become an adult, I have put aside the ways of children.


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At this time we see only a blurred image in the metal mirror. At that time we will see plainly — as one person looking at another’s face. Now I know things only partially, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me.


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And now these three remain: faith, hope and the giving of yourself to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return. But the greatest of these is giving yourself to others.


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Follow the giving of yourself to others for their good, expecting nothing in return, and eagerly desire the spiritual gifts, especially prophesying.


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Anyone who is speaking in a different language is not communicating to men, but to God. No one understands him. He is speaking the secrets of God by inspiration.


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But everyone who prophesies to people is speaking to build them up, to encourage them, and to comfort them.


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The one who is speaking a different language is only helping himself, but the one who is prophesying is helping the called out people.


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I wish that all of you could speak in different languages but, even more, I wish you could prophesy. The one who is prophesying is more effective than the one who speaks in different languages — unless he can interpret it in such a way that the called out people will get some good from it.


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Now, brothers, if I come speaking different languages to you, what good will you get out of it? I may speak to you by revelation, different knowledge, prophecy, or different teaching.


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Lifeless instruments, such as a flute or a harp, produce a sound. This sound must be made clearly or no one can recognize the tune that is being played on the flute or the harp.


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In the same way, if you use a different language to give your fine message, how will anyone understand what is being said? You will seem to be like a person who talks to himself!


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If I don’t understand the meaning of the language, I am a foreigner to the one who is speaking and he is a foreigner to me.


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Since you are eager for spiritual gifts, eagerly desire those which will help the whole called out people the most.


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So the one who is speaking in a different language must pray that he will be able to interpret what he said.


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When I am using a different language in prayer, my spirit is praying but my understanding has no part in it.


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So what should I do? I will pray with my spirit and pray with understanding too. I will sing to God with my spirit and sing with understanding also.


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When you are praising God in a different language only with your spirit, how will the ordinary person know when to say, "Amen"? You are giving thanks to God but that man doesn’t know what you are saying.


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It is a fine thing that you are giving thanks to God but the other person is not getting any good out of it.


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However, in the meeting I would rather speak five words with understanding to teach other people than thousands of words in a different language!


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Brothers, be as innocent as children about evil things, but don’t be like children in how you think. Be mature!


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This is written in the law: "I will speak to this nation with different languages and different dialects, but they will not obey me." That is what the Lord God said.


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Speaking different languages is a proof from God to unbelievers, not to the people who already believe. The ability to prophesy is proof to believers, not to unbelievers.


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Suppose the whole called out people gathers together and everyone is speaking with different languages. Then an ordinary person or unbeliever comes into the room. Would he not say you are crazy?


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But if everyone can prophesy, and an unbeliever or ordinary person comes into the room, he will feel convicted of sin by everything that is happening. He will feel judged by everyone.


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The secret things of his heart will come out into the open. He will bow down his face and begin to worship God, confessing: "God is really among you!"


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Brothers, what should be done? When you gather together, someone may have a song. Someone else may have a teaching to give, a special revelation, a different language, or an interpretation. Everything should be done for the good of the whole community.


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If someone speaks with a different language, let him speak — but only two or three at the most. Let them speak by taking turns, and let only one person interpret.


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If no interpreter is there, the person who speaks a different language must not speak among the called out people. However, he is allowed to think to himself and worship God silently.


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If a revelation from God comes to another person who is sitting down, the first prophet must stop talking immediately.


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All of you will have an opportunity to prophesy, but it must be by turn so that everyone will learn and be encouraged.


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God is a God of peace, not confusion. This is the way it should be in all of the called out people who are the saints!


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The women must be quiet in the meetings. They are not allowed to speak. They must be under authority, as the law says.


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If the women want to learn more about something, they should ask their husbands at home. It is shameful for a woman to speak in the meeting.


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Someone may think he is a prophet or an inspired person. However, that person must acknowledge that what I am writing to you is a command from the Lord!


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So, my brothers, eagerly desire the ability to prophesy. And don’t try to stop people from speaking in different languages.


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Brothers, I am telling you the Good News which I’ve already told you. You accepted it and you are still staying with it.


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If you hold onto the Good News which I told you, then through it you are being saved — unless you believed it for nothing!


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First of all, I passed on to you the same thing which was passed on to me: Christ died for our sins. (The Scriptures told about this before it happened.)


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Then he appeared to more than 500 brothers at the same time. Most of these people are still alive today, but some of them have already died.


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Of all the delegates, I am the least important. I don’t even deserve to be called a delegate; I persecuted the called out people of God!


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But I am what I am because of God’s help in time of need which he pointed toward me. This paid off! I worked harder than all of the other delegates. But it was not really I that was working so hard — it was God’s help in time of need which I have with me!


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It doesn’t matter whether the Good News came through me or through other delegates — we preached it and you believed it!


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Since it is being preached that Christ has been raised from death, why do some of you claim that when people die, they do not live again!


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And if Christ hasn’t been raised from death, then what we are preaching is not true. You have believed in something which is false!


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We are guilty of being liars about God. We told the truth from God — that God raised Christ from death. But if people don’t rise from death, then God did not raise Christ from death!


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And if Christ hasn’t been raised from death, your faith is worthless. You are still lost in your sins!


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If we have put our hope in Christ in this life and Christ did not rise from death, then, of all people, we should be pitied the most.


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Each one will rise from death in his proper order. Christ was the first one. The people who belong to Christ will rise from death when Jesus comes from heaven.


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Then the end will come. Christ will hand over the kingdom to God the Father. Christ will destroy every ruler, every authority and power.


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"God will put everything under his feet." (When it says "everything", it is clear that this does not include God, the One who puts everything under Christ’s authority).


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After God does this, Christ will put himself under God’s authority (the One who put everything under Christ). This is the way that God will be above all things in everything.


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Some people are immersed on account of people who died. If people do not rise from death, then why do they do this?


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I face death every day. (Brothers, I am proud of you; that is the one thing I have in Christ Jesus our Lord.)


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I fought against wild animals in the city of Ephesus. If people don’t rise from death, what good did I get from it? If it were for only human reasons, then: "Let’s eat and drink today, for we will die tomorrow!"


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Be alert and do what is right. Some people don’t have a true knowledge of God. (I say this to make you feel ashamed.)


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When you plant something, you are not planting the full-grown plant! No, it is a bare seed, perhaps wheat or some other grain.


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All cell tissue is different. Human beings have their own kind of flesh. Animals have a different type, as do birds and fish.


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There are bodies in the universe and bodies on earth, but the beauty of the universe is different from the beauty of anything on earth.


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The sun has its own beauty; the moon has another kind of beauty. The stars have still another type of beauty. Even the stars are different from one another in their beauty.


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So people do rise from death! A dead body is buried in decay, but it will be raised, never to die again.


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A dead body will be buried with sadness, but it will be raised from death with splendor. A dead body is buried in weakness, but it will be raised with power.


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A dead body is buried as a physical body, but it will be raised as a spiritual body. Since there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body.


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This has been written: "The first man, Adam, became a living soul." But the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.


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Earthly people are like the one who came from dust. The ones who go to heaven will be like the one who came from heaven.


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Brothers, I am saying this because men in their physical form cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which can decay cannot have a share in what never dies.


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We will be changed instantly, like the twinkle in someone’s eye. That last trumpet will sound. Then people will rise from death, never to die again and we will be changed.


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This decaying body must be dressed with immortality. This body, which can die, must be dressed with a body which can never die.


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This body, which can be destroyed, will be replaced with a body which cannot be destroyed. This body, which can die, will be replaced with a body which can never die. Then the message which has been written will come true: "Victory has swallowed up death.


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So, you — to whom I give myself, for your good, expecting nothing in return — be firm and don’t be moved. Always be doing something for the Lord. You must realize that your hard work for the Lord will not be without meaning.


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You wrote me about the special collection for the saints. I have already given orders to the called out people in the Galatian area. Do the same thing they did:


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every first day of the week each one of you must store something aside, saving up from what God has prospered you. There should be no special collections after I have come.


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When I arrive, choose the men you want. I will send them to Jerusalem with letters of introduction. They will carry your gift.


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Maybe I will stay with you — even spend the winter there. Then you can send me on ahead to wherever I am going.


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I don’t want to see you as I am passing through, just for a short while. I hope to stay with you for a long time if the Lord allows this.


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If Timothy comes to you, be sure that he has nothing to worry about while he is with you. Timothy does the Lord’s work as I do.


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None of you should make him feel as though he is not important. Send him on ahead with your blessing, so that he may come back to me. I am expecting him to come along with the brothers you choose.


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You wrote me about Apollos, our brother. Many times I encouraged him and some other brothers to come to you. He didn’t want to go so that he may go now. He will come when he has a chance.


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You know Stephanas’ family. They were the first converts in the Achaian area. They have given themselves completely to helping the saints. Brothers, I beg you


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to put yourselves under people like them and everyone who likes to work together, under those who work hard for the Lord.


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I was very happy when Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus arrived. These men make up for your not being here.


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They made my spirit feel refreshed, as I’m sure they did yours too. You should give special recognition to men like these.


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The called out people in the land of Asia send you their greetings. Aquila and Priscilla send you many greetings in the Lord. The called out people that meets in their house sends you greetings too.


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All of the brothers send you greetings. You should greet one another with a holy kiss of friendship.


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The Second Letter to the Ones in Corinth From Paul (God wanted me be to a delegate of Christ Jesus.) and from brother Timothy. To God’s called out people in the city of Corinth and to all of the saints all over the Achaian area.


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Give praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Father of tender feelings, the God of all comfort.


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He encourages us when we have any kind of trouble. This is why we are able to encourage people who are having all kinds of trouble. We use the help which God gives us!


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Just as the sufferings of Christ overflowed into our lives, in the same way our help also overflows to others through Christ.


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If we are having trouble, it is for your sake! We want you to receive comfort and be saved. If we receive comfort, it is for you! We want you to receive comfort. When you are encouraged, you will be able to endure the same kind of suffering we experience.


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Our hope for you is firm. Because you share the sufferings, we know that you will also share in the comfort.


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Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the trouble we went through in the land of Asia. The burdens were heavier than we could carry; we thought we were not going to live anymore.


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We felt we had been condemned to die. But something happened to make us put our hope upon God (who raises people from death) and not in ourselves.


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God has rescued us from such life and death situations and He will rescue us in the future. We have placed all our hopes on Him. He will always rescue us


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while you are working together, praying for us. Then many people will be thankful to God for His favor to us. This is an answer to the prayers of many people.


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This is what makes us feel so good: our conscience is telling the truth. We have lived our lives in this world purely and with the kind of sincerity which comes from God, especially toward you. We lived by God’s help in time of need, not human wisdom.


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We are writing to you only what you can read and understand. I hope you will get a complete understanding


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as you have understood parts of what we’ve said before. Then you can be proud of us, as we will be proud of you, on the Day when the Lord Jesus comes.


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I planned to visit you on my way to and from the Macedonian area. Then you could help me on my trip to the land of Judea.


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When I make my plans, do you think I often change my mind? Do I plan in a human way, saying ‘yes’ when I mean ‘no’?


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Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was preached among you through us — Silas, Timothy, and myself. That message was not inconsistent! No, in Christ it was a definite ‘yes’!


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I call upon God as my Witness; He knows my motives: I didn’t go back again to Corinth because I did not want to hurt you.


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We are not trying to rule over your faith because you are standing by faith. No, we are working with you so that you will be happy.


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Why did I write this letter? Because when I visit, I want you to make me feel happy, as you should, and not sad. I’m sure that all of you are happy when I am happy.


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I wrote you from a troubled, heavy heart, with many tears. I didn’t want to make you feel sad. No, I wanted to show you the great giving of myself to you, which I have for you.


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I am not the only one that this person in your group has made sad — it’s all of you. Well, some of you. (I don’t want to be too unkind.)


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I beg you to show him that you truly are giving yourselves to him, for his good, expecting nothing in return.


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If you forgive someone, then I forgive him too. Christ sees me do it. I forgive because you do, if there was anything to forgive in the first place.


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When I came to the city of Troas to tell the Good News about Christ, there was an open door for me in the Lord.


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But I was still very worried because I couldn’t find Titus, my brother. So I told them goodbye and left for Macedonia.


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Thank God! He always gives us the victory in Christ. God uses us to spread to all places the sweet smell of knowing Him.


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To God, we are the pleasant smell of Christ among the people who are being saved and among those who are lost.


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To one group, we are the smell of death; to the other group, the smell of life. Are we great enough for these things?


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We are not like the many people who sell God’s message. No, we speak sincerely before God in Christ — as men whom God has sent.


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Are we beginning to pat ourselves on the back? Some people need letters of recommendation. We don’t need letters like that, from you or to you; do we?


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You are the result of our work. You are clearly a letter from Christ. It is not written with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is not on stone tablets but on the tablets of human hearts!


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It’s not that we are so great, to think we can do anything on our own. No, our ability comes from God!


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He made us able ministers of a new covenant, which is spiritual, not literal. The letter of the law kills, but the Spirit gives life!


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The law was written on stones, but it came with such splendor that the sons of Israel could not continue looking at Moses’ face, though that glory was fading away. And that was a ministry of death!


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Since the ministry which brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious will be the ministry which makes a person right with God?


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Though the law was glorious, it is not bright when compared to a glory which is so much brighter today.


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We are not like Moses, who always wore a covering over his face, until the brightness faded away. He wanted to stop the sons of Israel from staring at it.


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Their minds were closed. To this day when they read the Old Covenant, the covering is still there! It cannot be uncovered because it is removed only in Christ.


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All of us have uncovered faces; we reflect the same glory. It comes from the Spirit of the Lord. With one glory after another, we are being changed to look more like him.


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No, we put away secret things of which people are ashamed. We don’t live by playing around with God’s message or by using it in the wrong way. Instead, we make the truth plain, presenting ourselves to every person’s conscience before God.


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The god of this world is among those people. They don’t believe because he has blinded their minds. They cannot see the light of the Good News of the glorious Christ who is the image of God.


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We are preaching that Christ Jesus is Lord. We are not preaching ourselves. Because of Jesus, we are only your slaves.


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God has said, "From darkness let the light shine!" He made light shine in our hearts too. This brings us the light of knowing God’s glory which can be seen in the face of Christ!


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Why do we have this treasure in clay jars? To show that this superior power comes from God, not from us.


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We are being squeezed — but we can still move. Sometimes we are in doubt — but we don’t doubt the truth.


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We are always carrying the deadness of Jesus in our bodies so that, in our bodies, we may make Jesus’ life obvious too.


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Because of Jesus, those of us who are still alive are always being given up to die. Then the life of Jesus will be made clear in our dying flesh.


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This is written: "I believed, so I spoke." Having that same spirit of faith, we also believe, and that is why we speak.


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We know that God raised the Lord Jesus from death. He will also raise us to life with Jesus. He will present us, along with you, to God.


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Everything happens for your good so that God’s help in time of need will touch many more lives. They will be thankful and this will overflow for the glory of God.


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That’s why we never give up. Even though our physical bodies are wearing out, our spirits are getting younger every day.


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The light troubles we now have will last only a short time. They are working out a far greater eternal glory for us, which is worth so much more than what we are suffering now.


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We shouldn’t look at things which can be seen. Instead, we should look for things which cannot be seen. What is seen is only temporary, but what is unseen lasts forever.


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When the earthly "tent" in which we live is destroyed, we know that we have another building which comes from God — a house in the heavenly worlds, not man-made. It lasts forever.


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While we are in our bodies now, we are groaning because we feel burdened. That doesn’t mean we want to die; we only want a new life. Then eternal life will swallow up that which can die.


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God made us for this very reason and He has given us the Spirit as a guarantee that we will live again.


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Therefore, we are always cheerful. We know that, while we are at home in our physical bodies, we are not with the Lord — where home is.


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All of us must appear in front of Christ’s judgment bench. Then each person will receive good or bad as a reward — according to what he did while he was in his physical body.


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We know what the awesome respect of the Lord really means. So we try to persuade people to live right. God knows all about us; I hope your consciences know us too.


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Again we are not patting ourselves on the back in front of you. No, we are only giving you a good reason to be proud of us. Then you will have something to say to people who are proud of outward things and not proud of what is in the heart.


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Christ’s giving of himself to others for their good, expecting nothing in return, controls us. One man died for everyone. So everyone died. We are sure of that!


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Christ died for everyone, so that people who are alive won’t live only for themselves anymore. Instead, they will live for the one who died and came back to life for them.


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So from now on, we really don’t know a person by merely looking at his physical body. At one time we knew about Christ from a human viewpoint but we do not know him in that way anymore.


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So if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Listen, everything has become new.


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Everything comes from God. He uses Christ to bring us back to Himself. God gave us the work of bringing people back to Himself.


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When God was bringing the people of the world back to Himself in Christ, He was not counting their sins against them. God gave us the message about how He brings men back to Himself.


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We are representing Christ. It is as though God is encouraging you through us. We beg you, for Christ’s sake, come back to God!


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Christ never sinned, but God caused him to become sin for us so that we could be made right with God in Christ.


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The Scripture says: "At the right time I listened to you. I helped you on the day of safety from danger." Listen! Now is the right time. Listen! Now is the day of safety from danger!


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We are always careful not to do anything which might hurt someone. We don’t want anyone to blame the ministry.


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Instead, in everything, we try to conduct ourselves as God’s ministers: when we must endure much, when we are suffering, during hard times, when we are having problems,


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when we are beaten, when we are in jail, during riots, while working hard, in sleepless night, when in fastings.


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We try to do this with purity, with understanding, with patience, with kindness, with the Holy Spirit, with sincere giving of self to others for their good, expecting nothing in return,


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with a true message, and with God’s power. We have used the weapons of good to attack and to defend.


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Through glory and disgrace, sometimes having a good reputation, and sometimes having a bad one — we are treated as men who fool people, but we tell the truth.


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We are treated as if no one knows who we are, but we are well known. We are treated as if we are dying, but, look, we are still alive! We are treated as if we are beaten men, but we’re not dead yet.


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We are treated like men who are supposed to be sad, but we are always happy. We are treated as beggars, yet we make many people rich in faith. We are treated as men who own nothing, but we have everything!


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Don’t be mismatched with unbelievers! How can right and wrong be partners? What do light and darkness share?


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How can God’s temple exist next to false gods? We are the temple of the living God! It is as God said: "I will live in them and move among them. I will be their God. They will be my people."


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"‘So come away from them! Be separate!’ says the Lord. ‘Don’t touch what is not pure. Then I will accept you.’"


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You to whom I give myself — since we have these promises, we should make ourselves clean from anything which might pollute the body or the spirit. Let us be completely holy, showing awesome respect for God.


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Open up to us! We haven’t done wrong to anyone; we ruined no one. We never took advantage of anybody.


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I am not saying this to condemn you. I have told you before that you have a place in our hearts. We are together in life or death.


