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No. Instead, you would say, 'Prepare my supper. Get yourself ready. Wait on me while I eat and drink. Then after that you can eat and drink.'


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"It's the same with you. Suppose you have done everything you were told to do. Then you should say, 'We are not worthy to serve you. We have only done our duty.' "


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As he was going into a village, ten men met him. They had a skin disease. They were standing close by.


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Jesus saw them and said, "Go. Show yourselves to the priests." While they were on the way, they were healed.


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Once the Pharisees asked Jesus when God's kingdom would come. He replied, "The coming of God's kingdom is not something you can see just by watching for it carefully.


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Then Jesus spoke to his disciples. "The time is coming," he said, "when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man. But you won't see it.


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"When the Son of Man comes, he will be like the lightning. It flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other.


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People were eating and drinking. They were getting married. They were giving their daughters to be married. They did all those things right up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.


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"It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking. They were buying and selling. They were planting and building.


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But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven. And all the people were destroyed.


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Suppose someone is on the roof of his house on that day. And suppose his goods are inside the house. He should not go down to get them. No one in the field should go back for anything either.


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"I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed. One person will be taken and the other left.


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"Where, Lord?" his disciples asked. He replied, "The vultures will gather where there is a dead body."


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Jesus told his disciples a story. He wanted to show them that they should always pray and not give up.


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He said, "In a certain town there was a judge. He didn't have any respect for God or care about people.


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A widow lived in that town. She came to the judge again and again. She kept begging him, 'Make things right for me. Someone is doing me wrong.'


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"For some time the judge refused. But finally he said to himself, 'I don't have any respect for God. I don't care about people.


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But this widow keeps bothering me. So I will see that things are made right for her. If I don't, she will wear me out by coming again and again!' "


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"God's chosen people cry out to him day and night. Won't he make things right for them? Will he keep putting them off?


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I tell you, God will see that things are made right for them. He will make sure it happens quickly. "But when the Son of Man comes, will he find people on earth who have faith?"


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Jesus told a story to some people who were sure they were right with God. They looked down on everybody else.


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He said to them, "Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee. The other was a tax collector.


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"The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself. 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people,' he said. 'I am not like robbers or those who do other evil things. I am not like those who commit adultery. I am not even like this tax collector.


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"But the tax collector stood not very far away. He would not even look up to heaven. He beat his chest and said, 'God, have mercy on me. I am a sinner.'


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"I tell you, the tax collector went home accepted by God. But not the Pharisee. Everyone who lifts himself up will be brought down. And anyone who is brought down will be lifted up."


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People were also bringing babies to Jesus. They wanted him to touch them. When the disciples saw this, they told the people to stop.


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But Jesus asked the children to come to him. "Let the little children come to me," he said. "Don't keep them away. God's kingdom belongs to people like them.


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A certain ruler asked Jesus a question. "Good teacher," he said, "what must I do to receive eternal life?"


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You know what the commandments say. 'Do not commit adultery. Do not commit murder. Do not steal. Do not give false witness. Honor your father and mother.' "--(Exodus 20:12?16; Deuteronomy 5:16?20)


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When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You are still missing one thing. Sell everything you have. Give the money to those who are poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me."


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"What I'm about to tell you is true," Jesus said to them. "Has anyone left home or family for God's kingdom?


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Jesus took the Twelve to one side. He told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem. Everything that the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true.


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He will be handed over to people who are not Jews. They will make fun of him. They will laugh at him and spit on him. They will whip him and kill him.


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The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them. So they didn't know what Jesus was talking about.


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Those who led the way commanded him to stop. They told him to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, "Son of David! Have mercy on me!"


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"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked. "Lord, I want to be able to see," the blind man replied.


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Right away he could see. He followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.


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Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was. But he was a short man. He could not see Jesus because of the crowd.


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Jesus reached the spot where Zacchaeus was. He looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, come down at once. I must stay at your house today."


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All the people saw this. They began to whisper among themselves. They said, "Jesus has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "


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But Zacchaeus stood up. He said, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of what I own to those who are poor. And if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay it back. I will pay back four times the amount I took."


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Jesus said to Zacchaeus, "Today salvation has come to your house. You are a member of Abraham's family line.


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While the people were listening to these things, Jesus told them a story. He was near Jerusalem. The people thought that God's kingdom was going to appear right away.


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Jesus said, "A man from an important family went to a country far away. He went there to be made king and then return home.


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So he sent for ten of his servants. He gave them each about three months' pay. 'Put this money to work until I come back,' he said.


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"But those he ruled over hated him. They sent some messengers after him. They were sent to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.'


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"But he was made king and returned home. Then he sent for the servants he had given the money to. He wanted to find out what they had earned with it.


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" 'You have done well, my good servant!' his master replied. 'You have been faithful in a very small matter. So I will put you in charge of ten towns.'


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"Then another servant came. He said, 'Sir, here is your money. I have kept it hidden in a piece of cloth.


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I was afraid of you. You are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in. You harvest what you did not plant.'


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"His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you evil servant! So you knew that I am a hard man? You knew that I take out what I did not put in? You knew that I harvest what I did not plant?


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Then why didn't you put my money in the bank? When I came back, I could have collected it with interest.'


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"Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his money away from him. Give it to the one who has ten times as much.'


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"He replied, 'I tell you that everyone who has will be given more. But here is what will happen to anyone who has nothing. Even what he has will be taken away from him.


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And what about my enemies who did not want me to be king over them? Bring them here! Kill them in front of me!' "


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He approached Bethphage and Bethany. The hill there was called the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent out two of his disciples. He said to them,


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"Go to the village ahead of you. As soon as you get there, you will find a donkey's colt tied up. No one has ever ridden it. Untie it and bring it here.


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Those who were sent ahead went and found the young donkey. It was there just as Jesus had told them.


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They were untying the colt when its owners came. The owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?"


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Then the disciples brought the colt to Jesus. They threw their coats on the young donkey and put Jesus on it.