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I have a lot of confidence in you. I’m very proud of you. Even though we have been through all kinds of trouble, I feel greatly encouraged and my joy is overflowing.


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When we went into the Macedonian area, our bodies had no rest at all. We had all sorts of trouble. Outside, there were fights; inside, we were afraid.


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Not only that, we felt encouraged by the comfort you gave him. He told us about how much you yearned to see me, how deeply sorry you were, and about your enthusiasm for me. So I felt even happier.


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Even though I made you sad with my letter, I am not sorry about it now. However, I could have regretted it. (I see that that letter made you sad for a while.)


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I am glad now, not because you were sad, but because you were sad enough to change your hearts! You became sad and that is what God wanted. So we didn’t need to discipline you at all.


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The kind of sorrow, which God uses, brings a change of heart that leads to safety from danger. There are no regrets. But the kind of sorrow in the world leads to death.


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Look at what God’s type of sorrow has produced in you! You are now eager. You wanted to defend yourselves. It made you upset. You were alarmed. You yearned to do something. You were excited. You wanted to make it right! You proved that you were innocent in every way in this matter.


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So I did not write you because of the person who did wrong or because of the person who was wronged. It was to let you know how loyal you are to us before God.


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That is why we are encouraged. Besides that, we are especially glad to see Titus happy. All of you made him feel very good.


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I had bragged about you to him and you didn’t let me down. Just as everything we told you was true, what we told Titus about you was also true.


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He feels for you even more when he remembers that all of you obeyed. You welcomed him with awesome respect and trembling.


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Now, brothers, we are going to tell you about the help in time of need which God has shown to the called out people in Macedonia:


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they have suffered hard testing. However, even though they were very poor, they gave very generously. They were so happy.


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I tell you the truth, they gave as much as they could — even more than they should — because they really wanted to.


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They begged us again and again for the privilege of having a part in helping the saints in the land of Judea.


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They did not do as we expected. No, the first thing they did was to give themselves to the Lord. Then they gave themselves to us to be used in whatever way the Lord wanted.


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That is why we begged Titus to finish collecting your special gift of help in time of need. (He was the one who started it.)


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You are rich in everything: you have faith; you can tell God’s message; you have a lot of knowledge; you are very eager to help; you give yourselves to us, for our good, expecting nothing in return. Now be rich with this special gift of help in time of need to them!


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I am not giving this as an order. (Others are eager to help too.) I am only testing to see if your giving to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, is true.


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You know the help in time of need of our Lord Jesus Christ. Even though he was rich, he became very poor for your sake. Why? So that you could become rich — because he was poor.


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This is the advice I am giving; this is what’s best for you. A year ago you were the first to do something — even the first to want to do something.


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So finish doing it now! You planned it eagerly; be just as ready to complete it! Do whatever you can.


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We don’t want to make you suffer — just to give them some relief. Everyone should have the same amount.


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At this time you have more than you need, while they are in need. Some day you may be in need and they will have more than they need. There should be a balance.


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It is like this Scripture: "The man who gathered much did not have too much. And the man who gathered a small amount did not have too little."


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When we asked Titus to help you, he welcomed it. He is enthusiastic. He is coming to you because he really wants to.


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Along with Titus we are sending the brother who is respected among all of the called out people for preaching the Good News.


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Not only that, he was appointed by the called out people to travel with us when we take this special gift of help in time of need. We will use this to give glory to the Lord. It shows how ready we are to help.


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Along with them, we are also sending our brother. We’ve often found him to be ready to help in many ways. But now, because he is so sure of you, he is even more enthusiastic.


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I will say this for Titus: he is my partner. We work together for you. Our brothers are messengers of the called out people. They are Christ’s glory.


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So show your giving of self to others for their good, expecting nothing in return. Show why we are so proud of you. Then it will be clear to the other called out people.


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Because I know you are ready, I have been bragging about you to the Macedonians: "The brothers in Achaia were prepared a year ago!" Your excitement has made most of them start giving.


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But I am sending these brothers so that our pride in you about this matter will not be empty words. Then you will be prepared, as I was saying all along.


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What if some Macedonians come with me? They might find that you are not prepared. Then we will be ashamed of you because we were so sure! You will be ashamed too.


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Therefore I thought I must ask these brothers to come to you ahead of time. They can help collect the money which you promised long ago. Then as a true gift, it will be ready, not something I forced you to do.


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Remember this: the person who plants only a few seeds will harvest very little, but the man who plants a lot of seeds will gather a great harvest.


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Each person should give as he planned ahead of time in his heart. He should not be sorry that he gave or feels forced to give. God gives Himself to a cheerful giver for his good, expecting nothing in return.


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God is able to give you everything you need. You will always have more than enough to do any good deed well.


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It is like what this Scripture says: "God gives freely to the poor people. His being made right lasts forever."


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God gives seed to the man who plants, and He will give him bread to eat. God will also give you plenty of spiritual seed and make your being made right grow into a fine harvest.


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He will make you rich in every way so that you may always be generous. This will cause the people to thank God for what came through us.


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You are helping them. It is like a serving ministry which does two things: (1) it takes care of the needs of the saints; (2) many people will thank God, like an overflowing river.


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When you help them, it is proof that you put yourself under Christ’s authority and that you agree with his Good News. Sharing with them or anyone else shows that you are generous.


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When they pray for you, they will yearn to see you because of God’s help in time of need toward you.


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I, Paul, appeal to you through the gentleness and kindness of Christ. (Some people say that I am humble when I am with you, and that I am bold when I am not with you.)


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Please don’t force me to be blunt with you when I come there. I’m quite sure I’ll have to challenge those who think we live like people in this world.


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For our fight we are not using weapons which come from this world. No, our weapons come from God. They are powerful enough to break down strong forts.


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We break down false logic and anything which rises up against what we know is true about God. We capture every thought to make it obey Christ.


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You are looking only at the way things seem to be. If anyone is sure he belongs to Christ, he should think twice about himself. We belong to Christ just as much as he does!


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The Lord gave us authority for building you up, not for tearing you down. Even if I take great pride in our authority, I won’t let anyone put us down.


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Some people say, "Paul’s letters are strong and heavy, but when he comes in person, he is weak. He is not a good speaker."


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Such a person should consider that what we say in letters, while absent, we will prove in deed when we are present!


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We dare not take ourselves too seriously or compare ourselves with those people who pat themselves on the back. When they use themselves to measure by, and compare themselves with themselves, they are foolish.


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But we will not boast beyond what God allows. Instead, we will stay within the limit which God has set for us; that includes you.


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Since you were included, we didn’t go too far when we came to you, bringing the Good News about Christ.


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And we are not going too far, when we are proud of the hard work which others have done. As your faith grows, we hope that all of our work among you will increase.


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We want to tell the Good News in areas beyond where you are. We don’t want to brag about work done by another person in a different country.


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Who is approved? It is not the one who pats himself on the back. It is the one whom the Lord pats on the back!


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I’m jealous for you with a jealousy that comes from God. I promised to present you as a pure virgin to one man — Christ.


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With a clever trick the snake fooled Eve. I’m afraid that your minds might be polluted too. You might leave the simplicity and purity which is in Christ.


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Someone might come preaching about another Jesus who is different from the Jesus we preached to you. You welcomed a different kind of spirit than you received before. How can you put up so easily with a good news that is different from the first one you accepted?


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I may use common words but I know what I’m talking about. We have always made this very clear to you.


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While I was with you, when I needed something, I didn’t ask any of you for anything. The brothers who came from the Macedonian area filled my needs. I never allowed myself to be a burden to you, and I never will.


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The truth of Christ is in me; I’m proud of this. Nobody in the whole Achaian area can take that away from me!


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Why? Because I do not give myself to you for your good, expecting nothing in return? God knows I do!


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I will continue doing what I am doing. There are some "delegates" who are looking for a chance to brag that they are just like us. I want to cut off any chance of this happening.


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These men are false delegates. They try to look like true delegates of Christ but they are lying about their work.


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So it isn’t any big thing when the servants of Satan try to look like servants of those being made right. However, Satan’s servants will end up the same way they lived.


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Again I’m saying, no one should think of me as a fool. But if you do, bear with me as you would a fool. Then I can brag a little as fools do.


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When I confidently brag like this, I am not talking as the Lord would have it. I am only talking like a fool.


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They make slaves of you. Anyone can take your money. Anyone can take advantage of you. Anyone can treat you as though you are not important. You will let anyone slap your face!


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I’m ashamed to say it but we were too weak to do that. If someone dares to brag, I can too. (I’m talking foolishly.)


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Are they Hebrews? So am I! Are they sons of Israel? I’m one too! Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I!


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Are they servants of Christ? (I’m talking like a madman.) I am more of a servant than they are! I have worked much harder than they have. I’ve been in jail more often than they have. I have been beaten more times than I can remember. Many times I’ve been close to dying.


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Three different times I was beaten with rods. Once they tried to stone me to death. I was on three different ships that wrecked; once I was in the ocean for about


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I’m always traveling. I’m in danger of floods, bandits, Jews, non-Jews, in danger in cities, in deserts, in the ocean, and in danger from false brothers.


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I have worked so very hard. I’ve often gone without sleep, food, or drink. I have fasted many times. I’ve been cold and without enough clothes.


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On top of everything else, every day I feel the pressure of my concern for all the called out people.


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It doesn’t do any good but I must continue bragging. I will now move on to visions and revelations from the Lord.


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I knew a man in Christ 14 years ago. This man was caught up to the third heaven. I don’t know whether he was in his physical body or not — God knows.


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This man was caught up to Paradise. He heard things which cannot be re-told; a man is not allowed to tell such things to other men.


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Even if I wanted to brag, I would not be foolish because I’m speaking the truth. However, I don’t want to do that, or else someone might think more of me than he does when he sees me or hears me in person.


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I’ve seen some very unusual revelations. God gave me something so that I would not become too proud — a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan. It always tortures me, stopping me from becoming too proud.


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He said this to me: “My help in time of need is enough for you. Power is made perfect in weakness." So I will be very happy to brag about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ will rest upon me.


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This is why, for Christ, I can take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and disasters. Because when I am weak, that’s when I am really strong.


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I have become a fool but you forced me to do it. You should have been patting me on the back. Even if I am nothing, I’m just as good as any of those "super" delegates.


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The signs of a true delegate have been done among you very patiently — proofs from God, miracles, and powers.


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Did I treat you as if you were less important than the other called out people. No, I didn’t burden you. Was that wrong? Please forgive me!


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Listen, I’m ready to visit you for the third time; I won’t be a burden. I want you, not your money! Parents should save up to help their children, not the other way around.


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I will gladly spend my money and my energy for your souls. It seems that the more I give myself to you, for your good, expecting nothing in return, the less you give to me, for my good, expecting nothing in return.


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I begged Titus to go to you and I sent the brother with him. Titus didn’t take advantage of you, did he? We lived with the same attitude. We set the same example, didn’t we?


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Throughout this letter, have you been thinking that we are trying to defend ourselves to you? You to whom I give myself — we are doing everything to help build you up. We speak in Christ before God.


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When I visit you, I’m afraid you will not be as I want to find you. Then I won’t be as you want me to be! You might be jealous, angry, too proud, divided, in confusion, talking against one another, gossiping, or fighting.


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When I visit you again, I’m afraid my God will humble me in front of you. I will cry over many people who have already sinned because they have not changed their hearts about the evil things they have done — indecency, unlawful sexual intercourse, and wild parties.


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This is the third time I am coming to you. If someone is going to accuse me, "The testimony of two or three people" is true.


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When I was with you the last time, I told you ahead of time. Now that I am not with you, I am warning you again: when I come there the next time, I will punish those people who have already sinned and all the others.


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You are looking for proof that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak toward you; he is powerful among you.


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Though Christ was nailed to the cross when he was weak, he now lives by the power of God! In Christ we are weak, but we will live with Christ for you by the power of God.


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Test yourselves to find out if you are truly in the faith. Prove it to yourselves. Unless you fail, surely you know that Christ Jesus is among you.


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We pray to God that you won’t do something wrong. We are not trying to look like winners. No, we want you to do what is good, even though it looks as if we failed.


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That is why I write these things while I am away from you. Then when I come, I will not need to be harsh, when I use the authority that the Lord gave me for building up, not for tearing down.


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Finally, brothers, be glad! Try to be united. Warn each other, agree with each other. Be at peace. The God of peace and giving of Himself to others for their good, expecting nothing in return, will be with you.


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May the help in time of need of the Lord Jesus, the giving of God Himself to others -- for their good, expecting nothing in return -- and the sharing of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.


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From Paul, a delegate, and from all of the brothers who are with me. I was not chosen by men to be a delegate; neither was I sent from men. No, it was through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Jesus from death. To the called out people in Galatia area:


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Jesus gave himself for our sins so that we might escape from the evil in this world. This is what God our Father wanted.


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Not long ago, God called you through His help in time of need that came through Christ, but now I am surprised at you people! You are already turning away toward a different good news.


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There is actually no other true good news. However, some people are disturbing you; they want to distort the Good News of Christ.


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If we ourselves — or even an angel from heaven — tell you a different good news than the true Good News which we told you, then we should be condemned!


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I said this before; I am saying it again: if anyone preaches a good news to you that is different from what you received, let that person be condemned.


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Do you think I’m now trying to win men over? No! God is the One who I am trying to please. Am I trying to please man? If I were, I would not be a slave of Christ.


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Brothers and sisters, I am letting you know that the Good News which I preached to you was not man-made.


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I did not receive the Good News from men; no man taught it to me. No, Jesus Christ revealed the Good News to me.


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You have heard about my past life in the Jewish faith. I violently persecuted God’s called-out people. I tried to destroy them.


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In the Jewish faith I was becoming a leader, doing better than most Jews my own age. I tried harder than anyone else to follow the traditions which came from our ancestors.


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But God called me through His help in time of need. Even before I was born, He had special plans for me. God wanted me


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to tell the Good News about Jesus to non-Jewish people. So He revealed His Son to me. I didn’t receive advice or get help from any human being.


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I didn’t go up right away to see the delegates in Jerusalem. (These men were delegates before I was.) No, I went away to Arabia. Afterward I went back to the city of Damascus.


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They had only heard this about me: "This man used to persecute us but now he is preaching the same faith he once tried to destroy!"


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I went up because God showed me that I should go. I went to those men who were the leaders. When we were alone, I explained to them about the Good News which I preach to non-Jewish people so that my past work and the work I do now would not be wasted.


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It was very important for us to talk because some false brothers had secretly come into our group. Like spies, they came in to find out about the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to make us slaves to them.


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But not for one moment did we give in to what those false brothers wanted! We wanted the truth of the Good News to continue with you.


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Those men who seemed to be important did not change the Good News which I preach. (It doesn’t matter to me whether they were "important" or not; God treats all people alike.)


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Those leaders saw that God had entrusted me with the work of telling the Good News to non-Jewish people, just as God had given Peter the work of telling the Good News to Jews.


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God gave him the power to work as a delegate for Jewish people. God also gave me this power — for people who are not Jews!


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Jacob, Peter, and John seemed to be the main leaders. They knew that God had given me help in time of need. So they accepted Barnabas and me. They said, "We agree. You should go to non-Jewish people. We will go to the Jews."


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They asked us to do only one thing: to remember to help the Jewish poor people. This was something I really wanted to do anyway.


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This is what happened: when Peter first came to Antioch, he always ate with non-Jewish people. But then some Jewish men were sent from Jacob. When they came, Peter stopped eating with those who were not Jewish and separated himself from them. He was afraid of the Jews who believed that all non-Jewish people must be circumcised.


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Peter was two-faced. The other Jewish believers joined Peter. They were two-faced also. Even Barnabas was influenced by the things which those Jewish believers did.


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I saw what they did. They were not following the truth of the Good News. So I spoke to Peter in such a way that all the other Jews could hear what I said: "Since you are a Jew but do not live as a Jew, why do you now force non-Jewish people to live as Jews? You live like non-Jewish people do."


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We know that a person is not made right with God by following the law. Committing one’s self to Jesus Christ is what makes a person right with God. So we made a commitment to Christ Jesus because we wanted to be made right with God. We are right with God because we made that commitment, not because of following the law. Nobody will ever be made right by following the law.


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We Jews came to Christ to be made right with God. So it is clear that we were sinners too. Does this mean that Christ makes us sinners? No way!


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I stopped living for the law. I died to the law so that I may now live for God. I died on the cross with Christ.


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So the life which I now live is not really me — it is Christ living in me! I still live in my body, but I live by faith in the Son of God. He is the one who gave himself to me for my good, expecting nothing in return; he sacrificed himself for me.


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This gift is from God and it is very important to me. Because if the law could have made us right with God, then Christ died for nothing!


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You people in Galatia were told very clearly about the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Why are you so foolish; you let someone trick you!


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Tell me this one thing: how did you receive the Holy Spirit? Did you receive the Spirit by following the law? No! You received the Spirit because you heard the Good News and believed it.


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You began your life in Christ with the Spirit. Are you trying to continue it by your own power? You are so foolish!


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Does God give you the Spirit because you follow the law? Does God work miracles among you because you follow the law? It is because you heard the Good News and believed it.


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The Scriptures say the same thing about Abraham: "Abraham believed God and so God declared him a just man."


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The Scriptures told what would happen in the future. These writings said that God would make non-Jewish people right — through their faith. The Good News was told to Abraham long ago: "Abraham, God will use you to bless all people on earth."


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but people who depend on following the law to make them right are under condemnation, because it is written, "A person must do everything which is written in the book of the law. If he does not always obey those things, then that person is under condemnation!"


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So it is clear that no person may be made right with God by the law. The Scriptures say, "The person who is right with God by faith will live forever."


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The law is not based on faith. Instead, the law says, "A person who wants to find life by following these things must do the things the law says."


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The law put us under condemnation, but Christ took that condemnation away. He changed places with us; he put himself under that condemnation. It is written, “When a person’s body is hung on a tree, it shows that the person has been condemned."


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Christ did this so that God’s promised blessing to Abraham could be given to all people. This blessing comes through Christ Jesus. God wanted us to receive the promise of the Holy Spirit through faith.


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Brothers, let me give you an example: a man writes a will. After the will is made legal, no one else may change that will or add to it, and no one can ignore it.


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God made promises to Abraham and his descendant. God did not say "and to your descendants". That would mean many people. But God said, "and to your descendant". This means only one person — Christ.


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This is what I mean: God made out a will to Abraham, promising to do the things which He told Abraham. The law came 430 years after the will was made but it did not change God’s promise to Abraham.


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Can following the law give us the things which God promised? If we could receive those things by following the law, then it is not God’s promise which brings us those things. But God freely gave His blessings to Abraham through the promise He made.


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Therefore what was the purpose of the law? The law was given to show people the difference between right and wrong. It continued until the special descendant of Abraham came. God’s promise was about this descendant. The law was given through angels. The angels used Moses as a go-between to give the law to men.