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Jesus came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives. There the whole crowd of disciples began to praise God with joy. In loud voices they praised him for all the miracles they had seen. They shouted,


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"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" --(Psalm 118:26) "May there be peace and glory in the highest heaven!"


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Some of the Pharisees in the crowd spoke to Jesus. "Teacher," they said, "tell your disciples to stop!"


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He said, "I wish you had known today what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes.


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"The days will come when your enemies will arrive. They will build a wall of dirt up against your city. They will surround you and close you in on every side.


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You didn't recognize the time when God came to you. So your enemies will smash you to the ground. They will destroy you and all the people inside your walls. They will not leave one stone on top of another."


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He told them, "It is written that the Lord said, 'My house will be a house where people can pray.'--(Isaiah 56:7) But you have made it a 'den for robbers.' "--(Jeremiah 7:11)


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Every day Jesus was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests and the teachers of the law were trying to kill him. So were the leaders among the people.


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One day Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courtyard. He was preaching the good news to them. The chief priests and the teachers of the law came up to him. The elders came with them.


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"Tell us by what authority you are doing these things," they all said. "Who gave you this authority?"


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They talked to each other about it. They said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Why didn't you believe him?'


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But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will throw stones at us and kill us. They believe that John was a prophet."


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Jesus went on to tell the people a story. "A man planted a vineyard," he said. "He rented it out to some farmers. Then he went away for a long time.


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"At harvest time he sent a servant to the renters. They were supposed to give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the renters beat the servant. Then they sent him away with nothing.


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So the man sent another servant. They beat that one and treated him badly. They also sent him away with nothing.


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"Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What should I do? I have a son, and I love him. I will send him. Maybe they will respect him.'


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"But when the renters saw the son, they talked the matter over. 'This is the one who will receive all the owner's property someday,' they said. 'Let's kill him. Then everything will be ours.'


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So they threw him out of the vineyard. And they killed him. "What will the owner of the vineyard do to the renters?


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He will come and kill them. He will give the vineyard to others." When the people heard this, they said, "We hope this never happens!"


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Jesus looked right at them and said, "Here is something I want you to explain the meaning of. It is written, " 'The stone the builders didn't accept has become the most important stone of all.' --(Psalm 118:22)


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The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest Jesus at once. They knew he had told that story against them. But they were afraid of the people.


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The religious leaders sent spies to keep a close watch on Jesus. The spies pretended to be honest. They hoped they could trap Jesus with something he would say. Then they could hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.


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So the spies questioned Jesus. "Teacher," they said, "we know that you speak and teach what is right. We know you don't favor one person over another. You teach the way of God truthfully.


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"Caesar's," they replied. He said to them, "Then give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. And give to God what belongs to God."


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They were not able to trap him with what he had said there in front of all the people. Amazed by his answer, they became silent.


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The Sadducees do not believe that people rise from the dead. Some of them came to Jesus with a question.


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"Teacher," they said, "Moses wrote for us about a man's brother who dies. Suppose the brother leaves a wife but has no children. Then the man must get married to the widow. He must have children to carry on his dead brother's name.


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"There were seven brothers. The first one got married to a woman. He died without leaving any children.


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And then the third one got married to her. One after another, the seven brothers got married to her. They all died. None left any children.


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But it will not be like that when the dead rise. Those who are considered worthy to take part in what happens at that time won't get married. And their parents won't give them to be married.


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They can't die anymore. They are like the angels. They are God's children. They will be given a new form of life when the dead rise.


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"Remember the story of Moses and the bush. Even Moses showed that the dead rise. The Lord said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham. I am the God of Isaac. And I am the God of Jacob.'--(Exodus 3:6)


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"Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in long robes. They love to be greeted in the market places. They love to have the most important seats in the synagogues. They also love to have the places of honor at dinners.


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"What I'm about to tell you is true," Jesus said. "That poor widow has put in more than all the others.


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All of those other people gave a lot because they are rich. But even though she is poor, she put in everything. She had nothing left to live on."


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Some of Jesus' disciples were talking about the temple. They spoke about how it was decorated with beautiful stones and with gifts that honored God. But Jesus asked,


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"Do you see all this? The time will come when not one stone will be left on top of another. Every stone will be thrown down."


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"Teacher," they asked, "when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?"


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Jesus replied, "Keep watch! Be careful that you are not fooled. Many will come in my name. They will claim, 'I am he!' And they will say, 'The time is near!' Do not follow them.


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Do not be afraid when you hear about wars and about fighting against rulers. Those things must happen first. But the end will not come right away."


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In many places there will be powerful earthquakes. People will go hungry. There will be terrible sicknesses. Things will happen that will make people afraid. There will be great and miraculous signs from heaven.


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"But before all this, people will arrest you and treat you badly. They will hand you over to synagogues and prisons. You will be brought to kings and governors. All this will happen to you because of my name.


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I will give you words of wisdom. None of your enemies will be able to withstand them or oppose them.


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"Even your parents, brothers, sisters, relatives and friends will hand you over to the authorities. They will put some of you to death.


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"A time is coming when you will see armies surround Jerusalem. Then you will know that it will soon be destroyed.


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Those who are in Judea should then escape to the mountains. Those in the city should get out. Those in the country should not enter the city.


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This is the time when God will punish Jerusalem. Everything will come true, just as it has been written.


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"How awful it will be in those days for pregnant women! How awful for nursing mothers! There will be terrible suffering in the land. There will be great anger against those people.


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Some will be killed by the sword. Others will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be overrun by those who aren't Jews until the times of the non?Jews come to an end.


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"There will be miraculous signs in the sun, moon and stars. The nations of the earth will be in terrible pain. They will be puzzled by the roaring and tossing of the sea.


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Terror will make people faint. They will be worried about what is happening in the world. The sun, moon and stars will be shaken from their places.


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"At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud. He will come with power and great glory.


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When these things begin to take place, stand up. Hold your head up with joy and hope. The time when you will be set free will be very close."


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"What I'm about to tell you is true. The people living at that time will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.


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"Be careful. If you aren't, your hearts will be loaded down with wasteful living, drunkenness and the worries of life. Then the day the Son of Man returns will close on you like a trap. You will not be expecting it.


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"Always keep watching. Pray that you will be able to escape all that is about to happen. Also, pray that you will not be judged guilty when the Son of Man comes."


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Each day Jesus taught at the temple. And each evening he went to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives.


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The chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for a way to get rid of Jesus. They were afraid of the people.


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He went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard. He talked with them about how he could hand Jesus over to them.


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Judas accepted their offer. He watched for the right time to hand Jesus over to them. He wanted to do it when no crowd was around.


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Jesus replied, "When you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house he enters.


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Then say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks, "Where is the guest room? Where can I eat the Passover meal with my disciples?" '


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Peter and John left. They found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover meal.


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He said to them, "I have really looked forward to eating this Passover meal with you. I wanted to do this before I suffer.


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Then Jesus took bread. He gave thanks and broke it. He handed it to them and said, "This is my body. It is given for you. Every time you eat it, do it in memory of me."


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In the same way, after the supper he took the cup. He said, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. It is poured out for you.


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The Son of Man will go to his death, just as God has already decided. But how terrible it will be for the one who hands him over!"


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They also started to argue. They disagreed about which of them was thought to be the most important person.


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Jesus said to them, "The kings of the nations hold power over their people. And those who order them around call themselves Protectors.


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But you must not be like that. Instead, the most important among you should be like the youngest. The one who rules should be like the one who serves.


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"Who is more important? Is it the one at the table, or the one who serves? Isn't it the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.


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Then you will eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel.


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But I have prayed for you, Simon. I have prayed that your faith will not fail. When you have turned back, help your brothers to be strong."


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Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, you will say three times that you don't know me. And you will do it before the rooster crows today."


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Then Jesus asked the disciples, "Did you need anything when I sent you without a purse, bag or sandals?" "Nothing," they answered.


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He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it. And also take a bag. If you don't have a sword, sell your coat and buy one.


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It is written, 'He was counted among those who had committed crimes.'--(Isaiah 53:12) I tell you that what is written about me must come true. Yes, it is already coming true."


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When they reached the place, Jesus spoke. "Pray that you won't fall into sin when you are tempted," he said to them.


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He said, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup of suffering away from me. But do what you want, not what I want."


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Because he was very sad and troubled, he prayed even harder. His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.


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After that, he got up from prayer and went back to the disciples. He found them sleeping. They were worn out because they were very sad.


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"Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up! Pray that you won't fall into sin when you are tempted."


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While Jesus was still speaking, a crowd came up. The man named Judas was leading them. He was one of the Twelve. Judas approached Jesus to kiss him.


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Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen. So they said, "Lord, should we use our swords against them?"


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Then Jesus spoke to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders. They had all come for him. "Am I leading a band of armed men against you?" he asked. "Do you have to come with swords and clubs?


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Every day I was with you in the temple courtyard. And you didn't lay a hand on me. But this is your hour. This is when darkness rules."


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Then the men arrested Jesus and led him away. They took him into the high priest's house. Peter followed from far away.


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They started a fire in the middle of the courtyard. Then they sat down together. Peter sat down with them.


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A female servant saw him sitting there in the firelight. She looked closely at him. Then she said, "This man was with Jesus."


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A little later someone else saw Peter. "You also are one of them," he said. "No," Peter replied. "I'm not!"


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About an hour later, another person spoke up. "This fellow must have been with Jesus," he said. "He is from Galilee."


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Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.


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The Lord turned and looked right at Peter. Then Peter remembered what the Lord had spoken to him. "The rooster will crow today," Jesus had said. "Before it does, you will say three times that you don't know me."


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At dawn the elders of the people met together. These included the chief priests and the teachers of the law. Jesus was led to them.


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"If you are the Christ," they said, "tell us." Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me.


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They began to bring charges against Jesus. They said, "We have found this man misleading our people. He is against paying taxes to Caesar. And he claims to be Christ, a king."


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Then Pilate spoke to the chief priests and the crowd. He announced, "I find no basis for a charge against this man."


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But they kept it up. They said, "His teaching stirs up the people all over Judea. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here."


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He learned that Jesus was from Herod's area of authority. So Pilate sent Jesus to Herod. At that time Herod was also in Jerusalem.


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When Herod saw Jesus, he was very pleased. He had been wanting to see Jesus for a long time. He had heard much about him. He hoped to see Jesus do a miracle.


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The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there. With loud shouts they brought charges against him.


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Herod and his soldiers laughed at him and made fun of him. They dressed him in a beautiful robe. Then they sent him back to Pilate.


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He said to them, "You brought me this man. You said he was turning the people against the authorities. I have questioned him in front of you. I have found no basis for your charges against him.


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Herod hasn't either. So he sent Jesus back to us. As you can see, Jesus has done nothing that is worthy of death.


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Barabbas had been thrown into prison. He had taken part in a struggle in the city against the authorities. He had also committed murder.


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Pilate spoke to them for the third time. "Why?" he asked. "What wrong has this man done? I have found no reason to have him put to death. So I will just have him whipped and let him go."


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He set free the man they asked for. The man had been thrown in prison for murder and for fighting against the authorities. Pilate gave Jesus over to them so they could carry out their plans.


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As they led Jesus away, they took hold of Simon. Simon was from Cyrene. He was on his way in from the country. They put a wooden cross on his shoulders. Then they made him carry it behind Jesus.


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A large number of people followed Jesus. Some were women whose hearts were filled with sorrow. They cried loudly because of him.


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Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not cry for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children.


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The time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the women who can't have children! Blessed are those who never gave birth or nursed babies!'


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It is written, " 'The people will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" They'll say to the hills, "Cover us!" ' --(Hosea 10:8)


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The soldiers brought them to the place called The Skull. There they nailed Jesus to the cross. He hung between the two criminals. One was on his right and one was on his left.