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Therefore, does this mean that the law is against God’s promises? If there were a law which could give men life, then we could truly be made right by following the law.


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However, this cannot be true because the Scriptures showed that all people are bound by sin so that the promise would be given to people through faith — to those who believe in Jesus Christ!


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Before this faith came, we were all held in check by the law. We had no freedom until God revealed to us the way of faith which was coming.


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You were all immersed into Christ. So you were all clothed with Christ. You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.


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Now in Christ there is no difference between Jew and non-Jew, between slave and free, between male and female. You are all the same in Christ Jesus.


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You belong to Christ. Therefore you are Abraham’s descendants. You receive all of God’s blessings because of the promise which God made to Abraham.


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I am telling you this: while the heir is still a child, he is no different from a slave. It does not matter that the heir owns everything


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because, while he is a child, he must obey the people chosen to take care of him until the child reaches the age which his father set.


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but, when the right time came, God sent His Son. God’s Son was born from a woman; he lived under the law.


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God did this so that He could buy back the freedom of those who were under the law. God’s purpose was to make us His children.


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You are God’s children. That is why God sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts. The Spirit cries out, "Daddy, dear Father."


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but now you know the true God. Actually, it is God who knows you! So why do you turn back to those weak and useless standards which you followed before? Do you want to be slaves to those things again?


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Do you remember why I came to you the first time? It was because I was sick. That was when I preached the Good News to you.


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My sickness was a burden to you but you didn’t look down on me or make me go away. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel from God. You accepted me as if I were Christ Jesus himself!


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Where is your happiness now? I tell you the truth: you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me, if that were possible.


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Those people are working hard to persuade you to turn against us but this is not good for you. They want you to follow only them and no one else.


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It is good for people to show interest in you but only if their purpose is always good. This is true whether I am with you or not.


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My little children, again I feel pain for you such as a mother feels when she gives birth to her child. I will feel this until Christ is fully matured in you.


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I wish I could be with you now. Then perhaps I could change the tone of my voice. I don’t know what to do with you!


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Since some of you people still want to be under the law of Moses, tell me, won’t you listen to what the law says?


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It is written that Abraham had two sons. The mother of one son was a slave woman. The mother of the other son was a free woman.


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Abraham’s son from the slave woman was born in the normal human way, but the son from the free woman was born because of the promise which God made to Abraham.


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This true story is an example for us: the two women are like the two covenants between God and men. One covenant is the law which God set up on Mount Sinai. The people who are under this covenant are like slaves. The mother named Hagar is like that covenant.


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So Hagar is like Mount Sinai in Arabia. She represents the city of Jerusalem today. This city is a slave and all of its people are slaves to the law,


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It is written: "Be happy, O woman who cannot have children! You never gave birth. Shout and cry out with joy! You never felt the pain of giving birth. The wife whose husband has left her will have more children than the wife who has a husband."


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One son of Abraham was born in the normal way. Abraham’s other son, Isaac, was born by the power of the Spirit because of God’s promise. My brothers, you are also children of promise just as Isaac was then. Ishmael persecuted Isaac. It is the same way now.


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But what does the Scripture say? "Throw out the slave woman and her son! The son of the free woman will receive everything that his father has, but the son of the slave woman will receive nothing."


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Listen! I, Paul, am telling you this: if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, then Christ does you no good.


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Again I warn every man: if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, then you must follow the entire law.


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If you try to be made right with God through the law, then you are cut off from Christ — you have fallen from help in time of need!


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But we have a true hope; we wait for it eagerly. We will be made right with God through the Spirit. How? By faith.


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When a person is in Christ Jesus, it does not matter whether he is circumcised or not. The only thing which is important is faith — the kind of faith which works through giving yourself to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return.


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Somebody is disturbing you with different ideas. Whoever that person is, he will certainly be punished. I trust in the Lord that you will not believe those ideas.


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Brothers, I still don’t preach that people must be circumcised. If I did, why am I still being persecuted? Then the embarrassment of the cross would be neutralized.


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Brothers, although God called you to be free, don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do all of the things which your physical body wants. Instead, give yourselves to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return.


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The entire law is made complete in this one command: "Give yourself to your neighbor for his good, expecting nothing in return, the same way you give to yourself."


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Be careful! If you continue hurting each other and tearing each other apart, you might completely destroy one another!


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So I tell you: live by following the Spirit. Then you won’t do the selfish and evil things which you want in your human nature.


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The human nature wants things which are against the Spirit. The Spirit wants things which are against our human nature. These oppose each other. Because of this, you cannot do the things that you really intend to do.


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Human nature does things which are wrong. These are clear: committing unlawful sexual intercourse, not being pure, having orgies,


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worshipping false gods, practicing witchcraft, hating people, making trouble, being jealous, becoming too angry, being selfish, making people angry with each other, causing divisions,


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envying others, murdering, getting drunk, having wild parties, and other such things. I warn you now as I warned you before: the people who do these things will not inherit God’s kingdom.


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But the Spirit produces: giving to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,


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Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed their own human nature to crosses, along with its feelings and selfish desires.


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We must not be conceited or make trouble for each other. Neither should we be jealous of one another.


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Brothers, a person in your called out group might fall into a particular sin. You people who are spiritual should repair such a person with a gentle spirit. But watch yourself! You also might be tempted to sin.


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A person should not compare himself with someone else. Each person should judge his own actions. Then he may take pride in what he himself has done.


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The one who is learning about God’s message should share all of the good things he has with the one who is teaching him.


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If a person lives to satisfy his human nature, then his selfish ways will bring eternal death to him. But if a person lives to please the Spirit, he will receive eternal life from the Spirit.


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We must never become tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time. We must never give up!


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Therefore when we have the chance to do good to people, we should do it, but we should give special attention to those who are within the family of believers of the faith.


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Some men are trying to force you to be circumcised. They do these things so that the Jewish people will accept them, fearing they will be persecuted if they follow only the cross of Christ.


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These men who are circumcised do not obey the law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may brag about your flesh.


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I hope that I will never brag about something like that! The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is my only reason for bragging. Through the cross of Jesus my world has died and I died to the world.


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For in Christ Jesus it does not matter whether a person is circumcised or uncircumcised. All that is important is being a new creation.


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The Letter to the Ones in Ephesus From Paul. God wanted me to be a delegate of Christ Jesus. To the saints who live in the city of Ephesus, those who are faithful to Christ Jesus.


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Praise God! He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, God blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heaven.


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In Christ, God chose us before the world began. He wanted us to be holy and spotless before Him in giving ourselves to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return.


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God planned long ago that we become His own sons through Jesus Christ. This would please God; it is what He wanted.


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We praise God for His glorious help in time of need that He gave us in His son. God gives Himself to His son, expecting nothing in return.


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We have something in Christ - his blood has set us free. We have the forgiveness of sins! God's help in time of need is so rich!


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God's plan is to bring everything together in Christ - in heaven and on earth - under Christ as Head. When the right time arrives, He will do this.


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We were chosen in Christ. God planned this long ago for His purpose. He works out everything. God decides what He wants.


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We were the first to pin our hopes on Christ. This happened so that we could become praise to God's glory.


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You are in Christ too. You heard the true message, the Good News about your deliverance from sin. After you believed, you were sealed in Christ with the Holy Spirit whom God promised.


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The Spirit is the guarantee that we will receive the inheritance. God will set His own people free for the praise of His glory.


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I have heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the giving to all the saints, for their good, expecting nothing in return.


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I want the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, to give you insight and a wise spirit. Then you will know Him better.


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I pray that the eyes of your heart will receive light. Then you will know the meaning of the hope of God's invitation. You will know the riches of His glorious inheritance among the saints.


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You will know God's great power which is available to us who believe. It is like the exercising of His mighty strength


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There Christ is far above any ruler, authority, power, lord or title which can be given, not only in this world but also in the next world.


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God put everything under Christ's feet. God appointed him to be the Head over all things among the called out people.


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In the past you lived in those things. You followed the evil ways of this world and the ruler of the power of the air -that evil spirit who is now working in those who disobey God.


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We all used to live among people like that, with the evil desires in our human nature. We satisfied the impulses of our bodies and minds. We were like all other people - naturally deserving punishment.


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However, God was rich in mercy because of His great giving to us, for our good, expecting nothing in return, which He had for us.


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While we were spiritually dead in sins, God made us alive with Christ. (You have been saved by God's help in time of need.)


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God wanted to show the superior riches of His help in time of need for all time. He did this by using Jesus to be kind to us.


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You have been saved by God's help in time of need through faith. Deliverance from sin does not come from you; it is God's gift.


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We are what God made. In Christ Jesus we have been created for doing good deeds. God prepared these good deeds long ago so that we could live by them.


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Physically you are not Jewish. Those who have been physically circumcised called you "the uncircumcised". Do you remember?


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At that time you were without Christ. You were foreigners. You could not be part of Israel. You were strangers to the covenants of God's promise. You had no hope. You were in the world without God.


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You used to be far away but now, in Christ Jesus, you have come near. This was made possible by the blood of Christ.


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Christ himself is our peace. He has made Jews and non-Jews one. He used his own body to break down the barrier of hate which separated them.


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Christ canceled the law which had commands in strict orders. He wanted to create one new man from two, making peace between them.


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Then he could make them friends of God with one body through the cross. He used the cross to kill the hate.


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So you are not strangers and visitors anymore. Instead, you are co-citizens with the saints and members of God's family.


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You have been built on the foundation of the delegates and prophets. Christ Jesus is its most important stone.


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The whole building is joined together in Christ. It becomes a holy temple sanctuary in the Lord Jesus.


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People of other generations were not told this, but now it has been revealed to God's holy delegates and prophets by His Spirit:


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Jewish people and non-Jewish people are now partners; they will inherit together. And through the Good News, they share God's promise in Christ Jesus.


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I became a minister of this Good News. God's free help in time of need was given to me by exercising His power.


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This help in time of need was given to me even though I am the least important of all the saints. God wanted to preach the riches without limit of Christ to non-Jewish people.


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He wanted to teach everyone about the meaning of the secret plan. It was hidden in God a long, long time ago. (He created everything.)


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Why was it hidden? So that, through the called out people, His many kinds of wisdom could be made clear to rulers and powers in the heavenly world.


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I pray that God will use His Spirit to give you power from the riches of His glory to make your inner being strong.


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Then, through believing in Christ, he will live in your hearts. You will have your roots and foundation in giving yourselves to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return.


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Then you and all of the saints will be able to completely understand the meaning of Christ's giving to others for their good, expecting nothing in return - how wide it is, how long it is, how high it is, and how deep it is. It goes beyond knowing, but you will know it. Then you will be filled with the totality of God.


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Glory to God! He is able to do so much more than we can think of or ask for. God uses the power that is working in us.


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Glory to God, among all the called out people He has, and to Christ Jesus for all generations forever and ever. Amen.


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So I, the prisoner in the Lord Jesus, beg you to live as though you were worthy of God's invitation.


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Be completely humble, gentle, and patient. Put up with one another by giving yourselves to one another, for his good, expecting nothing in return.


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There is one God. He is the Father of everyone. God is above everything, through everything, and in everything.


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(When it says "he went up", it could only mean that Christ came down to the lower parts of the earth.


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The one who came down is the same one who went up - above all the heavens. He wanted to fill the universe.)


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How long? Until we are all together. We must be united in our faith and knowledge of the Son of God. We must become like a full-grown man, reaching for the greatest potential of Christ.


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Then we will not be little children anymore. The waves will not throw us back and forth. We won't be blown away by the winds of false teaching which clever men invent to trick people into following error.


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When we speak the truth in giving ourselves to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, we will grow up into Christ in every way. He is the Head.


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He is the source. The whole body is joined and held together with each joint that helps it. The whole body grows by giving itself to others and builds itself in us. Each part does its job.


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I am telling the truth in the Lord Jesus: live no longer as the people of the world live. Their thinking is worthless.


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Their minds have become dark. The life of God is foreign to them. They don't know about it because their hearts are stubborn.


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When they lost all feeling of shame, they gave themselves over to sensuality, so that they could try every kind of unclean sex, wanting more and more of such things.


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You were taught to put away your old way of living. It will destroy you. Those evil desires can fool you.


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You were taught to be clothed with a new personality like that of God. It was created with true justice and holiness.


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Therefore put away lying. Let each one speak the truth to the other person. We are all parts of each other.


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You are allowed to become angry, but don't sin. And don't let any day end without getting rid of your angry feelings.


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The person who steals must not steal anymore. Instead, he must work hard, using his own hands to do good, so that he may have something to share with someone who needs it.


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Don't let any mean word come out of your mouth. Instead, say something good to build up what is missing. Then it will be a blessing to those who hear it.


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May all bitterness, anger, grudges, yelling, and cursing - every kind of evil - be taken away from you.


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Have tender feelings and be kind to one another. Forgive one another just as God, in Christ, forgave you.


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Live a life of giving yourselves to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, just as Christ gave himself to us, for our good, expecting nothing in return. He gave himself for us. He was an offering and a sacrifice that smells sweet to God.


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No type of impurity, unlawful sexual intercourse, or greed should be mentioned among you. That is not proper for saints.


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You should not use obscene or foolish words. Dirty jokes are out of line. Instead, you should be thankful.


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You can be sure of this one thing: no sexual sinner, no immoral or greedy person - he is the same as one who worships a false god- will have a share in the kingdom of Christ and God.


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Don't let anyone fool you with empty words. This is why God's punishment is coming against people who will not obey.


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In the past you were in darkness but now you are in light, in the Lord Jesus. Live like children of light


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Don't share in those deeds of darkness. They are not productive. Instead, prove that they are wrong.


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Light makes everything clear. This song says: "Get up, you sleeper! Rise from death! and Christ will shine on you."


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Use psalms, songs of praise, and spiritual songs to talk to one another. Strum your heart and sing to the Lord.


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A husband is to be the leader of his wife like Christ is the leader of the called out people. He is the savior of the body.


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As Christ's people subject themselves to him, wives should subject themselves to their husbands in everything.


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Husbands, give yourselves to your wives, for their good, expecting nothing in return, as Christ gave himself to those called out people, for their good, expecting nothing in return. He gave his life for them.


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He wanted to give to himself a glorious group of called out people that does not have stain or wrinkle or any such thing. Instead, he wanted them to be holy and spotless.


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Husbands ought to give themselves to their wives, for their good, expecting nothing in return, as they do to their own bodies. The man who gives himself to his wife, for her good, expecting nothing in return, gives to himself, for his good.


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No man ever hated his own flesh. No, he feeds it and takes care of it. Christ does the same thing for his called out people.


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The Scripture says: "This is why a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. The husband and wife will become one flesh."


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This is a great secret. (I am talking about the relationship between Christ and the called out people.)


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Each one of you must give himself to his wife, for her good, expecting nothing in return, just as he gives to himself. And each wife must show respect for her husband.


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Fathers, don't push your children to the point of rage. Instead, take care of them, using the Lord's warning and discipline.


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Slaves, obey your human masters with awesome respect and trembling but sincerely, just as you would obey Christ.


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Don't be a slave only while your master is looking, like slaves who only want to please men. Instead, from your inner being, do what God wants - as slaves of Christ.


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Each one of you knows that if a slave or free man does something good, the Lord Jesus will give him a reward for doing that.


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Masters, treat your slaves the same way. Don't try to scare them. You know that the Lord Jesus is in heaven. He is their Lord and your Lord. God treats everyone the same.


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Our fight is not against men. No, it is against rulers, against authorities, against world powers of this darkness, and against evil spiritual beings in the heavenly world.


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This is why you must take up all of God's armor. Then when the time for battle comes, you will be able to resist; and after you have fought your best, you will stand.


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And along with everything else, take up faith for a shield. With this, you will be able to put out all the burning arrows of the evil one.


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Take the helmet of deliverance from sin; and take the sword of the Spirit. (This is the word of God.)


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Pray with the Spirit at all times. Use all kinds of prayers and requests. Be on guard! Always pray for all the saints.


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Pray for me too! Then, when I open my mouth to speak, the message will be given to me. With boldness I will make clear the secret of the Good News.


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I am a representative in chains for this good news. Pray that I will speak boldly about it as I should.


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Tychicus, my dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord Jesus, will tell you all about things here. Then you will know what is happening to me and what I am doing.


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Peace to the brothers there and the giving of ourselves to you — for your good, expecting nothing in return —with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


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May help in time of need, that never stops, be with all those people who give themselves to our Lord Jesus Christ, for his good, expecting nothing in return.


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The Letter to the Ones in Philippi From Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. To all of the saints - including the overseers and servants - in Christ Jesus, who live in the city of Philippi.


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I feel sure of this one thing: the One who began a good work among you will continue it until it is finished, when Christ Jesus comes.


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I have you in my heart. So it is right for me to feel like this about all of you. Whether I am in chains or giving a defense of the Good News and confirming it, all of you share with me in this help in time of need.


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My God knows that I am telling the truth: with the tender feelings of Christ Jesus I yearn for all of you.


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This is what I am praying for: I want your giving to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, to overflow more and more, with a more full knowledge and all insight.


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You will be filled with what being made right produces through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.


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Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that the things which have happened to me have really helped the Good News to go forward.


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So the fact that I am in chains for the cause of Christ has become clear to the whole palace guard and to all the other soldiers.


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And, because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have become more confident. They dare to speak the message with almost no fear.


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Some people are preaching Christ with motives of jealousy and bickering, but others preach with a good heart.


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They do it in giving themselves to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, knowing that I am ready to defend the Good News.


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But some preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely. They think they can cause trouble for me while I am in prison.


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So what? The only important thing is that Christ is being preached! I am happy about this, whether it comes from true or false motives. Yes, and I will be happy in the future too,


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I am hoping and expecting that I will never be ashamed. Instead, may I have all courage so that my body will be used to make Christ more important now and always, whether I am alive or whether I die.


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But suppose I go on living in my body? This could mean productive work. Which should I choose? I don't know.


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I am torn between living and dying. I have a strong desire to die and be with Christ. That would be so much better for me,


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Being sure of this, I now know that I will stay on. I will continue with all of you so that you may grow and have a happy faith.


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Live as though you were worthy of the Good News. I might come and visit you but if I don't get there, I want to hear good things about you - that you stand firm with one spirit, with one heart, fighting for the faith of the Good News.


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Don't let those who are against you scare you. This will show them that they will lose but you will be saved. This comes from God.


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You not only have the privilege of believing in Christ, but also the privilege of suffering for Christ.


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You saw the struggle I have had and you hear about the one I'm having now. Now you have the same thing.


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Are you encouraged in Christ? Are you comforted by his giving to you, for your good, expecting nothing in return? Do you share with the Spirit? Do you have any tender feelings or compassion for others?


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Make me truly happy; I want you to agree among yourselves and to have the same giving for one another, for their good, expecting nothing in return. Be united in your life and mind.


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Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceited pride. Instead, humbly treat others better than yourselves.