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Jesus said, "Father, forgive them. They don't know what they are doing." The soldiers divided up his clothes by casting lots.


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The people stood there watching. The rulers even made fun of Jesus. They said, "He saved others. Let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."


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One of the criminals hanging there made fun of Jesus. He said, "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself! Save us!"


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But the other criminal scolded him. "Don't you have any respect for God?" he said. "Remember, you are under the same sentence of death.


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We are being punished fairly. We are getting just what our actions call for. But this man hasn't done anything wrong."


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Jesus called out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my very life." After he said this, he took his last breath.


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The Roman commander saw what had happened. He praised God and said, "Jesus was surely a man who did what was right."


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The people had gathered to watch that sight. When they saw what happened, they beat their chests and went away.


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But all those who knew Jesus stood not very far away, watching those things. They included the women who had followed him from Galilee.


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He had not agreed with what the leaders had decided and done. He was from Arimathea, a town in Judea. He was waiting for God's kingdom.


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He took it down and wrapped it in linen cloth. Then he put it in a tomb cut in the rock. No one had ever been buried there.


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The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph. They saw the tomb and how Jesus' body was placed in it.


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Then they went home. There they prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath day in order to obey the Law.


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It was very early in the morning on the first day of the week. The women took the spices they had prepared. Then they went to the tomb.


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They were wondering about this. Suddenly two men in clothes as bright as lightning stood beside them.


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The women were terrified. They bowed down with their faces to the ground. Then the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?


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Jesus is not here! He has risen! Remember how he told you he would rise. It was while he was still with you in Galilee.


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He said, 'The Son of Man must be handed over to sinful people. He must be nailed to a cross. On the third day he will rise from the dead.' "


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Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them were the ones who told the apostles.


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But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He bent over and saw the strips of linen lying by themselves. Then he went away, wondering what had happened.


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That same day two of Jesus' followers were going to a village called Emmaus. It was about seven miles from Jerusalem.


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Jesus asked them, "What are you talking about as you walk along?" They stood still, and their faces were sad.


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One of them was named Cleopas. He said to Jesus, "You must be a visitor to Jerusalem. If you lived there, you would know the things that have happened there in the last few days."


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"What things?" Jesus asked. "About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet. He was powerful in what he said and did in the eyes of God and all of the people.


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The chief priests and our rulers handed Jesus over to be sentenced to death. They nailed him to a cross.


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But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to set Israel free. Also, it is the third day since all this happened.


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But they didn't find his body. So they came and told us what they had seen. They saw angels, who said Jesus was alive.


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Then some of our friends went to the tomb. They saw it was empty, just as the women had said. They didn't see Jesus' body there."


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Jesus said to them, "How foolish you are! How long it takes you to believe all that the prophets said!


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Jesus explained to them what was said about himself in all the Scriptures. He began with Moses and all the Prophets.


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But they tried hard to keep him from leaving. They said, "Stay with us. It is nearly evening. The day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.


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He joined them at the table. Then he took bread and gave thanks. He broke it and began to give it to them.


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They said to each other, "He talked with us on the road. He opened the Scriptures to us. Weren't our hearts burning inside us during that time?"


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They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them. They were all gathered together.


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Then the two of them told what had happened to them on the way. They told how they had recognized Jesus when he broke the bread.


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The disciples were still talking about this when Jesus himself suddenly stood among them. He said, "May peace be with you!"


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Look at my hands and my feet. It is really I! Touch me and see. A ghost does not have a body or bones. But you can see that I do."


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But they still did not believe it. They were amazed and filled with joy. So Jesus asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"


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Jesus said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you. Everything written about me must happen. Everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms must come true."


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He told them, "This is what is written. The Christ will suffer. He will rise from the dead on the third day.


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His followers will preach in his name. They will tell others to turn away from their sins and be forgiven. People from every nation will hear it, beginning at Jerusalem.


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"I am going to send you what my Father has promised. But for now, stay in the city. Stay there until you have received power from heaven."


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Some people did accept him. They believed in his name. He gave them the right to become children of God.


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To be a child of God has nothing to do with human parents. Children of God are not born because of human choice or because a husband wants them to be born. They are born because of what God does.


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The Word became a human being. He made his home with us. We have seen his glory. It is the glory of the one and only Son. He came from the Father. And he was full of grace and truth.


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John gives witness about him. He cries out and says, "This was the one I was talking about. I said, 'He who comes after me is more important than I am. He is more important because he existed before I was born.' "


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No one has ever seen God. But God, the one and only Son, is at the Father's side. He has shown us what God is like.


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They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet we've been expecting?" they asked. "No," he answered.


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They asked one last time, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"


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John replied, using the words of Isaiah the prophet. John said, "I'm the messenger who is calling out in the desert, 'Make the way for the Lord straight.' "--(Isaiah 40:3)


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asked him, "If you are not the Christ, why are you baptizing people? Why are you doing that if you aren't Elijah or the Prophet we've been expecting?"


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This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan River. That was where John was baptizing.


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The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him. John said, "Look! The Lamb of God! He takes away the sin of the world!


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This is the One I was talking about. I said, 'A man who comes after me is more important than I am. That's because he existed before I was born.'


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I did not know him. But God wants to make it clear to Israel who this person is. That's the reason I came baptizing with water."


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Then John told them, "I saw the Holy Spirit come down from heaven like a dove. The Spirit remained on Jesus.


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I would not have known him. But the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'You will see the Spirit come down and remain on someone. He is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'


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Then Jesus turned around and saw them following. He asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi, where are you staying?" Rabbi means Teacher.


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"Come," he replied. "You will see." So they went and saw where he was staying. They spent the rest of the day with him. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon.


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Andrew was Simon Peter's brother. Andrew was one of the two disciples who heard what John had said. He had also followed Jesus.


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The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon. He told him, "We have found the Messiah." Messiah means Christ.


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And he brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas." Cephas means Peter (or rock).


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Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the One that Moses wrote about in the Law. The prophets also wrote about him. He is Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."


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Jesus saw Nathanael approaching. Here is what Jesus said about him. "He is a true Israelite. There is nothing false in him."


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"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree. I saw you there before Philip called you."


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Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that."


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Then he said to the disciples, "What I'm about to tell you is true. You will see heaven open. You will see the angels of God going up and coming down on the Son of Man."


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Six stone water jars stood nearby. The Jews used water from that kind of jar for special washings to make themselves pure. Each jar could hold 20 to 30 gallons.


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Then he told them, "Now dip some out. Take it to the person in charge of the dinner." They did what he said.


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The person in charge tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He didn't realize where it had come from. But the servants who had brought the water knew. Then the person in charge called the groom to one side.


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He said to him, "Everyone brings out the best wine first. They bring out the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink. But you have saved the best until now."


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That was the first of Jesus' miraculous signs. He did it at Cana in Galilee. Jesus showed his glory by doing it. And his disciples put their faith in him.


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After this, Jesus went down to Capernaum. His mother and brothers and disciples went with him. They all stayed there for a few days.


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In the temple courtyard he found people who were selling cattle, sheep and doves. Others were sitting at tables exchanging money.


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So Jesus made a whip out of ropes. He chased all the sheep and cattle from the temple area. He scattered the coins of the people exchanging money. And he turned over their tables.


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He told those who were selling doves, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"


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His disciples remembered what had been written. It says, "My great love for your house will destroy me."--(Psalm 69:9)


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Then the Jews asked him, "What miraculous sign can you show us? Can you prove your authority to do all of this?"


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The Jews replied, "It has taken 46 years to build this temple. Are you going to raise it up in three days?"


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His disciples later remembered what he had said. That was after he had been raised from the dead. Then they believed the Scriptures. They also believed the words that Jesus had spoken.


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Meanwhile, he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast. Many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing. And they believed in his name.


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He didn't need others to tell him what people are like. He already knew what was in the human heart.


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He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. We know that God is with you. If he weren't, you couldn't do the miraculous signs you are doing."


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Jesus replied, "What I'm about to tell you is true. No one can see God's kingdom without being born again."


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"How can I be born when I am old?" Nicodemus asked. "I can't go back inside my mother! I can't be born a second time!"


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Jesus answered, "What I'm about to tell you is true. No one can enter God's kingdom without being born through water and the Holy Spirit.


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"The wind blows where it wants to. You hear the sound it makes. But you can't tell where it comes from or where it is going. It is the same with everyone who is born through the Spirit."


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"What I'm about to tell you is true. We speak about what we know. We give witness to what we have seen. But still you people do not accept our witness.


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I have spoken to you about earthly things, and you do not believe. So how will you believe if I speak about heavenly things?


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"God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.


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"God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world. He sent his Son to save the world through him.


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Anyone who believes in him is not judged. But anyone who does not believe is judged already. He has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.


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"Here is the judgment. Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light. They loved darkness because what they did was evil.


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"Everyone who does evil things hates the light. They will not come into the light. They are afraid that what they do will be seen.


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But anyone who lives by the truth comes into the light. He does this so that it will be easy to see that what he has done is with God's help."


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After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the countryside of Judea. There he spent some time with them. And he baptized people there.


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John was also baptizing. He was at Aenon near Salim, where there was plenty of water. People were coming all the time to be baptized.


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Some of John's disciples and a certain Jew began to argue. They argued about special washings to make people "clean."


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They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River is baptizing people. He is the one you gave witness about. Everyone is going to him."


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The bride belongs to the groom. The friend who helps the groom waits and listens for him. He is full of joy when he hears the groom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.


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"The One who comes from above is above everything. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks like someone from the earth. The One who comes from heaven is above everything.


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Anyone who believes in the Son has eternal life. Anyone who says no to the Son will not have life. God's anger remains on him."


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He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar. It was near the piece of land Jacob had given his son Joseph.


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Jacob's well was there. Jesus was tired from the journey. So he sat down by the well. It was about noon.


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The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew. I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" She said this because Jews don't have anything to do with Samaritans.


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Jesus answered her, "You do not know what God's gift is. And you do not know who is asking you for a drink. If you did, you would have asked him. He would have given you living water."


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"Sir," the woman said, "you don't have anything to get water with. The well is deep. Where can you get this living water?


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"Our father Jacob gave us the well. He drank from it himself. So did his sons and his flocks and herds. Are you more important than he is?"


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But anyone who drinks the water I give him will never be thirsty. In fact, the water I give him will become a spring of water in him. It will flow up into eternal life."


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The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water. Then I will never be thirsty. And I won't have to keep coming here to get water."


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"I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband.


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The fact is, you have had five husbands. And the man you have now is not your husband. What you have just said is very true."


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Our people have worshiped on this mountain for a long time. But you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."


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Jesus said, "Believe me, woman. A time is coming when you will not worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.


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You Samaritans worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know. Salvation comes from the Jews.


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"But a new time is coming. In fact, it is already here. True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. They are the kind of worshipers the Father is looking for.


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The woman said, "I know that Messiah is coming." (He is called Christ.) "When he comes, he will explain everything to us."


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Just then Jesus' disciples returned. They were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want from her?" No one asked, "Why are you talking with her?"


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"You say, 'Four months more, and then it will be harvest time.' But I tell you, open your eyes! Look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest right now.


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Those who gather the crop are already getting paid. They are already harvesting the crop for eternal life. So those who plant and those who gather can now be glad together.


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I sent you to gather what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work. You have gathered the benefits of their work."


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Many of the Samaritans from the town of Sychar believed in Jesus. They believed because of the woman's witness. She said, "He told me everything I've ever done."


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They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said. We have now heard for ourselves. We know that this man really is the Savior of the world."


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When he arrived in Galilee, the people living there welcomed him. They had seen everything he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast. That was because they had also been there.