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though Christ was divine by nature, he did not think that being equal with God was something to be grasped.


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Instead, he emptied himself, taking on the very nature of a slave. He became like human beings appearing in human form.


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God wanted every knee to bow when the name of Jesus is mentioned; those in the heavenly world, on earth, and under the earth.


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So - you to whom I give myself- you have always obeyed when I was with you, but it is even more important that you obey while I am gone. Work out your own deliverance from sin with awesome respect and trembling,


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Then you will be pure and innocent. You will be God's children, spotless in the middle of a dishonest, evil generation of people. You will shine among them like stars in the universe.


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Hold out the message of life. Then when Christ comes, I can boast that my past work was not wasted, or the work I do now either.


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No, even if it is true that I am poured out like a drink offering for the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad. I am happy for all of you.


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In the Lord Jesus, I hope to send Timothy to you soon. Then I will be cheered up when I find out about what is happening with you.


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Timothy is the only one who has the same attitude I have. He really cares about what happens to you.


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but you know that Timothy has passed the test. Timothy has served with me for the Good News as a son working for his father.


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But I think I need to send back Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker, and fellow-soldier. He is your messenger and he has helped me with whatever I needed.


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He was so sick that he almost died! However, God gave him mercy, and not just him but me too! I would have become more and more sad.


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So I am very eager to send Epaphroditus. When you see him again, you will be happy. And I will not feel so sad.


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For Christ's work, Epaphroditus almost died. He risked his life to make up for what was missing in your service to me.


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Last of all, my brothers, be happy in the Lord. It does not bother me to write the same things to you again inasmuch as it is safety for you.


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We are the true circumcision, not they. We worship in God's Spirit. We boast in Christ Jesus. Our trust is not based on flesh!


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I was circumcised eight days after I was born. I come from the people of Israel. I am from the tribe of Benjamin. My Hebrew parents gave me a Hebrew education. I learned the law as a Pharisee.


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I tried so hard that I even persecuted the called out people. I had the law "of being made right" - I felt no guilt.


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Not only that, I think everything is worthless except what is so much more valuable - knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. I have thrown everything else away because of him. It's all worthless! I want to have Christ.


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I want to be in him, not having "my" right way (the kind that comes from the law) but having the "being made right" which comes through believing in Christ (the kind of "being made right" which comes from God based on faith).


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Then I will know Christ and the power he had when he came back to life. I want to share in Christ's suffering and become like him when he died, that


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I have not yet made the resurrection my own. And I have not already become perfect but I press on to win what Christ Jesus won for me.


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Brothers, I don't think I have already won it, but I'm doing one thing: I am reaching out - forgetting about what is behind me.


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I am pressing on toward the goal to win the prize to which God called me. It is above in Christ Jesus.


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Those who are spiritually mature will think like this but if you think in a different way, God will reveal this to you.


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Because - as I was often telling you and I am now saying this with tears - many people are living as enemies of the cross of Christ!


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They will end up in hell. Their god is their stomach. Their glory is in their shame. They think only about earthly things,


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but we are citizens of heaven. We are expecting the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven.


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Using the power that allows him to put everything under his control, Christ will change our wretched bodies to be like his glorious body.


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So, my brothers- you to whom I give myself - I yearn for you. You are my crown and joy. Stand fast in the Lord!


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Yes, I am asking you, faithful Syzygus, help these women. They both fought next to me for the Good News. Clement and my other co-workers did too. Their names are in the Book of Life.


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Don't worry about anything. Instead, let God know what you are asking for in prayer. Tell Him all about what you want. And be thankful.


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God's peace, which goes far beyond all human understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.


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Finally, brothers, think about good things and things that will bring praise - whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable.


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Practice the things you learned from me, received from me, heard from me, or saw in me. The God of peace will be with you.


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I am very happy in the Lord that, after all this time, you are still concerned about me. You were always concerned but you didn't have the chance to give.


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I know what it is to go without and I know what it is to have plenty. At all times I have learned the secret of being full or going hungry, of having plenty or very little.


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When I left the Macedonian area after the Good News first came to them, not one called out group of people helped (in giving or receiving things). You were the only ones - and you Philippians know this!


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Even while I was in the city of Thessalonica, time and again when I needed help, you sent something to me.


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I have gotten everything; it is more than enough. I have plenty since I received the things you sent with Epaphroditus. It is an acceptable sacrifice, a sweet smell that pleases God.


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Letter to the Ones in Colossae From Paul (God wanted me to be a delegate of Christ Jesus.) and from Timothy, our brother.


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To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in the city of Colossae. May help in time of need and peace come to you from God our Father.


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We have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the giving to the saints, for their good, expecting nothing in return,


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because of the hope that is hidden away in heaven for you. You heard about this hope long ago in the true message - the Good News.


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It came to you as it is now all over the world. It is producing fruit and increasing its influence. It has been doing the same thing among you ever since you first heard and learned about God's help in time of need in the truth.


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You learned it from Epaphras, our co-slave, to whom I give myself. He is a faithful slave of Christ for us.


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He has also told us about your giving to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, in the Spirit.


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Since the day we heard about you, we haven't stopped praying for you. We ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of what God wants, with all kinds of wisdom and spiritual understanding.


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We want you to live as if you were worthy of the Lord Jesus. Please him in every way. Produce the fruit of good deeds. Grow in your knowledge of God.


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Be strong! Have all the strength of His glorious power. Then you will be able to endure anything. You will learn patience with joy.


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Give thanks to the Father who entitled you to have a part of what saints will receive. The saints are in the light.


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He rescued us from the power of darkness and moved us into the kingdom of His Son to whom He gave Himself.


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because in Christ everything was created - everything in the heavenly world and everything on earth, things that can be seen and things which cannot be seen; thrones, lords, rulers, and powers. Everything was created through Christ and for Christ.


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Christ is the Head of the body, the called out people. Christ is the Source, the first one to rise from death so that he could be first in everything


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and, through Christ, to bring everything back to Him. God used the blood of the cross of Christ to make peace with everything on earth and everything in the heavenly world.


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But now Christ's physical body has brought you back to God through death. He wanted to present you holy, spotless, and without guilt before Him.


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But you must stay rooted and grounded in the faith. Don't be moved away from the hope of the Good News that you heard. It was preached to every person under heaven. I, Paul, am a minister of this Good News.


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I am happy even though I am now suffering for you. Christ did not finish the suffering. I am completing the suffering which was left over. I am doing this in my body for Christ's body, the called out people.


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I was made a minister of that people by God's plan which was given to me for your sakes. God wanted me to complete His message.


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This is the secret that was kept hidden from generations and for ages but now it has been made clear to God's saints.


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God wanted them to make clear the meaning of the glorious riches of this secret in people who are not Jewish. The secret is - Christ in you; he is the hope of glory.


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We preach Christ. We use every kind of wisdom to teach and warn every person. We want to present every person to God perfect in Christ.


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This is what I am working for. Using all the energy that he exercises so powerfully in me, I am struggling to do this.


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I want you to know how hard I have fought for you and for the people of the town of Laodicea and for all of those who have not met me face to face.


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Then their hearts will be encouraged and bound together with giving to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return. They will have all the riches of complete understanding, knowing God's secret - Christ.


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Even though I am physically not there with you, I am with you in spirit. It makes me feel happy when I see how orderly and how strong your faith in Christ is.


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Be careful! Don't let anyone capture you with philosophy or misleading theories that can fool you. These come from human tradition and worldly standards, not from Christ!


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In Christ you were circumcised with a non-human circumcision. With Christ's circumcision you stripped away sins of the human nature.


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You were buried with Christ by immersion. You were also raised with Christ through believing in the power of God who raised Christ from death.


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When you were spiritually dead in your sins and your human nature was not circumcised, God brought you back to life with Christ. He forgave all of our sins.


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God wiped away the written code with its strict orders. It was negative; it was against us. He took it out of the way. He nailed it to his cross.


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After God stripped away the power of the rulers and authorities, He showed this openly, using the cross to show His victory over them.


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So don't let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or a religious festival, or the new moon holiday, or Sabbaths.


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Don't let anyone who likes to act "humble" and to worship angels disqualify you from the race. He talks in detail about what he has "seen". His unspiritual mind makes him boastful for no real reason.


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He is not holding onto the Head. The whole body grows the way God made it grow, held together by its joints and ligaments, getting its support from the head.


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If you truly died with Christ, leaving behind the standards of the world, why are you living as if you were still in the world? You are making strict rules:


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None of these things will last after they have been used for a while. They are human commands and teachings.


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These things look like there is wisdom behind them. They have forced worship, false humility, and harsh treatment of the human body but they don't help control physical desires at all!


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So since you were raised with Christ, search for things that are above, where Christ is sitting at God's right side.


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So kill the earthly parts: unlawful sexual intercourse, that which is dirty, lust, evil desire, and greed. (Greed is the same thing as worshipping a false god.)


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But now you must put away all of those things: anger, grudges, feelings of hate, cursing, and filthy words.


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Put on the new personality, which is being renewed, by learning to be like the image of its Creator.


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Here there are no Greeks or Jews, no circumcision or uncircumcision, no foreigners, no Scythians, no slaves or free men. Christ is everything and in everything.


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So clothe yourselves with tender feelings, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience like God's chosen - saints to whom He gives Himself, for your good, expecting nothing in return.


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Put up with one another. If someone has a problem with somebody else, forgive each other as the Lord forgave you.


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Add the giving of yourselves to others to all of these things. This binds them all together in perfect unity.


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Let the teaching of Christ live among you in an abundant way. Use all wisdom to teach and warn one another with psalms, songs of praise, and spiritual songs, singing to God with your hearts.


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Everything you say or do should be done by the authority of the Lord Jesus. Thank God, the Father, through Christ.


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Husbands, give yourselves to your wives for their good, expecting nothing in return. Don't be bitter with them.


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Slaves, in everything obey your human masters. Don't serve them only when they are looking, like slaves who are trying to please men. Instead, serve with a sincere heart, showing respect for the Lord.


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Be a slave to Christ, the master. You know you will receive a reward from the Lord; it will be an inheritance.


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Pray for us too. Pray that God will give us an opportunity to share the word, to talk about the secret of Christ. That is why I am tied up in chains.


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Your message should always be beautiful, flavored with salt. You should learn how you must answer each person.


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Tychicus will tell you all of the news about me. He is our brother, faithful slave and co-slave in the Lord, to whom we give ourselves.


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That is why I sent him to you. Then you will find out everything that is happening to us. He will encourage your hearts.


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With him is Onesimus, the dear, faithful brother. He is one of your own number. They will tell you everything that is happening here.


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Aristarchus, my cellmate, greets you. Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, greets you too. You have already received instructions about him. If he comes to you, welcome him.


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Jesus (the one called Justus) sends his greetings. These are the only Jews who are my co-workers in the kingdom of God here. They have been very helpful to me.


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Epaphras greets you. He is one of your own and a slave of Christ Jesus. He is always wrestling in his prayers for you. He wants you to stand complete, totally sure of everything that God wants.


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I'll tell you the truth about him: he works very hard for you and the believers in the towns of Laodicea and Hierapolis!


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After this letter has been read to all of you, see that it is read to the called out group in Laodicea. Then you can read the letter which they received.


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I write this with my own hand: "Greetings from Paul. Remember my chains." May help in time of need be with you.


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First Letter to the Ones in Thessalonica From Paul, Silas, and Timothy. To the called out people of the Thessalonians in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. Help in time of need and peace to you.


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Before our God and Father, we remember the effort that came from your faith, the hard work that came from your giving of yourselves to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, and your endurance which comes from the hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.


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Brothers and sisters, God gives Himself to you, for your good, expecting nothing in return. You know He has chosen you.


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How did our good news come to you? It came not only with talk but also with power, the Holy Spirit, and with much conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.


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You copied us and the Lord Jesus. Even during much suffering, you accepted the message with the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit.


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The Lord’s message rang out from you. The news about your faith in God has gone out too. Not only did it go to Macedonia and Achaia, it went everywhere! We don’t have to talk about it,


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because people tell us about how we came in among you and how you turned away from false gods to God. Now you are serving the true, living God


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and waiting for His Son to come from heaven. Jesus, whom God raised from death, will rescue us from the punishment that is coming from God.


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Before we arrived there, as you know, we had suffered and had been insulted in the city of Philippi. But with our God’s help, we dared to tell you God’s Good News, even when some people strongly opposed us.


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No, we talk like men who have been tested by God. He trusted us with the Good News. We don’t talk like men who are trying to please men. No, God tests our hearts.


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In the past you know we never used flattery. We didn’t try to look good to get your money. God knows this is true!


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As Christ’s delegates, we could have been hard on you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother taking care of her children.


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We gave ourselves to you for your good, expecting nothing in return. It was a pleasure to share with you not only God’s Good News, but also our lives. You had become precious to us.


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Brothers, do you remember our hard work? We were exhausted. We worked night and day; we didn’t want to be a burden to you while we preached God’s Good News to you.


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We were pure, being made right, and without guilt among you believers. You know it and God knows it!


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We encouraged you, comforted you, and told you to live your lives worthy of God who called you into His kingdom and glory.


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This is why we continually thank God: when you received God’s message that you heard from us, you accepted it as the true message of God, not as a human message. It is working in you believers.


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Brothers, you became imitators of God’s called out people which are in Christ Jesus in the land of Judea. Your own countrymen make you suffer in the same way that the Judeans make them suffer.


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They killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets. They drove us out. They are not pleasing God and they are against all men.


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They try to stop us from talking to non-Jewish people to keep them from being saved. They are always piling up their sins. God’s punishment has finally come upon them.


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Brothers, we were forced to leave you for a short time. (This was in body, not in spirit.) With a strong desire, we tried very hard to see you face to face.


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What are we hoping for? What would make us happy? What is the crown we will take pride in before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you!


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we sent Timothy. He is our brother and God’s co-worker for the Good News of Christ. We wanted him to help your faith and make you strong.


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When we were with you, we told you ahead of time: "We are about to be persecuted." And, as you know, it happened.


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That is why I couldn’t wait any longer; I sent Timothy to find out if your faith was strong. The Tempter could have tempted you and our hard work would have been wasted.


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But Timothy has just now come back from you to us. He has told us the news about your faith and giving of self to others for their good, expecting nothing in return; that you always have good memories of us and yearn to see us, just as much as we want to see you.


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We cannot thank God enough. Can we repay our God for all of the happiness we have before Him because of you?


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Day and night we are praying very hard that we will see your faces and supply anything that is missing in your faith.


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May the Lord make your giving of self to others for their good, expecting nothing in return, grow and overflow to one another and everyone else, just as ours does toward you.


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May the Lord make your spirits strong, without guilt, and holy before God, our Father, when our Lord Jesus returns with all his saints.


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Finally, brothers, we gave you instructions about how you must live to please God. You are living that way now. We are asking — yes, begging you in the Lord Jesus to do even more!


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No one should take advantage of or cheat his brother. The Lord will punish those who do such things, as we told you before and warned you.


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We don’t need to write you about loving your brothers. God has already taught you how to give yourself to one another, for his good, expecting nothing in return;


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you are doing this to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Brothers, we beg you, to do this even more!


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Brothers, I want you to know the truth about the people who have already died. Then you will not be sad like others who have no hope.


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Since we believe that Jesus died and came back to life, through him, in the same way, God will bring along with Jesus those who have died.


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We are telling you the Lord’s teaching: when the Lord Jesus returns, we — who are still alive on earth — will not go ahead of those who have already died.


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The Lord himself will come down from heaven with a command, with the voice of the angel leader, and with the sound of God’s trumpet. The dead people in Christ will be the first to rise from death.


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Then we who are still alive on earth will be gathered up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.


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People will say, "Things are peaceful and safe." That’s when destruction will suddenly hit them. It will be like when the birth pain comes to a pregnant woman. They won’t be able to run away.


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But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and giving ourselves to others for their good, expecting nothing in return, as a chest-plate, and the hope of safety from danger as a helmet.


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God did not plan for us to be punished, but to have safety from danger through our Lord Jesus Christ.


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Brothers, we beg you to respect those who are working hard among you. They are leading you in the Lord and warning you.


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Because of their work, treat them with the greatest honor in giving of self to others for their good, expecting nothing in return. Be at peace with one another.


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Brothers, we beg you, warn those who are lazy. Comfort people who are afraid. Help the weaker ones. Be patient with everyone.


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Be sure that no one pays back wrong with a wrong. Instead, always try to do good to one another and to everyone.


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The God of peace Himself will make you completely holy. May He keep your spirit, soul, and body whole without guilt until our Lord Jesus Christ comes.


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Second Letter to the Ones in Thessalonica From Paul, Silas, and Timothy. To the called out people of the Thessalonians in God our Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ.


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May help in time of need and peace come to you from God, our Father, and from the Lord, Jesus Christ.


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We should always thank God for you, brothers and sisters. We really should, because your faith is growing fast. The giving of yourselves to everyone among you, for his good, expecting nothing in return, is also becoming stronger.


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So among God’s called out people, we are proud of you. You are going through persecutions and troubles. We tell them how you still believe and endure.


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This shows that God’s judgment is right. You are suffering for the kingdom of God. So you are worthy of it.


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But to those of you who are having trouble, He will also give you — and us — rest! The Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with his powerful angels.


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He will come with a flaming fire. He will punish the people who do not acknowledge God and those who don’t obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus.


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They will be punished with eternal destruction — away from the Lord and from the glory of his strength.


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Jesus will come so that his saints may give him glory. His coming will mean splendor unimaginable. On that day you will be there too, because you believed our story.


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This is why we always pray for you. Our God called you; we want Him to make you worthy of that! May God also accomplish in a powerful way all of the good you want to do and every action that comes from your faith.


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In this way, the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored by you and you will be honored by him. All this was made possible by the help in time of need of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.


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Our Lord Jesus Christ is coming. And we will be gathered together with him. But, brothers, we beg you


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not to allow your minds to be alarmed or quickly upset. Perhaps some spirit, message, or letter said, "The Day of the Lord has already come!" We sent no such letter.


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Don’t let anyone fool you like that because "the falling away" must come first. The lawless man, the son of destruction, will be revealed then.


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He will be against everything that people worship or think is divine. He will lift himself above all of these things. He will even sit in God’s temple sanctuary, claiming that he is God.


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Lawlessness is already working in secrecy. Someone is holding it back. Until that changes, nothing will happen.


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Only then will the lawless man be revealed. The Lord Jesus will kill him with a blast from his mouth. When Jesus comes with splendor, Jesus will destroy him.


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The lawless man will come with Satan’s power. He will use all kinds of false powers, proofs, and miracles.


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There will be every kind of evil to fool the people who are being destroyed. Why? Because they did not give themselves to the truth expecting nothing in return, so that they could be saved.


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But we should always thank God for you, brothers. The Lord gives himself to you, for your good, expecting nothing in return. God planned for you to be saved. You are His first crop. You believed the truth, and the Spirit made you holy.