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Once more, Jesus visited Cana in Galilee. Cana is where he had turned the water into wine. A royal official was there. His son was sick in bed at Capernaum.


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The official heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea. So he went to Jesus and begged him to come and heal his son. The boy was close to death.


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While he was still on his way home, his servants met him. They gave him the news that his boy was living.


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He asked what time his son got better. They said to him, "The fever left him yesterday afternoon at one o'clock."


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Then the father realized what had happened. That was the exact time Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his family became believers.


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In Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate is a pool. In the Aramaic language it is called Bethesda. It is surrounded by five rows of columns with a roof over them.


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Here a great number of disabled people used to lie down. Among them were those who were blind, those who could not walk, and those who could hardly move.


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Jesus saw him lying there. He knew that the man had been in that condition for a long time. So he asked him, "Do you want to get well?"


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"Sir," the disabled man replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when an angel stirs the water up. I try to get in, but someone else always goes down ahead of me."


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So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath. The law does not allow you to carry your mat."


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The one who was healed had no idea who it was. Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.


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Later Jesus found him at the temple. Jesus said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you."


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Jesus said to them, "My Father is always doing his work. He is working right up to this very day. I am working too."


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For this reason the Jews tried even harder to kill him. Jesus was not only breaking the Sabbath. He was even calling God his own Father. He was making himself equal with God.


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Jesus answered, "What I'm about to tell you is true. The Son can do nothing by himself. He can do only what he sees his Father doing. What the Father does, the Son also does.


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This is because the Father loves the Son. He shows him everything he does. Yes, you will be amazed! The Father will show him even greater things than these.


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"The Father raises the dead and gives them life. In the same way, the Son gives life to anyone he wants to.


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Then all people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Those who do not honor the Son do not honor the Father, who sent him.


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"What I'm about to tell you is true. Anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He will not be found guilty. He has crossed over from death to life.


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"What I'm about to tell you is true. A time is coming for me to give life. In fact, it has already begun. The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. Those who hear it will live.


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They will all come out of their graves. Those who have done good will rise and live again. Those who have done evil will rise and be found guilty.


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"I can do nothing by myself. I judge only as I hear. And my judging is fair. I do not try to please myself. I try only to please the One who sent me.


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"The witness I have is more important than John's. I am doing the very work the Father gave me to finish. It gives witness that the Father has sent me.


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"The Father who sent me has himself given witness about me. You have never heard his voice. You have never seen what he really looks like.


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"You study the Scriptures carefully. You study them because you think they will give you eternal life. The Scriptures you study give witness about me.


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I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me. But if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.


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"You accept praise from one another. But you make no effort to receive the praise that comes from the only God. So how can you believe?


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"Do not think I will bring charges against you in front of the Father. Moses is the one who does that. And he is the one you build your hopes on.


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Some time after this, Jesus crossed over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. It is also called the Sea of Tiberias.


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A large crowd of people followed him. They had seen the miraculous signs he had done on those who were sick.


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Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him. So he said to Philip, "Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?"


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He said, "Here is a boy with five small loaves of barley bread. He also has two small fish. But how far will that go in such a large crowd?"


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Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down. The number of men among them was about 5,000.


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Then Jesus took the loaves and gave thanks. He handed out the bread to those who were seated. He gave them as much as they wanted. And he did the same with the fish.


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When all of them had enough to eat, Jesus spoke to his disciples. "Gather the leftover pieces," he said. "Don't waste anything."


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So they gathered what was left over from the five barley loaves. They filled 12 baskets with the pieces left by those who had eaten.


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The people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did. Then they began to say, "This must be the Prophet who is supposed to come into the world."


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But Jesus knew that they planned to come and force him to be their king. So he went away again to a mountain by himself.


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There they got into a boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. By now it was dark. Jesus had not yet joined them.


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They rowed three or three and a half miles. Then they saw Jesus coming toward the boat. He was walking on the water. They were terrified.


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Then they agreed to take him into the boat. Right away the boat reached the shore where they were heading.


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The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the lake realized something. They saw that only one boat had been there. They knew that Jesus had not gotten into it with his disciples. And they knew that the disciples had gone away alone.


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Then some boats from Tiberias landed. It was near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord gave thanks.


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The crowd realized that Jesus and his disciples were not there. So they got into boats and went to Capernaum to look for Jesus.


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Jesus answered, "What I'm about to tell you is true. You are not looking for me because you saw miraculous signs. You are looking for me because you ate the loaves until you were full.


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Do not work for food that spoils. Work for food that lasts forever. That is the food the Son of Man will give you. God the Father has put his seal of approval on him."


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So they asked him, "What miraculous sign will you give us? What will you do so we can see it and believe you?


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Long ago our people ate the manna in the desert. It is written in Scripture, 'The Lord gave them bread from heaven to eat.' "--(Exodus 16:4; Nehemiah 9:15; Psalm 78:24,25)


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Jesus said to them, "What I'm about to tell you is true. It is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven. It is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.


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Then Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever go hungry. And no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty.


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"I have not come down from heaven to do what I want to do. I have come to do what the One who sent me wants me to do.


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The One who sent me doesn't want me to lose anyone he has given me. He wants me to raise them up on the last day.


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My Father wants all who look to the Son and believe in him to have eternal life. I will raise them up on the last day."


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Then the Jews began to complain about Jesus. That was because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."


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They said, "Isn't this Jesus, the son of Joseph? Don't we know his father and mother? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"


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"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me brings him. Then I will raise him up on the last day.


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"It is written in the Prophets, 'God will teach all of them.'--(Isaiah 54:13) Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.


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I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Everyone who eats some of this bread will live forever. The bread is my body. I will give it for the life of the world."


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Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves. They said, "How can this man give us his body to eat?"


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Jesus said to them, "What I'm about to tell you is true. You must eat the Son of Man's body and drink his blood. If you don't, you have no life in you.


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"The living Father sent me, and I live because of him. In the same way, those who feed on me will live because of me.


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This is the bread that came down from heaven. Long ago your people ate manna and died. But those who feed on this bread will live forever."