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Using our Good News, God called you into this. He wanted you to have the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.


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So, brothers, stand firm! We have spoken to you and written a letter. Hold onto the things we taught you.


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Our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father will encourage your hearts and make you strong in every good word and deed. He gave Himself to us for our good, expecting nothing in return and, with help in time of need, gave us eternal comfort and good hope.


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Finally, brothers, pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s message will spread fast and be honored just as it was with you.


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May the Lord guide your hearts into God’s giving of Himself to you, for your good, expecting nothing in return, and the endurance of Christ.


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Brothers, by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, we order you to withdraw from any brother who is a lazy person, a troublemaker. He is not living the way we taught you to live.


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We never ate the food of anybody, unless we paid for it! No, night and day we worked hard to the point of exhaustion. Why? So we wouldn’t be a burden to any of you.


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Even when we were with you, we gave you this order: "If a person doesn’t want to work, then don’t let him eat!"


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We hear that some men among you are living lazy lives; they are not working. Instead, they keep other people from working.


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By the Lord Jesus Christ, we order — even beg — you people, "Get to work! Quietly earn your own living."


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If someone won’t obey our teaching in this letter, give him notice. Don’t associate with him! Then he will feel ashamed.


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This is the way I write: "Greetings from Paul! This was with my own hand." It is my signature on every letter.


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To Timothy, my true son in the faith. May God, our Father, and Christ Jesus, our Lord, give you help in time of need, mercy, and peace.


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While I was traveling to the Macedonian area, I urged you to stay in the city of Ephesus. Some men there are teaching a different teaching. I want you to order them to stop doing this.


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They should not hold onto myths or endless lists of ancestors. These cause arguments. They are not helping God’s plan which comes by faith.


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Giving yourself to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, is the real reason for this command. It comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and honest faith.


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They want to be teachers of the law, but they don’t understand what they are talking about or the things they are so sure of.


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We also know this: the law was not made for a good man but for people who are lawless, rebels, ungodly, sinners, unholy, not religious, father-killers, mother-killers, murderers,


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sexual sinners, homosexuals, slave traders, liars, and those who break promises. These and other things are against the healthy teaching


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I am thankful to Christ Jesus our Lord who gave me power. He thought I was faithful so he appointed me for this work.


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In the past I said evil things against God. I was a persecutor and a man of violence. But I received mercy because, when I was an unbeliever, I didn’t know what I was doing.


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Then the help in time of need of our Lord came upon me like a flood, with the faith and the giving of self to others for their good, expecting nothing in return, which are in Christ Jesus.


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This statement is something you can trust; it is worth complete acceptance: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." I am the worst one


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but, because of this, I received mercy. Christ Jesus wanted to show all his patience in me, the worst sinner. This was an example for those who were about to believe in him for eternal life.


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Give honor and glory forever and ever to the eternal King who cannot die or be seen, the only God. Amen.


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Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction. It is like the prophecies which were made earlier about you. Use them to fight the good fight.


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Hold onto the faith and a good conscience, which some people have rejected. They wrecked their faith, like a ship at sea.


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Some of them are Hymenaeus and Alexander. I gave them to Satan so that they could be corrected and not say evil things against God anymore.


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First of all, I beg you to pray for all people. Ask for things. Speak for them. Be thankful to God for them.


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Pray for kings and all those who have authority so that we may lead peaceful, quiet lives. We want to be godly and serious.


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This is why I was made a preacher, a delegate, (I speak the truth; I’m not lying.) and a teacher of people who are not Jewish. I teach about faith and truth.


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In the same way, I want the women to dress modestly. They should use good sense and be proper, avoiding fancy hairdos and gold, or pearls, or expensive clothes.


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But a woman may be saved through motherhood, if she continues with faith, giving herself to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, and holiness with good sense.


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An overseer: must be above suspicion; must be a faithful, married man; must be sensible; must have self-control; must be organized; must like people enough to invite them into his home; must be a good teacher;


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must not be addicted to wine; must not be a violent man; must be gentle; must be peaceful; must not love money;


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must lead his own family well; must have children who put themselves under his authority with all respect.


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(If a man doesn’t know how to lead his own family, he would not know how to take care of the called out people of God.)


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He must have good things said about him by outsiders. (Then he will not fall into shame and a trap of the devil.)


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In the same way, servants — must be respectable; must be sincere; must not drink too much wine; must not be greedy for dirty money;


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The men who serve well as servants will win for themselves a very good position. And they will be more bold about the faith of Christ Jesus.


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But if I’m late, you will know how we must live in God’s family, the called out people of the living God. God’s family is the pillar and foundation of truth.


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We must agree that the secret of our faith is great: Christ appeared in a human body. He was shown to be right by the Spirit. He was seen by angels. He was preached among the nations. He was believed in the world. He was taken up to glory.


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The Spirit clearly says that some people will pull away from the faith in later times. They will follow lying spirits and teachings of demons.


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Like hypocrites they will tell lies. Their consciences feel nothing, as though they have been branded with a hot iron.


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They try to stop people from getting married. They tell people to stay away from certain foods. God created these foods to be eaten by thankful believers who know the truth.


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Everything that God created is good. If anything is received with thanksgiving, it should be accepted.


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If you present these things to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus. You are being fed by the words of faith and good teaching which you have followed.


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Physical training has some importance, but being godly is much more important for everything else. It promises life for now and in the future.


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"We have put our hope on the living God. He is the Savior of all people, especially believers. This is why we work hard and try so hard."


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Don’t let anyone think that, just because you are young, what you say is not important. Instead, be an example for the believers by what you say and how you live, by giving of yourself to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, by faith and purity.


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Don’t neglect the spiritual gift that is inside you. It was given to you through a prophetic message when the group of elders put their hands on you.


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Watch yourself and what you teach. Stay with them because if you do these things, you will save yourself and the people who listen to you.


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But if a widow has children or grandchildren, then they should learn to be godly first with their own family. They should repay what they owe to their grandparents because this is acceptable before God.


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The widow who is truly a widow and who is all alone has put her hope in God. Day and night she continues praying and asking God for help.


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If a man does not support his relatives — and especially his own family — he shows that he does not believe; he is worse than an unbeliever.


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Don’t put a widow on the list for help if she is under 60 years old. She must have been faithful to her husband.


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It should be clear to all that she has done good deeds: Did she raise children? Did she welcome strangers? Did she wash the feet of saints? Did she help people who were suffering? Did she practice all kinds of good deeds?


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Don’t put the young widows on the list because, after their sexual desires become stimulated again, they want to marry and leave Christ.


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Also, they learn to be lazy. They go from one house to the next. Not only are they lazy but they are gossips and meddlers. They talk about things they shouldn’t talk about.


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I want the young widows to get married again, have children, and make a home. This will not give the enemy a chance to say bad things about us.


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If a believing woman has widows in her family, she should support them. Don’t let the called out people take this burden. Then, the called out people can support widows who are truly widows.


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The elders who are good leaders deserve double the pay. This is especially true for those who work hard at preaching and teaching.


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The Scripture says, "Don’t put something over the ox’s mouth while it is walking around on the wheat straw." and "A worker should be given his pay."


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When someone accuses an elder, don’t accept it unless two or three people are saying the same thing.


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There are some people who continue to sin. Prove them wrong publicly. Then the others will show respect.


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Before God, Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels, I order you to obey these things. Don’t pre-judge or give any special favors to anyone.


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All slaves should feel that their masters deserve all honor. Then no one can say something evil about God’s name or the teaching.


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Slaves who have believing masters should not look down on their masters because they are brothers. Instead, these slaves should serve them even better because the masters are getting some good from their help. These masters are believers who give themselves to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return. Comfort people. Teach these things.


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Someone may teach a different teaching. If he doesn’t hold onto healthy words (the words of our Lord Jesus Christ) and godly teaching,


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he is boastful. He doesn’t understand anything; he is sick. He likes arguments and fights about words. Jealousy, fighting, words against God, and evil thoughts occur.


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There is always trouble with men who have polluted minds. They don’t have the truth anymore. They think that religion is a way of making money.


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But the people who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish desires that hurt them. These things drown men in ruin and destruction.


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Loving money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people want money so badly that they have wandered away from the faith. They have so painfully wounded themselves.


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But you, O man of God, run away from these things. Follow after faith, what is good, godly, gentle, enduring, and giving yourself to others for their good, expecting nothing in return.


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Fight the good fight of the faith. Hold onto eternal life. (God gives life to everything.) You were called into this life when you made the good confession in front of many witnesses. Before God and Christ Jesus, who made the good confession to Pontius Pilate, I command you


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God will show this at the right time. God is blessed. He is the only Ruler, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords.


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Only God never dies. He lives in light. No one can come near it. No human being has seen Him. No human being is able to see Him. Honor and power belong to Him forever. Amen.


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Tell the rich people ("rich" in this world) not to brag. They shouldn’t place their hope upon wealth. That is not a sure thing. Instead, they should put their hope in God who abundantly gives us everything to enjoy.


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Rich people should do good things to others. They should be "rich" in good deeds to others. They must be generous and want to share with others.


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They will store up a good foundation for themselves in the future. Then they can get hold of real life.


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Timothy, guard what you were given! Turn away from unholy stories, old wives’ tales, and the opposition of so-called "knowledge".


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Some believers of the faith have claimed to have this "knowledge", but they have strayed away from the faith. Help in time of need be with you.


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From Paul. I am a delegate of Christ Jesus because this is what God wanted. This was by the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.


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To Timothy, my son to whom I give myself. May help in time of need, mercy, and peace come from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.


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Like my ancestors, I serve God with a clear conscience. I thank Him. Day and night I always mention you in my prayers.


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I remember the true faith that is in you. It lived first in Lois, your grandmother, and then in Eunice, your mother. I’m sure it is still in you too.


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This is why I am reminding you to keep the fire of God’s spiritual gift burning. It is in you because I put my hands on you.


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God did not give us a cowardly attitude. No, God gave us one of power, of giving of self to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, and good sense.


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So don’t be ashamed to tell the truth about our Lord Jesus or about me, his prisoner. Instead, suffer for the Good News by God’s power.


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God saved us and called us with a holy calling. This was not by our efforts. Instead, it was by God’s own purpose and help in time of need which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.


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Now it has been made clear since Christ Jesus, our Savior, appeared. He destroyed death. Through the Good News, he has made it clear that we will live and never die.


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This is why I am now suffering these things. But I’m not ashamed because I know the One I have believed in. And I’m sure that He is able to guard what I have trusted to Him until that Day.


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The healthy words you heard me speak should be kept as an example with the faith and giving of self to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, that is in Christ Jesus.


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May the Lord give mercy to Onesiphorus’ family. He often made me feel better. My being in jail did not make him feel ashamed.


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May the Lord Jesus allow him to find mercy from the Lord God on the Judgment Day. You know exactly how much he helped me in the city of Ephesus.


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Along with many witnesses, you heard some teachings from me. Pass these things on to faithful men who will be able to teach other men.


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Don’t forget the Descendant of David, Jesus Christ, who was raised from death. This is the Good News I tell.


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Like a criminal I suffer for the Good News — even if it means prison! But God’s message has not been confined.


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Why do I endure all of these things? It is for the people chosen by God. I want them also to receive the safety from danger which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.


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Continue reminding the people about these things. Warn them before God not to have fights about words, for that is useless. It destroys the people who are listening.


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Do your best to present yourself to God as one who has passed the test. Be a worker who has nothing to be ashamed of. Interpret the message of truth in the proper way.


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Stay away from unholy stories and empty talk. Those who continue doing this will only become more ungodly.


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They have wandered away from the truth. They claim that the resurrection of the dead has already come! And they have turned some people away from the faith.


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But God’s solid foundation stands firm. It has this mark: "The Lord God knows who belongs to him." and "Every person who wears the name of the Lord God must pull away from wrong."


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In a large house there are different bowls. Some are made of gold or silver, but some are made of wood or clay. Some are for nice things, but some are for ugly purposes.


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So if a person cleans himself up from these evil things, he will be like a bowl for nice things. He is special and useful for the Master, ready to do any good work.


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Run away from the evil desires which some young people have. Follow (a) being made right, (b) faith, (c) giving of self to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, and (d) peace. Do this with people who trust in the Lord with a pure heart.


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The Lord’s slave must not fight. No, he should be kind to everyone. He should be a good teacher. He shouldn’t want to pay somebody back with evil.


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He must gently correct people who are against him. Perhaps God will allow them to have a change of heart, leading them to know the truth.


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Then they will wake up and get away from the devil’s trap. The devil has captured them to do what he wants them to do.


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People will be selfish, greedy, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobeying their parents, unthankful, unholy,


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They will hold the outer form of religion but say no to its inner power. Stay away from these people.


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Some of these men creep into homes and "capture" women who are heavy with sins and easily led into many types of evil desires.


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They are like Jannes and Jambres, the men who were against Moses. In the same way, these people are against the truth. Their minds are completely polluted. As far as the faith is concerned, they are rejected.


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But they will not make much progress because their stupidity, like that of Jannes and Jambres, will become clear to everyone.


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You have followed my teaching, my life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my giving of myself to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, and my endurance.


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You know my persecutions, the kinds of things I suffered in the cities of Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, and Lystra. I put up with all kinds of persecutions, but the Lord rescued me from all of them.


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But you must stay with the things you trust, the things you were taught. You know the people from whom you learned them.


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You have known the Holy Scriptures since you were a child. The Scriptures are able to make you wise through safety from danger through believing in Christ Jesus.


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Every Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for proving sinners wrong, for correcting errors, and for training people to be right with God.


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In the future, Christ will judge people who are now alive and people who have died. Because of the nearness of his appearance and his kingdom, I warn you before God and Christ Jesus:


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preach the message! Be ready in good times and times that are not so good. Prove sinners wrong. Correct and comfort, with all kinds of patience and teaching.


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The time will come when people will not put up with healthy teaching. Instead, following their own evil desires, they will gather to themselves many, many teachers to say what they want to hear.


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Use self-control in everything. Endure. Do the work of one who preaches the Good News. Finish your ministry.


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At last there is a crown of being made right waiting for me. The Lord Jesus will reward me on that Judgment Day. He is a fair judge. Not only will he reward me, but he’ll reward all people who have given themselves to God, for His good, expecting nothing in return, and look for his appearance.


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Demas abandoned me; he gave himself to this world for its good, expecting something in return. He went to the city of Thessalonici, and Crescens left for the land of Galatia. Titus went to the Dalmatian area.


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I left a heavy robe with Carpus in the city of Troas. When you come, bring the robe, the books, and especially the leather scrolls.


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No one came to help me at my first defense trial; they all abandoned me. (May the Lord not hold this against them!)


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But the Lord stood beside me. He made me strong so that the message would be fully preached through me, and so that all the non-Jewish people would listen. The Lord rescued me from the lion’s mouth.


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The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack. He will save me for His heavenly kingdom. Give glory to Him forever and ever. Amen.


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Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all of the brothers here send their greetings.


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From Paul, a slave of God and a delegate of Jesus Christ for helping God’s chosen ones believe and fully understand the truth of godly living.


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This faith and knowledge is based on hope — hope for eternal life. God promised this before time began — and God does not lie!


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At the right time God made His word clear. It was entrusted to me. By order of God our Savior, I preach it.


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To Titus, my true son in the common faith we share. May help in time of need, mercy, and peace come to you from God the Father and from Christ Jesus, our Savior.


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I left you on the island of Crete because I wanted you to straighten out things that still needed to be done and to confirm elders in each town as I told you.


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An elder must be above suspicion; must be a faithful, married man; must have faithful children who could not be accused of being wild or disobedient.


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The overseer must have a good reputation since he watches over God’s work; must not be overbearing; must not be hot-tempered; must not be addicted to wine; must not be a violent man; must not be dishonest in money matters;


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must love people enough to invite them into his home; must love what is good; must be wise; must be fair; must be a holy man; must have control of himself;


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must hold onto the faithful message as it has been taught so that he can be strong, encouraging people with healthy teaching and correcting those who are against the truth.


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There are many people who won’t obey, especially Jewish believers who claim that non-Jewish believers must be circumcised. They have nothing to say but they talk anyway. They lead other people the wrong way.


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Their mouths must be shut. They are upsetting entire families, teaching things they must not teach. Why? To make money!


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One of their own teachers said: “Cretan people are always liars, mean brutes, and lazy — but they like to eat.”


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This is true. That is why you must always be correcting them sharply. Then they will have a healthy faith.


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Everything is clean to those who are clean, but nothing is clean to those who are polluted and unfaithful. Their consciences and the way they think are both polluted.


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They claim they know God but their actions show that this is not true. They are rotten, disobedient, and worthless for doing anything good.


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Tell the older men to be serious, worthy of respect, self-controlled, healthy in their faith, giving to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, and endurance.


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In the same way, tell the older women to live the way holy women should live and not to be slanderers or slaves to wine. They should be teachers of good things.


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to control themselves, to be pure, to keep the home, to be good, and to obey their husbands. Then no one can say evil things about God’s Word.


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You yourself must set an example in everything by doing good things. When you teach, be serious and be sincere.


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Offer a healthy message that cannot be criticized so that an enemy will feel ashamed, having nothing bad to say against us.


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They must not steal from them. Instead, slaves must show that they are good and can be trusted completely. Then the teaching of God, our Savior, will look attractive in every way.


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It trains us to say no to ungodly ways and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this world.


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We are waiting for the blessed hope and the glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.


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He gave himself for us in order that he could buy us back from every kind of sin. He wanted to make a people clean for his very own, a people eager to do good deeds.


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Continue teaching these things. Keep on encouraging and correcting with full authority. Don’t let anyone look down on you!


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Remind the people to put themselves under rulers and those in authority, to obey them, to be ready to do any good work,


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not to say evil things about anyone, to be peaceable, to be considerate, and to show true humility toward every person.


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We too were disobedient, foolish, and misled. We were slaves to all kinds of human desires and pleasures. We lived our lives being mean to and jealous of others. People hated us and we hated them.


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But the kindness and giving of God our Savior then appeared to people for their good, expecting nothing in return.


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He saved us by a washing of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit. Deliverance from sin did not come from any good deeds that we ourselves did. No, it came by God’s mercy!


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This is how we have been made right with God. This is how we have become heirs: by God’s help in time of need we have the hope of eternal life.


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That statement is something you can trust. I want you to stress these matters, so that those who have committed themselves to God may be careful to devote themselves to doing good deeds. These things are good and useful for people.


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But stay away from foolish issues, long lists of ancestors, arguments, or disputes about the law of Moses. These are useless and without purpose.


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When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me in the city of Nicopolis because I have decided to spend the winter there.


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Do your best to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way so that they have everything they need.


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Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing good deeds. They must learn to be productive, providing for real needs.


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Those who are here with me send their greetings. Send our greetings to those in the faith who love us. May help in time of need be with all of you.


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From Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, our brother. To: Philemon, our co-worker (you to whom we give ourselves, for your good, expecting nothing in return);


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I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and for your giving of yourself to all of the saints, for their good, expecting nothing in return.


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I pray that you will actively share your faith with a real understanding of every good thing which we have in Christ.


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I feel very happy and encouraged because of your giving to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return. Brother, you have lifted up the hearts of the saints.


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But because of giving myself to you, expecting nothing in return, I would rather encourage. I, Paul, am an old man and also now a prisoner of Christ Jesus.


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I was wanting to keep him for myself. While in prison for the Good News, he could have helped me as your servant.


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But I did not want to do anything unless you knew about it. Then your goodness would not be forced. It would be because you really wanted to do it.


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Onesimus is not really a slave anymore. No, he is more than a slave; he is a brother — to whom we give ourselves — especially a brother to me. But this is even truer for you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.


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I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: "I will pay you back." (I won’t mention that you owe me your very life.)


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As I write this letter, I’m sure you will obey. I know that you will do even more than I am asking for.


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Oh yes, prepare a guest room for me. I hope to be given back to you because you are praying for this.


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but during these last times, God used His Son to speak to us. God appointed him to inherit everything. Through him God made the universe.


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The Son is the shining brightness of God’s glory and the exact picture of God’s real being. The Son holds up the universe with his powerful word. After he had provided a cleansing from sin, he sat down at God’s right side in heaven.


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Jesus has received a title — Son. This is better than any of the angels. He is so much more important than angels.


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God never said this to an angel: "You are My Son. I have fathered you today." and again, "I will be his Father and he will be My Son."


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But God said this about His Son: "Your throne, O God, lasts forever and ever. You rule your kingdom fairly.


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You have given yourself to what is right for good, expecting nothing in return, and hated what is wrong. This is why God, your God, has made you king over your friends with the oil of gladness."


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God also said this about His Son: "Lord, in the beginning, you laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the result of your work.


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They will be rolled up like an overcoat; they will be changed like a robe. But you are still the same. You will never get old."


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God never said this to any of the angels: "Sit at My right side until I put your enemies under your feet for a footstool."


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This is why we must really pay attention to the things we have heard. If we don’t, we might drift away.


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The message that God spoke through angels was firm. Every person who broke God’s law, or disobeyed it, received fair punishment.


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If we don’t care about so great a deliverance from sin, we will not escape punishment. In the beginning, the Lord Jesus told about this deliverance from sin. Later, the people who heard him showed us that it was true.


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Also, God proved that it was true — with miracles, amazing things, and different kinds of powers and spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit which were distributed the way God wanted.


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Someone has said somewhere in the Scriptures: "What is man, that You should care about him? What are his children, that You should take care of them?


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You put everything under his control." When God "put everything" under man, this meant everything! But today, we see that everything has not yet been put under man.


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We see Jesus. He was made "a little lower than angels". But when Jesus suffered and died, he was "crowned with glory and honor". By God’s help in time of need he did this to taste death for every person.


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God made everything for Himself. When He brought many sons to glory, it was only right for Him to use suffering to make the Leader of their deliverance from sin perfect.


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The people who were made holy and the one who made them holy all come from one Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them "brothers".


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The Scripture says: "I will announce Your name to my brothers. I will sing to You in the middle of the called out group."


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Again the Scripture says: "I will trust Him." Again: "Look! I am with the children whom God gave me."


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The "children" are human. So Jesus also shared in their humanity. He wanted to use death to destroy the devil who has the power of death.


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This means that Jesus had to become like his brothers in every way. Then he could become a faithful, merciful high priest, offering himself to God for the forgiveness of the sins of the people.


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Before Jesus suffered, he was tempted. That is why he is able to help people who are being tempted now.


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Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, you who share in God’s calling, think about Jesus — the one whom we confessed was the Delegate and High Priest.


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Moses was faithful like a servant in all God’s family, — he told the truth about what God would say in the future —


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but Christ is a Son over God’s house. We are that house if we hold on to the confidence and the hope we are proud of.


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don’t let your hearts become stubborn as you did during the rebellion in the time of testing in the desert.


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So I was angry with that generation. I said, ‘Their hearts always wander away. They have not known My ways.’


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Brothers, be careful! If you are not, some of you might develop an evil, unbelieving heart that pulls away from the living God.


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Instead, every day comfort one another while it is still "today" so none of you will become stubborn because sin has fooled you.


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If, to the very end, we hold tightly to the confidence we had at the beginning, we are partners with Christ.


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Again: "If you hear God’s voice today, don’t let your hearts become stubborn, as you did during the rebellion."


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With whom was God angry for 40 years? It was with those people who sinned! Their dead bodies lay in the desert.


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God vowed that they would never enter His place of rest. Who would never go? Those who did not obey God!


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The promise of going into God’s place of rest is still open, but we should be careful. If you’re not, some of you might not make it.


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We were told good news as they were, but the message they heard did not help them because they didn’t believe it.


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We believe. So we are entering that place of rest. God said: "While I was angry, I made a vow: ‘They will not enter My place of rest!’" But God’s works were finished at the time He created the world!


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Somewhere in the Scriptures God has said this about the seventh day: "God rested on the seventh day from all His works."


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The people who were first told the Good News did not enter because they did not obey God. However, that place of rest is still open for some people to enter.


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God planned for a day called "today". A long time after Moses, God used David to say this (as was mentioned before): "If you hear God’s voice today, don’t let your hearts become stubborn."


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We must do our best to enter God’s place of rest so that no one will fall away, following the example they set by not obeying God.


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God’s word is alive and active. It is sharper than any sword with two sharp edges. It can slice between the soul and the spirit or between the joints and bone marrow. It can tell the difference between the desires and the intentions of the human mind.


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Nothing in creation is hidden before God. To His eyes everything is naked and bare. We must give an answer to God.


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So we have a High Priest who has gone through the heavens. He is Jesus, the Son of God. We must hold on to what we said we believed.


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Our High Priest can sympathize with our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way, as we are, but he never sinned!


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Let us come near God’s throne of help in time of need with confidence. Then we can receive mercy and we can find help in time of need to help us when we need it.


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Every high priest is chosen from among men. He is appointed to serve God for them. They want him to offer gifts and sacrifices to God for sins.


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Since in many ways he himself is weak, he can gently handle people who are ignorant or those who wander away.


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In the same way, Christ did not give himself the glory of being a high priest. No, God said this to him: "You are My Son. I have fathered you today."


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During Jesus’ human life, he offered prayers to God. Once, with strong cries and tears, Jesus asked God to save him from death. (God could have done it too, but He didn’t.) God listened to Jesus because of his awesome respect.


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After Jesus was made perfect, he became the Source of eternal deliverance from sin for everyone who will obey him.


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Since you have become spiritually hard-of-hearing, the teaching about Melchizedek is very hard to explain.


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You should have become teachers a long time ago, but you need someone to teach you again the first principles of God’s sayings. You need milk, not solid food.


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But solid food is for grown-ups — people who have trained their senses by using them to tell the difference between right and wrong.


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So we should leave the basic things we learned about Christ and go on to more mature things. We should not lay again the foundation of turning away from depending on dead human efforts, of believing in God,


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Some people once had the light. They tasted some of the heavenly gift and shared in the Holy Spirit.


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but they have fallen away. It is impossible to bring them back to a change of heart. In their lives they nail the Son of God to the cross again, shaming him publicly.


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God blesses land which drinks in the rain that often falls on it. This land produces a good crop for the people who farm it.


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But land which produces thorny weeds and thorn bushes is not good and it is near to being condemned. It will end up being burned.


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But, friends, to whom we give ourselves, even though we talk like this, we are sure of better things for you — things that go with deliverance from sin. 10 God is fair. He will remember what you did and the giving to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return, that you showed toward His name. You have helped God’s saints and continue to do so.


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We want each one of you to continue doing your best until the very end. Then you can make sure of your hope.


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We don’t want you to become lazy. Be like people who will receive God’s promises through faith and patience.


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When God vowed to Abraham, He could not make a vow by anyone greater than Himself. So God made the vow by Himself.


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People make vows by someone who is greater than they are. This confirms agreements and stops all arguments among them.


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God wanted to show very clearly that His plan would not change. So He made a vow to confirm it to the people who received the promise made to Abraham.


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It is impossible for God to lie: God wanted to use these two things (which cannot change) to give us much comfort. We have run for safety to take hold of the hope that is in front of us.


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This hope that we have is like an anchor for our lives. It is safe and sure. It goes behind the curtain inside the heavenly temple sanctuary


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where Jesus has already entered for us. He has become High Priest forever, in the category of Melchizedek.


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This Melchizedek was king of the city of Salem and priest of the Most High God. When Abraham was coming back from defeating the kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him.


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And Abraham shared ten percent of everything with him. First, Melchizedek means "king of what is right". He was also King of Salem (which means "king of peace").


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We don’t know whom his father or mother was. We don’t have a list of his ancestors or descendants. And we do not know when he was born or how long he lived. Melchizedek is like the Son of God — he continues as a priest for all time.


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Look how great Melchizedek was! Even Abraham, our father, gave him ten percent of the treasures from the battle.


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The law of Moses orders that the people of Israel must give ten percent to the sons of Levi, who were the priests. The Levites are their brothers even though they came from Abraham.


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But Melchizedek was not a descendant of Levi. And yet, even though Abraham had God’s promises, Abraham gave him ten percent. Melchizedek blessed Abraham!


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Levites are men. They receive ten percent and die, but Melchizedek received ten percent and (we are told) still lives!


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The people received the law through the Levites. If a person could become perfect through the group of Levite priests, why was a different kind of priest needed to come through the Melchizedek type of priesthood, instead of through Aaron’s priesthood?


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The one we are talking about belonged to a different tribe. No one from that tribe could serve at the altar.


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It is very clear that our Lord Jesus came from the tribe of Judah. Moses said nothing about anyone in this tribe becoming a priest.


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Christ became a priest, not because of human rules and laws, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed.


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but Christ became a priest with God’s vow. This is what was said to him: "The Lord God made a vow. He will never change it: ‘You will be a priest forever.’"


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So Christ can completely save the people who come to God through him. Christ always lives to plead for them.


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Jesus is the High Priest we need. He is holy, good, and without sin. He is lifted high above the heavens, separated from sinners.


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Jesus is not like the other high priests. He does not need to offer sacrifices every day for his own sins and later for the sins of the people because Jesus offered himself for our sins once for all time.


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The law appoints men as high priests; these men are not perfect. But God’s vow came after the law: it appointed the Son as High Priest. He has been made perfect forever.


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This is the point of what is being said: We have such a High Priest. He sat down in heaven at the right side of God’s throne.


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Every high priest was appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices. Our High Priest also needed something to offer.


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If Jesus were on earth today, he would not be a priest of Levi. They offer gifts as the law commands.


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They worship at a temple which is only a copy of what is in heaven. It is not the original. When Moses was about to build the holy tent, God warned him: "Be careful! You must make everything like the pattern which I showed you on the mountain."


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But now Jesus has received a ministry that is better than theirs. He sets up a better covenant between God and man. It is based on better promises.


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If nothing had been wrong with the first [covenant], then there would have been no room for the second covenant.


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But God found something wrong with the people. He said through Jeremiah: “Listen! The Lord God says, ‘The time is coming when I will set up a new covenant with the family of Israel and the family of Judah.


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It will not be like the covenant which I set up with their ancestors when I took their hand and led them out of the land of Egypt. They did not continue with My covenant. So I paid no attention to them.


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This is the new covenant that I will set up with the family of Israel in the future. I will put My laws in their minds. I will write them upon their hearts. I will be their God. They will be My people.


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No one will ever teach his neighbor or his brother like this: "You must know the Lord God!" Everyone will know Me already — from the most important person to the least important person.


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The sanctuary was built. In the first room, there were the lamp stand, the table, and the holy loaves of bread. This room was called "the holy place".


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This room contained the golden altar and the chest of the covenant. The chest was completely covered with gold. Inside the chest, there were three things: the golden jar of manna, Aaron’s rod which had started to grow, and the stone tablets of God’s covenant.


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Two glorious angel-like statues stood above the chest. Their wings were spread over the place where sins were taken away. But now is not the time to talk about every detail of these things.


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After everything was ready, the priests were always going in and out of the first room to perform their worship services.


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But once each year, the high priest went alone into the second room. He had to have blood with him. He offered this blood to God for himself and for the sins which the people did without knowing about them.


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While the first room is still standing, the Holy Spirit shows by this that the way into the most holy place had not yet been opened.


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This is symbolic for today: it shows that gifts and sacrifices, which are being offered to God, cannot clear the worshipper’s conscience.


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These were only physical rules about food, drink, and different kinds of washings. They were to last until the time when everything would be made right.


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But Christ has come as High Priest over good things which already exist. He went through the greater and more perfect sanctuary. It is not man-made. (This means that it is not a part of this world.)


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Once for all time, Christ went into the most holy place and secured for others everlasting forgiveness from sin. He used his own blood, not the blood of goats or calves.


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The blood of goats, bulls, or the ashes from a young cow is sprinkled upon unholy people. This makes them separate and clean on the outside.


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But how much more will the blood of Christ make our consciences clean from dead human efforts so that we can worship the living God! Through the everlasting Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice.


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This is why Christ can set up a new covenant between God and man. The people broke God’s law while they were living under the first covenant. But the death of Christ was the price to set them free from sin. Now those people who have been called by God may receive the eternal inheritance that God promised.


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When a person wants his property to go to others after he dies, he makes a will. That will is worthless unless someone can prove that a person died,


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because a will is not in effect until someone dies. The will does not take effect during the life of the person who made the will.


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Moses told all of the people every command of the law. Then he took some water and some blood from calves. He used a hyssop branch and red wool to sprinkle the book of the law and all the people.


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In the same way, Moses used blood to sprinkle the holy tent and all the things used for a worship service.


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Yes, the law says that almost everything must be made clean with blood. Unless blood is poured out, sins are not forgiven.


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The copies of the things in heaven had to be made clean with the sacrifices, but the original things in heaven needed better sacrifices than those.


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Christ did not enter the most holy place which was man-made, a copy of the real one. No, he went into heaven itself to appear before God for us.


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The high priest goes into the most holy place every year with blood, but it is not his own blood. Christ did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again.


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If he had done that, he would have had to suffer over and over since the world began. But now, at the end of the ages, Christ has appeared to get rid of sin once for all time by sacrificing himself.


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In the same way, Christ was sacrificed once for all time to take away the sins of many people. Christ will come again. Why? Not to get rid of sin, but to save the people who are waiting for him. They will see him.


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The law was only a copy of good things in the future. It was not the real thing. The same sacrifices, offered year after year, could never make worshippers perfect.


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Otherwise they would have stopped making sacrifices because the worshippers would have been made clean once for all time. They would not feel guilty.


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So when Christ came into the world, this is what he said: "You did not want a sacrifice or an offering. But You prepared a body for me.


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Then I said, ‘Look! I have come to do what You want, O God!’ This is written about me in the first part of the scroll."


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He said this above: "You did not want a sacrifice, an offering, burnt offerings, or sin offerings. You were not pleased with these things." But the law said that these must be offered.


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Then he said, "Look! I have come to do what You want." God took away the first group of sacrifices so that He could set up the second sacrifice.


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Because God wanted to do that, we have been made holy once for all time through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ.


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A priest serves at the worship service every day. He offers the same sacrifices again and again, but these things can never take away sin.


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"The Lord God says, ‘This is the covenant I will set up with them in the future: I will put My laws on their hearts. I will write My laws on their minds.


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His body is the new living way that made an opening through the curtain; that is to say, through his flesh.


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So let us come with a true heart and be sure of our faith. Our hearts should be made pure from a guilty conscience. Our bodies should be washed with pure water.


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And let us think about how we may cause one another to give ourselves to others, for good of others, expecting nothing in return, and to do good things.


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Do not quit meeting together, as some people are in the habit of doing. Instead, encourage one another even more, since you see the day coming closer.


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We have received the truth; we know it. If we continue sinning on purpose, there will be no more sacrifices for sin,


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If someone did not want to obey the law of Moses, and two or three people said that this was true, then that person died without mercy.


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Who deserves even more punishment than that? The person who walks all over the Son of God, who thinks that the blood which made him holy is unholy, who insults the Spirit of help in time of need.


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We know who said this: "Revenge belongs to Me; I will pay it back." Again, "The Lord God will judge His people."


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Do you remember those days when you first received God’s light? You won a great contest of suffering.


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Sometimes you suffered and they called you bad names. When others were treated like that, you also suffered with them.


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You felt sorry for people they put in jail. When they took over your property, you accepted this gladly because you knew you owned better things which last.


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You need to have endurance. Then, when you have done what God wants, you will receive what God promised. The Scripture says this:


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The person who is right with God by faith will live forever. But if that person moves back, I will not be pleased with him."


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We are not like the person who moves back and is destroyed. We are like the person who believes and is saved!


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By faith, we understand that the universe was put together by God’s word. What we see was made from what we cannot see.


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By faith, Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. Abel was a good man through faith. God was pleased with his gifts. Abel is dead but, through faith, he still speaks to us.


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By faith, Enoch was taken up to God. He did not die: "No one could find Enoch because God had taken him to heaven." Before Enoch was taken up, it was said that he pleased God.


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If someone does not believe in God, he cannot please God because the person who comes to God must believe that He lives. That person must also believe that God will give rewards to the people who are earnestly searching for Him.


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By faith, when God warned Noah about some future things which could not be seen yet, Noah built a ship to save his family. He respected God. Through his faith, Noah showed that the world was wrong. He received the kind of being made right that comes from faith.


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By faith, when God called Abraham to go away to a place that he would later receive as an inheritance, Abraham obeyed. He left, not knowing where he was going.


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By faith, Abraham lived as a foreigner in the promised land. He lived in tents. Isaac and Jacob did too. They were to receive the same promise from God.


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By faith, Abraham — because he considered Him faithful who had promised — was able to become a father; he was really too old. Sarah couldn’t have children, but Abraham believed in God who promised that Abraham would have descendants.


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Although Abraham was almost dead, many descendants came from this one man in his old age — like "the number of stars in the sky and the sand on the ocean beaches".


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All of the people died having faith. They had not yet received the things which God had promised. They saw that those things were far in the future but they welcomed them. They admitted that they were strangers on earth. It was not their home.


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They had come from another country. They were not trying to remember what it was like. They could have gone back there,


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but they were yearning for a better country — a heavenly one. So God prepared a city for them. He is not ashamed to be called "their God".


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By faith, when God tested Abraham, Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham had received promises from God that he would have many descendants, but Abraham still offered his only son.


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Abraham thought that God was able to raise Isaac from death. In a way, he did get Isaac back from death.


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By faith, when Jacob was dying, he blessed both of Joseph’s sons. Jacob "worshipped, leaning on the top of his walking cane".


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By faith, when Joseph was near death, he remembered that God said that the sons of Israel would leave Egypt. And he gave orders about burying his bones.