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Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining about his teaching. So he said to them, "Does this upset you?


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The Holy Spirit gives life. The body means nothing at all. The words I have spoken to you are from the Spirit. They give life.


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But there are some of you who do not believe." Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe. And he had known who was going to hand him over to his enemies.


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So he continued speaking. He said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father helps him."


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He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Judas was one of the Twelve. But later he was going to hand Jesus over to his enemies.


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After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He stayed away from Judea on purpose. He knew that the Jews there were waiting to kill him.


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Jesus' brothers said to him, "You should leave here and go to Judea. Then your disciples will see the kinds of things you do.


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No one who wants to be well known does things in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world."


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The people of the world can't hate you. But they hate me. This is because I give witness that what they do is evil.


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"You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast. For me, the right time has not yet come."


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Many people in the crowd were whispering about him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others replied, "No. He fools the people."


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Jesus did nothing until halfway through the Feast. Then he went up to the temple courtyard and began to teach.


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Anyone who chooses to do what God wants him to do will find out whether my teaching comes from God or from me.


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Someone who speaks on his own does it to get honor for himself. But someone who works for the honor of the One who sent him is truthful. There is nothing false about him.


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Moses gave you circumcision, and so you circumcise a child on the Sabbath day. But circumcision did not really come from Moses. It came from Abraham.


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You circumcise a child on the Sabbath day. You think that if you do, you won't break the law of Moses. Then why are you angry with me? I healed a whole man on the Sabbath!


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Then some of the people of Jerusalem began asking questions. They said, "Isn't this the man some people are trying to kill?


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Here he is! He is speaking openly. They aren't saying a word to him. Have the authorities really decided that he is the Christ?


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Jesus was still teaching in the temple courtyard. He cried out, "Yes, you know me. And you know where I am from. I am not here on my own. The One who sent me is true. You do not know him.


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When he said this, they tried to arrest him. But no one laid a hand on him. His time had not yet come.


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Still, many people in the crowd put their faith in him. They said, "How will it be when the Christ comes? Will he do more miraculous signs than this man?"


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The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering things like this about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.


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The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man plan to go? Does he think we can't find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks? Will he go there to teach the Greeks?


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What did he mean when he said, 'You will look for me, but you won't find me'? And, 'You can't come where I am going'?"


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It was the last and most important day of the Feast. Jesus stood up and spoke in a loud voice. He said, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.


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Does anyone believe in me? Then, just as Scripture says, streams of living water will flow from inside him."


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When he said this, he meant the Holy Spirit. Those who believed in Jesus would receive the Spirit later. Up to that time, the Spirit had not been given. This was because Jesus had not yet received glory.


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When some of the people heard his words, they said, "This man must be the Prophet we've been expecting."


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Doesn't Scripture say that the Christ will come from David's family? Doesn't it say that he will come from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?"


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Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees. They asked the guards, "Why didn't you bring him in?"


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"Does our law find someone guilty without hearing him first? Doesn't it want to find out what he is doing?"


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They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Look into it. You will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee."


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At sunrise he arrived in the temple courtyard again. All the people gathered around him there. He sat down to teach them.


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The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman. She had been caught in adultery. They made her stand in front of the group.


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They were trying to trap Jesus with that question. They wanted to have a reason to bring charges against him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.


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They kept asking him questions. So he stood up and said to them, "Has any one of you not sinned? Then you be the first to throw a stone at her."


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Those who heard what he had said began to go away. They left one at a time, the older ones first. Soon only Jesus was left. The woman was still standing there.


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"No one, sir," she said. "Then I don't find you guilty either," Jesus said. "Go now and leave your life of sin."


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Jesus spoke to the people again. He said, "I am the light of the world. Those who follow me will never walk in darkness. They will have the light that leads to life."


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The Pharisees argued with him. "Here you are," they said, "appearing as your own witness. But your witness does not count."


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Jesus answered, "Even if I give witness about myself, my witness does count. I know where I came from. And I know where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.


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"But if I do judge, what I decide is right. This is because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.


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Then they asked him, "Where is your father?" "You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also."


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He spoke these words while he was teaching in the temple area. He was near the place where the offerings were put. But no one arrested him. His time had not yet come.


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Once more Jesus spoke to them. "I am going away," he said. "You will look for me, and you will die in your sin. You can't come where I am going."


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This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, 'You can't come where I am going'?"


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But Jesus said, "You are from below. I am from heaven. You are from this world. I am not from this world.


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I told you that you would die in your sins. Do you believe that I am the one I claim to be? If you don't, you will certainly die in your sins."


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"I have a lot to say that will judge you. But the One who sent me can be trusted. And I tell the world what I have heard from him."


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So Jesus said, "You will lift up the Son of Man. Then you will know that I am the one I claim to be. You will also know that I do nothing on my own. I speak just what the Father has taught me.


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Jesus spoke to the Jews who had believed him. "If you obey my teaching," he said, "you are really my disciples.


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They answered him, "We are Abraham's children. We have never been slaves of anyone. So how can you say that we will be set free?"


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I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. You do what you have heard from your father. "


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"Abraham is our father," they answered. Jesus said, "Are you really Abraham's children? If you are, you will do the things Abraham did.


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But you have decided to kill me. I am a man who has told you the truth I heard from God. Abraham didn't do the things you want to do.


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You are doing the things your own father does." "We are not children of people who weren't married to each other," they objected. "The only Father we have is God himself."


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Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me. I came from God, and now I am here. I have not come on my own. He sent me.


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You belong to your father, the devil. You want to obey your father's wishes. "From the beginning, the devil was a murderer. He has never obeyed the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his natural language. He does this because he is a liar. He is the father of lies.


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Can any of you prove I am guilty of sinning? Am I not telling the truth? Then why don't you believe me?


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"Everyone who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you don't hear is that you don't belong to God."


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The Jews answered Jesus, "Aren't we right when we say you are a Samaritan? Aren't you controlled by a demon?"