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By faith, after Moses was born, his parents hid him for three months. They were not afraid to disobey the king’s order. They saw that he was no ordinary baby.


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God’s people were being mistreated. Moses chose to be mistreated also, instead of having fun for a while doing sinful things.


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Suffering shame for the Messiah was more important to Moses than the rich treasures of Egypt. He was looking ahead to the reward.


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By faith, Moses left Egypt behind. He was not afraid of making the king angry. Moses kept going toward the Unseen One, as though he could see Him.


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By faith, Moses ate the Passover meal. He made them put blood over their doors. Then the destroyer would pass over their houses and not kill their oldest sons.


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By faith, the people went through the Red Sea, as if it were dry ground. When the Egyptian soldiers tried to do it, they were drowned.


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By faith, Rahab, the prostitute, gladly welcomed the spies. She was not killed along with the people who did not obey.


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What more can I say? Time does not allow me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets.


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By faith, they defeated kingdoms. They did what was right. They received promises from God. They shut the mouths of lions.


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They put out a great fire. They escaped from people who were trying to kill them with swords. Their weakness became strength. They became powerful in war. They completely defeated foreign armies.


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Some women received their sons back from death. Other people were told to turn against God but they refused. So they were not set free. Instead, they were tortured to death. They chose to have something better — when they rise from death.


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Some people were stoned to death. Others were sawed in two. Some were murdered with swords. Others went around in sheepskins and goatskins. They really needed help. They suffered. They were mistreated.


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They wandered in deserts, mountains, caves, and holes in the ground. The world was not worthy of having these people!


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We are surrounded by such a large number of witnesses! We must put aside anything that might slow us down. Sin can easily tie us up. Let us run with endurance the race that is ahead of us.


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Jesus endured when he had to suffer shame and die on a cross. Why? Because of the happiness that lay ahead for him. He did not mind the way he had to die. Keep your eyes on Jesus. He is the beginning and the goal of our faith. Now he sits at the right side of God’s throne.


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Think about what Jesus had to endure from sinners — they were all against him. Then you will not get tired and give up.


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You have forgotten these words of comfort which speak to you as sons: "My son, when the Lord punishes you, don’t take it lightly. Don’t be discouraged when God corrects you


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because the Lord God disciplines the one He gives Himself to. He punishes every person He accepts as a son."


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Everyone has to go through that. If you didn’t, then you would not be true sons. You would be illegitimate.


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All of us had human fathers. They disciplined us and we respected them for doing it. So we should put ourselves under the Father of our spirits even more. Then we will live.


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For a short time our fathers disciplined us whenever they thought they should, but God disciplines us for our own good. He wants us to share His holiness.


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All punishment seems terrible at the time. It is painful. But for people who have been trained by it, it pays off with a peaceful crop of being made right.


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Be sure that no one leaves God’s help in time of need. Don’t let anyone become like a bitter root that grows up to make trouble and pollute many people.


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Don’t let anyone become a sexual sinner or an ungodly person like Esau. Although he was the oldest son, he sold his inheritance rights for just one meal!


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Later, you know, he wanted to receive the blessing but he was turned away. Even though he cried, trying to find a way for a change of mind, he could not.


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Unlike the people of Israel, you have not come to a Mount Sinai which can be touched. It was on fire. There were storms. It was dark and gloomy.


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You have not come to the blast of a trumpet and a Voice speaking words. The people who heard this Voice begged Moses that nothing more be said to them.


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They could not stand what was ordered: "Even if an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death!"


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No, you have come to Mount Zion; to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels happily gathered together.


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You have come to the called out people of the firstborn. Their names have been written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all people. You have come to the spirits of good people who have been made perfect.


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You have come to Jesus. He set up a new covenant between God and man. And you have come to the sprinkled blood. It is saying better things than Abel’s blood.


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Be careful! Be sure you listen to the One who is talking to you. God warned the Jewish people but they did not listen. They didn’t escape on earth. If we turn away from God who speaks from heaven, we will be punished even more.


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At that time God’s voice shook the earth but now He has promised this: "Once again, I will shake not only the earth, but also heaven!"


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The words "once again" clearly show that things which can be shaken will be taken away. (This means things that were made.) Then what cannot be shaken will remain.


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Therefore we should be thankful because we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken. We must worship God in a way that will please Him — with reverence and awesome respect —


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Don’t forget to welcome strangers into your home. By doing this, some people have had angels visit them and they did not know it.


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There are people in jail. Remember them as if you were there too. There are people who are being mistreated. Remember them as though you were suffering with them.


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Marriage should be treated with respect by everyone. The marriage bed must be kept pure. God will judge all sexual sinners and all people who commit unlawful sexual intercourse.


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Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. God Himself has said this: "I will never leave you. I will never abandon you."


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So we can cheerfully say this: "The Lord God is my Helper. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"


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Don’t forget your leaders. They told you God’s message. Look at the way their lives have turned out! Live lives of faith like them.


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Don’t get carried away with different kinds of strange teachings. Our hearts are made strong by God’s help in time of need, not by food. Special foods have not helped the people who make rules about them.


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The high priest carries animal blood into the most holy place for sins, but the bodies of the animals are burned outside the city walls.


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We don’t have a city here on earth which will last forever but we are looking for that type of city in the future!


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Therefore let us always offer, through Jesus, the sacrifice of praise to God — the fruit of our lips, telling the truth about His name.


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A Letter from Jacob From Jacob, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: greetings to the twelve tribes of Israel which are scattered everywhere in the world.


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Endure so that your actions will be truly complete. Then you will be mature. You will have everything; you will need nothing.


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But if any one of you does need wisdom, just ask God. It will be given to you. God is the One who gives freely to all people, and He does this without complaining.


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So when you ask God, ask with confidence, without doubting, because the person who doubts God is as unstable as a wave of the sea during a storm.


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and the rich brother should feel good that God lowered him. For man is like the flower of the field — here for only a short while.


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The sun rises and gets hotter and hotter. As it burns the grass, its flowers dry up. The sun’s heat destroys their beauty. They die. It is the same with a rich man. Even when business is good, he may die and be worth nothing.


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Therefore, happy is the man who, though tested, endures. When he endures tests, God will give him the reward of eternal life which God has promised to those who give themselves to Him, for His good, expecting nothing in return.


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When someone is being tested, he should not think that God is tempting him to do wrong. Evil cannot tempt God and God does not tempt anyone with evil.


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When someone desires things which he knows are wrong, he is tempting himself. His selfish desire pulls him away from God and holds him.


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Every good and perfect gift comes down to us from God, the Source of truth. The Father of lights is always consistent and changeless.


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God decided to give us life again through the message of His truth so that we may be the first-fruits of His creation.


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So — you to whom I give myself — you should know this: every person should be more willing to listen than to speak. Be slow to get angry.


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Remove every evil and overpowering evil influence from your life. And humbly accept God’s word which has been planted in you. It is able to save your lives.


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Do what God’s message says; don’t just listen and do nothing. When you merely sit and listen to the message, you are only fooling yourselves.


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Suppose a person hears the message of God and does nothing. This is like a man who gazes at his face in the mirror.


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But the person who looks closely into the law (the perfect law of freedom) and holds on to it is not like the one who hears it and forgets about it. He is the one who really practices the law. He finds happiness in doing it.


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If any of you thinks he serves God, but does not control what he says, then he fools his own heart. His "service" to God is worth nothing.


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What God the Father accepts as pure undefiled service are things like these: take care of children who have no parents; help widows in trouble; keep yourself pure from the filth of the world.


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My brothers, you are believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. So don’t treat people differently.


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Suppose someone comes into your house of worship and that person is dressed in fancy clothes and is wearing rings of gold. Then suppose a beggar also comes in, wearing ragged old clothes.


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Do you give special attention to the one who is wearing the fancy clothes? Do you seat him in the best place? Then do you say to the beggar, "Stand over there!" or "Sit here near my feet!"


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Listen to me, my brothers to whom I give myself! Was it not the poor people in the world whom God chose to make rich in faith and to receive the kingdom which He promised to all who give themselves to Him, for His good, expecting nothing in return?


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The royal command is found in Scripture: "You must give yourself to other people, for their good, expecting nothing in return, the same way you give to yourself." (If you obey this command, you are doing fine;


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but if you treat anyone differently, your deeds are sinful!) So, according to the law, you will be judged as wrongdoers.


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The person who "obeys" the whole Law and yet breaks only one of its commands is as guilty as if he had broken all of the commands!


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The One who said, "You must not commit unlawful sexual intercourse." also said, "You must not commit murder." If you have not committed unlawful sexual intercourse, but you have murdered someone, then the law says that you are a wrongdoer.


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At the Judgment, God will show no mercy to the person who did not show mercy to others. Mercy triumphs over judgment.


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My brothers, if a person claims he has faith but he will not serve God, what good is that kind of faith? Can a "faith" like that save him?


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And you say, "Go in peace. I hope you will find enough clothes to keep you warm and will have plenty to eat!" Unless you give them what they need, what good have you done?


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But someone might say this: "You have faith, but I’m a man of action! How can you show me your faith without your actions? From my actions, you can see my faith!"


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You say that you believe there is one God? That’s fine! The demons also believe this and shake with fear.


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Abraham is our father. Isaac was Abraham’s son. Abraham offered Isaac to God on the altar. Yet it was by the things which Abraham did that he was made right with God.


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Don’t you see how Abraham’s belief and his actions worked together? His faith was made perfect by his actions.


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The Scripture was fulfilled which says: "Abraham believed God and so God declared him a just man." Abraham was even called "God’s friend".


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Don’t you see that a person is made right before God because of his actions? He cannot be made right by "belief" alone.


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And in the same way, wasn’t Rahab, the prostitute, also made right with God because of what she did? She welcomed the messengers of Joshua and helped them get away.


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So just as the human body is dead without the spirit, the type of "faith" which does not act is dead too!


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My brothers, not many of you should become teachers, because you know that those of us who teach will be judged very carefully.


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We all make many mistakes. Who is so perfect that he hasn’t made a mistake — said something he shouldn’t have? Which one of you is able to control his whole body?


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We put bits into the mouths of horses so that we can make them obey us. When we control their mouths, we can control their whole body.


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It is the same with ships. Although a ship is very large and is moved by strong winds, yet only a tiny rudder guides the ship’s course, and the captain’s wish controls the rudder.


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It is the same with our tongue. Though it may be small, it brags about great things. A big forest fire can be started by only a little flame.


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The tongue is like fire! Even though it is small, it can be a world of evil among other members of the body; it pollutes the entire body. It can set the whole world on fire; hell starts the fire.


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How can we with our tongues praise the Lord God, our Father, and yet curse human beings who were made in the image of God?


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How can it be that praises and curses come from the same mouth? No, my brothers, it should not be like this!


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My brothers, can a fig tree produce olives? Can a grapevine yield figs? In the same way it is impossible to have salt water and fresh water coming from the same spring!


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Is there a person among you who is truly wise? Is he also intelligent? Then he should show his wisdom by living right. He should do good things wisely and humbly.


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But if you are selfish and full of bitterness in your hearts, don’t brag about it and don’t make the truth look like a lie.


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That kind of "wisdom" does not come down from God; it is the wisdom of the world, the wisdom which is not spiritual — the wisdom of demons.


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And if there is jealousy and selfishness, then confusion and every other kind of evil will be present too.


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However, the wisdom which comes from God is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, willing to obey, full of mercy and good deeds, without doubts or hypocrisy.


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Do you know why there are wars and struggles among yourselves? They come from within, from your own selfish desires which make war inside your bodies.


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You desire something but you don’t get it. So you are jealous and commit murder. And you still do not get it! You argue and you fight for it. Why don’t you have what you want? It is because you do not ask for it from God.


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And even if you do ask, you don’t receive because you ask so that you may use it in an evil way for your own selfish desires.


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You adulterers and adulteresses! Don’t you know that loving this world is hating God? The person who wants to be in love with the world becomes God’s enemy!


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The Scripture says that there is a spirit living in you that makes you want to do wrong. Do you think this Scripture says this for nothing?


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God will give you help in time of need. That is why the Scripture says, "God is against those who are proud but He gives help in time of need to humble people."


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Get close to God and God will get close to you. Wash your hands of sin, you sinners. Make your hearts pure, you who have divided hearts.


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Brothers, don’t say evil things against each other. A person who speaks against his brother or judges him is also criticizing the law and judging the law. Now, if you judge the law, you are not a follower of the law. Instead, you are a judge.


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There is one Lawgiver and Judge. Only He is able to save or to destroy. Who are you to pass judgment on your fellowman?


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Come on now, you who say: "Today or tomorrow we will go to such-and-such a city. We will stay there a year, do business, and make money."


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You don’t know what will happen tomorrow! Your life is like a fog. It appears for a short time and then it disappears.


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Your gold and your silver will rust. That rust will become a witness against you and it will eat at your flesh like fire because you have kept treasures to yourself in the last days.


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Men harvested your fields, but you cheated them out of the pay that they deserved, and their pay is screaming against you for justice. God Almighty hears this.


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You have lived a life of luxury on earth; you have enjoyed yourselves. Your hearts have grown fat like an animal ready for the killing.


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So, brothers, be patient; the Lord will come. The farmer is patient. He waits for his precious crop to grow up from the earth. He does not harvest until the first rain and the last rain have passed.


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Brothers, don’t complain against one another or God will judge you. The Judge is standing just outside the door.


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Brothers, for an example take the trouble the prophets had, and their patience when they spoke with the authority of the Lord God.


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As you can see, we admire those who have patience. Remember how patient Job was? And do you remember how the Lord was tender and merciful to him?


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More than anything else, my brothers, don’t swear by God — not by heaven nor by earth nor by anything! Your yes should be "yes", and your no should be "no". Otherwise, you will fall into condemnation.


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If one of you is sick, he should call for the elders of the called out people. They will pray for him and put oil on him in the name of the Lord.


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Prayer to God made in faith will make the sick person well. The Lord will raise him up. If this person has sinned, then God will forgive him.


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Admit your sins to one another. Pray for each other. God will make you well. When a person is right with God, the power of his sincere prayer is tremendous!


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Elijah was a human being with feelings just like ours. He prayed that it would not rain and for three and one-half years it did not rain.


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My brothers, if one of you wanders away from the truth, someone else should help bring him back to the truth.


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Remember this: the person who brings that sinner back from the wrong way will save his life from death. Many sins will be covered.


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First Letter from Peter From Peter, a delegate of Jesus Christ. To God’s chosen, homeless people scattered throughout the areas of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.


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God the Father knew about you long ago. The Spirit has made you holy, to obey Jesus Christ and to be cleansed with his blood. May you have complete peace and help in time of need.


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Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because of God’s great mercy, He raised Jesus Christ from death to give us a new life. This leads to hope that lives on.


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It also leads to an inheritance which is kept in heaven for you. That inheritance will never decay, spoil, or fade away.


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Through your faith, God’s power protects you through safety from danger, which is ready to be revealed at the end of time.


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You should be glad about this, even though many kinds of struggles may have made you sad for a little while.


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The purpose of these struggles is to test your faith. Your faith is more precious than gold. Gold will be destroyed but, after your faith is tested through fire, it will last. When Jesus Christ is revealed, your faith will be praise, glory, and honor for him.


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Though you never saw Jesus, you give yourself to him for his good, expecting nothing in return. You don’t see him now either, but you believe and you’re glad. You don’t know how to express just how happy you are — it is glorious!


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What about this safety from danger? The prophets spoke about this help in time of need which was meant for you. They searched very carefully


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for the time and the way that things would happen. The Spirit of Christ was in them, showing them. Long ago they told the truth about the sufferings of Christ and the glories that came later.


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It was revealed to them that they were serving you, not themselves! Now, men who preach the Good News have told you these things by the Holy Spirit who was sent from heaven. Even angels want to bend down to look into these things.


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So get your minds ready. Be alert. Put your hope completely upon the help in time of need that you will receive when Jesus Christ appears.


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Like children who always obey, don’t be controlled by the evil desires you used to have when you didn’t know any better.


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You call upon the Father. He is fair to each person. God will judge you by the way you lived. You should live your lives with awesome respect for God. You are only here for a short time.


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You know the worthless kind of life you got from your ancestors. You were not purchased from this with something that doesn’t last, like silver or gold.


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No, it was with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a perfect lamb; nothing is wrong with it.


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Before the world was made, God knew Christ; but now, in the last times, Christ has appeared for you.


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Through Christ, you believe in God. God raised Christ from death and gave him glory. Now your faith and hope can be in God.


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When you obeyed the truth, you made your souls pure. This led you to sincere love of your brothers and sisters. That love must be sincere. Give yourselves to one another for good, expecting nothing in return, intensely — from your hearts.


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You have been born again. The seed that caused this will never die. It is God’s message that lives and lasts forever.


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This is written: "All human flesh is like grass. Its glory is like a grass flower. The grass burns up and the flower falls off,


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Be as little babies who have just been born: yearn for pure, spiritual milk so that you may use it to grow up through safety from danger.


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You are coming to the living Stone. Men did not think this Stone was important, but God chose him; he is precious.


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You also are like living stones. God is using you to build a spiritual house so that you will be a holy community of priests, offering spiritual sacrifices which God will gladly accept through Jesus Christ.


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A section in the Scriptures says this: "Listen! I am putting a stone in Jerusalem. He is a chosen, precious cornerstone. The person who believes in him will never be made ashamed."


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To you believers this Stone is precious, but to non-believers it is "the Stone that you builders did not think was important. This Stone has become the Cornerstone." Another Scripture says:


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"It is a stone that will make people stumble and a rock that will make them fall." They stumble because they have not been persuaded by the message. (This was supposed to happen.)


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But you are a chosen race, a royal community of priests, a holy nation, and a special people. You must tell about the wonderful things that God has done. He called you from darkness into His amazing light.


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"Once you who were not a people are now God’s people. Once you, who had not received mercy, now have received mercy."


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You to whom I give myself — I beg you; you are only visitors here on earth for a short time. Put away human evil desires. These things make war with the soul.


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You should live good lives among the people of the world. They might say evil things against you, as if you were doing wrong. But when they see your good deeds, they will give glory to God on the Day when He returns to take care of us.


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Because of the Lord, put yourselves under every human authority that has been set up. This means the Emperor (who has the most authority) or governors.


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You should be like free men, but don’t use your freedom as a cover-up for evil. Instead, be like slaves of God.


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Give honor to everyone. Give yourself to the brotherhood of believers for their good, expecting nothing in return. Have awesome respect for God. And honor the Emperor.


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Family servants must put themselves under their masters’ authority, showing all respect. Do this for the good and kind masters, as well as the dishonest ones!


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If you suffer pain unfairly, but you take it because your conscience is controlled by God, then that will be to your credit.


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Suppose some slaves do wrong and they endure a beating. Should they get credit? No! But if you do right, yet you endure suffering, then God will bless you for this.


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This is why you were called: Christ suffered for you! Christ left you an example. He wants you to follow in his steps.


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When they insulted Christ, he did not insult them back. While he was suffering, he wasn’t trying to get even. Jesus gave himself over to God who judges fairly.


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In his body he carried our sins on the wooden stake. He wants us to quit sinning and live right. His wounds were used to heal us.


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You were like wandering sheep, but now, you have come back to the Shepherd, the one who watches over your souls.


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In the same way, you wives must be subject to your own husbands. Some of them may not obey the message but, through the good lives of you wives, these husbands will be won over without having to say a word.


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Your beauty must not be the outer beauty of fancy hairdos, wearing gold jewelry, or expensive clothes.


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Instead, it should be the hidden personality of the heart with a gentle and quiet spirit that lasts and lasts. This is very valuable before God.


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In the past, holy women put their hope in God. They subjected themselves to their own husbands. This is the way they made themselves beautiful.


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Be like Sarah. She obeyed Abraham; she called him "Master". If you do good things, you can become her "daughters". Don’t be afraid of anything.


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In the same way, you husbands, as you live with your wives, you must understand that they are not as strong as you are. Treat them with honor. They will also receive the help in time of need of life. You must not allow your prayers to be blocked.


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Finally, all of you must be together in your thinking. Try to feel the same thing that others feel. Love the brethren. Take pity on people who need your help. Be people who are humble.


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Don’t pay back any wrong with another wrong. Don’t insult someone when they insult you. Instead, bless them! This is why you were called. God wants you to receive a blessing.


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The Scripture says — “The person who wants to give himself to life, expecting nothing in return, and see good days must keep his tongue from speaking any evil thing and his lips from saying anything false.


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The Lord is watching good people and He is listening to their prayers. The Lord is against those who do wrong."


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But even if you do suffer because you are doing right, you should be happy. Don’t be upset. Don’t be afraid like they are afraid.


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Make a special holy place in your hearts for Christ, the Lord. Always be ready to give an answer of defense to anyone who asks you why you have hope inside you.


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But do this with gentleness and respect, having a clear conscience. Then those who say evil things about your good life in Christ will be ashamed of the things they said.


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If God wants you to suffer, then suffering for doing right is better than suffering for doing wrong.


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Christ died for your sins once for all time. He was a good man dying for bad men. Why? To bring you to God. Although his body was put to death, his spirit was alive.


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They did not obey in the past, when God waited patiently during Noah’s time. This was when the ship was being built. A few people (eight persons) were saved in it through water.


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Today this is a picture of how immersion saves us through the raising of Jesus Christ from death. Immersion is not getting rid of body dirt. No, it is an appeal to God for a clear conscience.


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Christ has gone to heaven. He is at God’s right side. Angels, authorities, and powers have been put under his authority.


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Since Christ suffered for us in his human body, you should take this same attitude as your weapon because the person who suffers in the human body has nothing to do with sin.


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From now on, though you will live the rest of your lives in the human body, you will not be doing the evil desires of men anymore. Instead, you will be doing what God wants.


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You’ve already spent enough time doing what people of the world like to do: living in sexual excess, having evil desires, getting drunk, wild sex parties, drinking contests, and forbidden worship of false gods.


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They think you are strange if you don’t run with them after the same wild way of living. Then they say terrible things about you.


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But they must give an answer to God who is ready to judge people who are alive and people who have died.


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This is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead. They could be judged in the body with all men, but they would live with God in the spirit.


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The most important thing is giving yourself to each other deeply for good, expecting nothing in return. Because giving self to others covers many, many sins.


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Each person should use the spiritual gift he has received to serve other people, like a good manager of the many kinds of God’s help in time of need.


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If someone speaks, he should use God’s sayings. If someone serves, he should do it with the strength that God supplies. Then — in everything — God will be given the glory through Jesus Christ. Give God the glory and power forever and ever. Amen.


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You to whom I give myself — don’t be surprised because of the fierce struggle you’re in, as if something strange were happening to you.


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Instead, be glad that you are sharing in the sufferings of Christ. Then when his glory is revealed, you will be very, very happy.


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If someone insults you because of Christ’s name, you should be happy because the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God is resting upon you.


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If one of you suffers, it shouldn’t be because you are a murderer, a robber, a criminal, or a meddler.


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But if you must suffer as a Christ-like person, you shouldn’t be ashamed. Use this name to give glory to God.


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The time for judging starts with God’s family. Since we are to be judged first, what will happen to people who don’t obey the Good News of God?


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So the people who are suffering by God’s will must commit their souls to a faithful Creator by doing good things for others.


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I saw Christ suffer many things. And I will share in the future glory which will be revealed. I am also an elder. So I beg the elders among you


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to shepherd God’s flock among you. Watch over them as God wants you to, not because you have to. Don’t be in it for the money, but eagerly serve.


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In the same way, young men, put yourselves under the elders’ authority. Everyone should be humble with one another. Wear humility like a covering because the Scripture says: "God is against those who are proud, but He gives help in time of need to humble people."


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Be alert! Watch! The devil is your enemy. He is like a lion. He walks around, roaring and looking for someone to eat.


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Those of you who are strong in faith must resist him. You know that the brotherhood in other parts of the world is experiencing the same suffering as you are.


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God called you into His eternal glory in Christ. After you have suffered a little while, the God of all help in time of need will restore and make you complete, strong, firm, and solid.


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I wrote you these few things through Silas, a faithful brother whom I respect very much. I wanted to comfort you and tell you that God’s help in time of need is real. Stand in it!


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The called out people in Babylon sends you greetings. God chose them also. Mark, my son, greets you too.


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From Simon Peter, a slave and a delegate of Jesus Christ. To the people who have received a faith which is like our precious faith. It came through the being made right of our God and of our Savior, Jesus Christ.


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May help in time of need and peace greatly increase in you by a full knowledge of God and Jesus, our Lord.


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God’s divine power has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We know God. He called us to His own glory and goodness


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which He used to give us great and precious promises. Through these things God wants us to share in His divine nature. And we must escape from the pollution which is in the world in evil desire.


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brotherly love to godliness, giving yourself to others for their good (expecting nothing in return) to brotherly love.


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If you have these qualities and they are improving, then they will make you active and productive in knowing Jesus Christ, our Lord.


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But if these things are not part of someone, then that person cannot see very far; he is blind. He has forgotten that he was made clean from his old sins.


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So, brothers and sisters, do your best to make God’s calling and choice of you a sure thing. If you are doing these things, you will never fall away.


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In this way you will get a warm welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.


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So in the future I will always help you remember these things even though you know them and you are firm in the truth at this time.


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I want to do my best to be sure that, after I die, you will always be able to remember these things.


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When we told you about the power and coming of Jesus Christ, our Lord, we were not following clever myths. No, we saw his greatness!


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When the Voice came to Christ from majestic glory, he received honor and glory from God the Father: "This is my Son, to whom I give Myself for his good, expecting nothing in return; with him I am well pleased."


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We delegates have the prophetic message which is made sure. You would do well to pay attention to it. It is like a lamp shining in a dark place until dawn and the morning star rises in your hearts.


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This is the most important thing you should know: no prophecy of Scripture ever came about by a prophet’s own ideas,


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because prophecy never came from what man wanted. No, those holy men spoke from God while they were being influenced by the Holy Spirit.


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There will be false teachers among you just as there were false prophets among the people of Israel. They will secretly bring in destructive opinions, even rejecting the Master who purchased them. But they will bring sudden destruction upon themselves!


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Many people will follow them into sexual excess. Because of these men, people will say evil things about the way of truth.


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Because of greed, they will use invented teachings to make money off of you. Long ago condemnation was waiting for them. They will be destroyed; it won’t be long now!


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God punished angels who sinned. He sent them to hell. They were put in chains in the dark. They will be guarded there until the time for judgment.


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God also punished the old world. God struck the world of ungodly people with a flood but He protected eight people in Noah’s family. Noah preached what was right.


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God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah; He burned them up. This was an example of what will happen to ungodly people.


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Lot was living among them day and night. When he saw and heard their lawless deeds, he felt tortured in his soul being made right.


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The Lord God knows how to rescue a godly person from temptation. The Lord also knows how to reserve evil people for the Judgment Day and still punish them now.


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This is especially true for the people who follow the filthy desires of their human nature. They look down on God’s authority. These false teachers are daring and boastful. They are not afraid of saying evil things against glorious beings.


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Angels are far stronger and more powerful than these false teachers, but even the angels do not say evil things against them before the Lord.


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These men are speaking evil of things they know nothing about. They are like dumb animals, guided only by instinct. They were born to be caught and killed. Like animals, they will die.


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They will be paid a reward of hurt for the people they hurt. They think that pleasure is carousing in the daytime. When they eat at your feasts, they are like ugly spots and sores; they stuff themselves.


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They can’t look at women without wanting to go to bed with them. They never stop sinning. They lead weak people away and then trap them. Their hearts are trained in greed. They are children of hell.


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They have left behind the right way and wandered off, following the way of Balaam (the son of Bosor). Balaam gave himself to the wages of wickedness expecting something in return for doing wrong,


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but Balaam was proven wrong for not obeying God. Donkeys don’t talk but a donkey spoke with a man’s voice to Balaam! The donkey stopped the foolish thing that the prophet Balaam was planning to do.


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These false teachers are like wells which have no water. They are like fog blown by a storm. The blackest part of darkness has been reserved for them


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because they say stupid, boastful things. They use evil sexual desires of human nature to lead people into a trap. Those people almost got away from those who are living in error.


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These false teachers promise those people "freedom" but they are slaves of pollution. (A person is a slave to whatever has mastered him.)


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They got away from the pollution of the world through knowing our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. But they became involved again and were defeated. Since they did this, they ended up worse than they were before they started.


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It would have been better if they had never known the right way. But they knew it and then turned away from the holy command which was passed down to them.


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The truth of these old sayings has happened to them: "The dog went back to his own vomit." and "The pig that was washed went back to roll in the mud."


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You to whom I give myself — this is the second letter I have written to you. I used both letters to refresh your memory to do pure thinking.


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I want you to remember the words that the holy prophets spoke long ago and the command that our Lord and Savior gave through your delegates.


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This is the first thing you should know: in the last days, some people will make fun, laughing as they do it. They will follow their own desires.


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They will ask, "When is Jesus coming back as he promised? Where is he? Since our ancestors died, from the beginning of time, everything continues in the same way!"


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But they forgot (on purpose) that the heavens existed long ago and God’s word used water to make the land come from water.


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Today’s heavens and earth have been reserved for fire by the same word of God, kept for the Judgment Day to destroy ungodly people.


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You to whom I give myself — don’t forget this one thing: one of the Lord’s days is like 1000 years. To Him 1000 years is like one day.


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The Lord is not slow to keep His promise (as some people think of ‘slow’). No, He is patient with you. He wants everyone to find room for a change in their hearts. He doesn’t want anyone to be lost.


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The Day of the Lord will come suddenly, like a robber. The heavens will pass away with a whizzing noise. The elements will be destroyed with heat. The earth and every force in it will be gone.


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In this way everything will be destroyed. So what kind of people should you be? You must live holy and godly lives


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while you are expecting the Day of God to come. You should want it to come sooner. On that Day, the heavens will be destroyed by fire. Because of the heat, the elements will melt.


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We are expecting new heavens and a new earth as God promised. Persons being made right will live there.


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So — you to whom I give myself — while you are waiting for these things to happen, do your best to be spiritually clean and at peace with God.


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Think about this: the delay of the Lord’s coming means more time for people to be saved. It is like what our brother Paul, to whom we give ourselves, wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.


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In all of his letters, he writes the same way about all these things. There are some things in those letters which are hard to understand. Some weak and uneducated people twist those things just as they do the other Scriptures. When they do this, they destroy themselves.


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So — you to whom I give myself — since you already know these things, guard them. Then you will not fall away from your safe position. You could be carried away by the error of lawless people.


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Grow in the help in time of need, Jesus Christ, and knowledge of our Lord and Savior. Give him glory now and forever. Amen.


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First Letter from John About the Word of life: He — who has existed since the beginning — was who we heard, we saw with our own eyes, we watched, and we touched with our hands.


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That life was shown to us. We saw it. We can prove it. We are telling you about that eternal life that was with the Father. This life was shown to us.


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Now to you also we are telling the things we have seen and heard because we want you to share with us. What we share is with God the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.


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This is the good news that we have heard from him and which we are now telling you: God is light; there is no darkness in God at all.


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If we say we are friends with God, yet we continue living in darkness, then we are liars. We are not following the truth.


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God is in the light. We should also live in the light. If we live continually in the light, then we have a relationship of sharing with each other, and the blood of Jesus, God’s Son, continues to keep us clean from all sin.


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However, if we admit our sins, then God forgives us. We can trust God; He does what is right. He will keep us clean from every evil thing.


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My little children, I write these things so that you will not sin. But when any person does sin, we have Jesus Christ — the just one — to defend us before God the Father.


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Someone may say, "I know God!" but if he does not obey God’s commands, then that person is a liar, the truth is not in him.


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When someone obeys God’s teaching, then God’s giving of Himself for that person’s good, expecting nothing in return, has become complete in that person. This is how we know we are in God:


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You to whom I give myself — I’m not writing you a new command. No, it is the same command you have had from the beginning. This old command is the teaching that you have already heard.


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And yet I write you this command as a new command. It is true in Jesus and in yourselves. The darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.


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A person may claim, "I am in the light" but, if he hates his brother or sister, he is still in the darkness.


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The person who gives himself to his brother or sister, for their good, expecting nothing in return, lives in the light and there is nothing in that person which will cause him to stumble.


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But the person who hates his brother or sister is in darkness. He walks around in darkness. He doesn’t know where he is going because the darkness has blinded him.


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I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven because of the authority of Jesus.


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I am writing to you, fathers, because you know the one who existed from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the devil.


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I write to you, children, because you have known the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you have known the one who existed from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong; God’s message lives in you, and you have conquered the evil one.


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Don’t give yourself to the world or to the things in the world expecting something in return. If anyone gives himself to the world, expecting something in return, the Father’s giving of Himself, for good, expecting nothing in return, is not in that person.


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These are the evil things that come from the world: wanting sinful things to please our bodies; wanting the things that we see; being too proud of the things that we have. None of those things come from the Father.


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Everything in the world which men want, along with the world, is passing away, but the person who does what God wants lives forever.


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Little children, the time of the end is near! You have heard that an antichrist shall come. And now many antichrists are already here. Therefore we know that the end of time is near.


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Those enemies of Christ were in our group, but they left us. They did not really belong with us. If they had really been part of our group, they would have stayed with us, but they left. This shows that none of them really belonged with us.


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Why did I write you? Did I write because you don’t know the truth? No, I wrote this letter because you do know the truth! And you know that no lie comes from the truth.


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So who is the liar? It is the one who claims that Jesus is not the Christ! This person is the enemy of Christ. He does not believe in the Father or in His Son.


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Everyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ does not have the Father, but the person who confesses Jesus as the Christ also has the Father.


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Be sure you continue to follow the teaching which you heard from the beginning. If you continue in what you heard from the beginning, then you will stay in the Son and in the Father.


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God gave you a gift. You still have this gift inside you. You don’t need anyone to teach you. The gift that He gave you teaches you about everything. This gift is true; it is not false. Because of this, continue to live in God, just as His gift taught you.


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Yes, my little children, live in Him. If we do this, we can have confidence and not be ashamed on the Day when Christ appears.


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Look how great is the giving to us for our good, expecting nothing in return, the Father lavished on us: we are called children of God! And that is what we really are! The people of the world don’t understand it because they have not known Him.


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You to whom I give myself — now we are children of God. It does not yet appear what we will be in the future. We know when Christ comes again, we will be like him. We will see him as he really is.


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So the person who lives in Jesus does not make a practice of sinning. Each person who practices sins has never really understood Jesus nor known him.


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Little children, don’t let anyone fool you. Jesus is just. To be made right like Jesus, a person must practice what is right continually.


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Since the beginning, the devil has been sinning. The person who practices sin belongs to the devil. Why did the Son of God appear? To destroy the devil’s works.


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When God makes a person His child, that person does not continue to sin because God’s seed remains in him. That person is not able to continue to sin because he has become a child of God.


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This is how we can clearly see who God’s children are. Also, we can know who the devil’s children are. The person who doesn’t do what is right is not a child of God. The person who does not give himself to his brother, for his good, expecting nothing in return, is not a child of God!


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This is the message that you have heard from the beginning: we must give ourselves to one another for their good, expecting nothing in return.


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Don’t be like Cain. Cain belonged to the evil one. He murdered his brother Abel. Why did Cain murder his brother? Because the things which Cain did were evil, but the things which his brother did were right.


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We know we have moved away from death and come into life because we give ourselves to the brothers for their good, expecting nothing in return. The person who does not do this stays in death.


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Every person who hates his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.


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This is how we know what real "giving to others" is: Jesus gave up his life for us. So we ought to give up our lives for the brothers.


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Suppose a brother is rich enough to have all the things he needs. And he sees another brother who doesn’t have the things he needs. What if the rich brother doesn’t help the poor brother? How can God’s "giving to others" stay in him?


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My little children, our "giving to others" should not be mere words or talk. No, our "giving to others" must be true action.


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That is how we know we belong to the truth. And when our conscience makes us feel guilty, we still may have peace before God because God is greater than our conscience. God knows everything.


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You to whom I give myself — if our consciences do not make us feel guilty, then we can have confidence when we come to God.


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God gives us the things for which we ask. We receive these things because we obey God’s commands and we do what pleases Him.


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This is what God commands: that we believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and that we give ourselves to each other, for good, expecting nothing in return, just as He commanded.


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The person who obeys God’s commands lives in God and God lives in that person. How do we know that God lives in us? We know it because of the Spirit whom God gave us.


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You to whom I give myself — many false prophets are now in the world. So don’t believe every spirit. Test the spirits to see whether they are from God.


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This is how you can recognize God’s Spirit: one spirit says, "I believe that Jesus is the Christ. Jesus came to earth and became a human being." That spirit is from God.


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Another spirit refuses to say that Christ came in the flesh. That spirit is not from God. This is the spirit of the enemy of Christ. You have heard he was coming and now he is already in the world!


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My little children, you belong to God. You have conquered the false prophets, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the people of the world.


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Those false prophets belong to the world. The things they say are also from the world. The world listens to what they say.


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We are from God. The people who know God listen to us, but the people who are not from God do not listen to us. That is how we can recognize the spirit who is true and the spirit who is false.


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You to whom I give myself, for your good, expecting nothing in return — we should "give ourselves to one another", because "giving ourselves to others" comes from God. The person who "gives himself to others" is God’s child; he knows God.


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The person who doesn’t "give himself to others" does not know God, because God is the personification of "giving to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return".


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This is how God showed His "giving to us": God sent His one and only Son into the world that we may live through him.