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Then the Jews cried out, "Now we know you are controlled by a demon! Abraham died. So did the prophets. But you say that anyone who obeys your word will never die.


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Jesus replied, "If I bring glory to myself, my glory means nothing. You claim that my Father is your God. He is the one who brings glory to me.


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You do not know him. But I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him. And I obey his word.


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When he said this, they picked up stones to kill him. But Jesus hid himself. He slipped away from the temple area.


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Jesus' disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned? Was this man born blind because he sinned? Or did his parents sin?"


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"It isn't because this man sinned," said Jesus. "It isn't because his parents sinned. This happened so that God's work could be shown in his life.


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While it is still day, we must do the work of the One who sent me. Night is coming. Then no one can work.


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After he said this, he spit on the ground. He made some mud with the spit. Then he put the mud on the man's eyes.


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"Go," he told him. "Wash in the Pool of Siloam." Siloam means Sent. So the man went and washed. And he came home able to see.


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His neighbors and those who had earlier seen him begging asked questions. "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" they asked.


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Some claimed that he was. Others said, "No. He only looks like him." But the man who had been blind kept saying, "I am the man."


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He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed. Then I could see."


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So the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied. "Then I washed. And now I can see."


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Some of the Pharisees said, "Jesus has not come from God. He does not keep the Sabbath day." But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So the Pharisees did not agree with each other.


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Finally they turned again to the blind man. "What do you have to say about him?" they asked. "It was your eyes he opened." The man replied, "He is a prophet."


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The Jews still did not believe that the man had been blind and now could see. So they sent for his parents.


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"Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?"


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But we don't know how he can now see. And we don't know who opened his eyes. Ask him. He is an adult. He can speak for himself."


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His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. The Jews had already decided that anyone who said Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.


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Again they called the man who had been blind to come to them. "Give glory to God by telling the truth!" they said. "We know that the man who healed you is a sinner."


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He replied, "I don't know if he is a sinner or not. I do know one thing. I was blind, but now I can see!"


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He answered, "I have already told you. But you didn't listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?"


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Then they began to attack him with their words. "You are this fellow's disciple!" they said. "We are disciples of Moses!


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The man answered, "That is really surprising! You don't know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.


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We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to godly people who do what he wants them to do.


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Then the Pharisees replied, "When you were born, you were already deep in sin. How dare you talk like that to us!" And they threw him out of the synagogue.


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Jesus heard that the Pharisees had thrown the man out. When he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"


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Jesus said, "I have come into this world to judge it. I have come so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."


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Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, you remain guilty.


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"What I'm about to tell you is true. What if someone does not enter the sheep pen through the gate but climbs in another way? That person is a thief and a robber.


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The gatekeeper opens the gate for him. The sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.


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When he has brought all of his own sheep out, he goes on ahead of them. His sheep follow him because they know his voice.


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But they will never follow a stranger. In fact, they will run away from him. They don't recognize a stranger's voice."


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I'm like a gate. Anyone who enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out. And he will find plenty of food.


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The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so they can have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible way.


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The hired man is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when the hired man sees the wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.


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"I have other sheep that do not belong to this sheep pen. I must bring them in too. They also will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.


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No one takes it from me. I give it up myself. I have the authority to give it up. And I have the authority to take it back again. I received this command from my Father."


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But others said, "A person controlled by a demon does not say things like this. Can a demon open the eyes of someone who is blind?"


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The Jews gathered around him. They said, "How long will you keep us waiting? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."


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Jesus answered, "I did tell you. But you do not believe. The kinds of things I do in my Father's name speak for me.


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My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than anyone. No one can steal them out of my Father's hand.


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But Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many miracles from the Father. Which one of these are you throwing stones at me for?"


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"We are not throwing stones at you for any of these," replied the Jews. "We are stoning you for saying a very evil thing. You are only a man. But you claim to be God."


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If that is true, what about the One the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why do you charge me with saying a very evil thing? Is it because I said, 'I am God's Son'?


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But what if I do it? Even if you don't believe me, believe the miracles. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."


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Then Jesus went back across the Jordan River. He went to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed.


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Many people came to him. They said, "John never did a miraculous sign. But everything he said about this man was true."


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A man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village where Mary and her sister Martha lived.


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Mary would later pour perfume on the Lord. She would also wipe his feet with her hair. Her brother Lazarus was sick in bed.


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When Jesus heard this, he said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory. God's Son will receive glory because of it."


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"But Rabbi," they said, "a short time ago the Jews tried to kill you with stones. Are you still going back there?"


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Jesus answered, "Aren't there 12 hours of daylight? A person who walks during the day won't trip and fall. He can see because of this world's light.


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After he said this, Jesus went on speaking to them. "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep," he said. "But I am going there to wake him up."


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Jesus had been speaking about the death of Lazarus. But his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.


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Then Thomas, who was called Didymus, spoke to the rest of the disciples. "Let us go also," he said. "Then we can die with Jesus."


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Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary. They had come to comfort them because their brother was dead.


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Martha answered, "I know he will rise again. This will happen when people are raised from the dead on the last day."


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Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even if he dies.


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"Yes, Lord," she told him. "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God. I believe that you are the One who was supposed to come into the world."


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After she said this, she went back home. She called her sister Mary to one side to talk to her. "The Teacher is here," Martha said. "He is asking for you."


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Some Jews had been comforting Mary in the house. They noticed how quickly she got up and went out. So they followed her. They thought she was going to the tomb to cry there.


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Mary reached the place where Jesus was. When she saw him, she fell at his feet. She said, "Lord, I wish you had been here! Then my brother would not have died."


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Jesus saw her crying. He saw that the Jews who had come along with her were crying also. His spirit became very sad, and he was troubled.


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But some of them said, "He opened the eyes of the blind man. Couldn't he have kept this man from dying?"


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Once more Jesus felt very sad. He came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone in front of the entrance.


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"Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad smell. Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days."


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I know that you always hear me. But I said this for the benefit of the people standing here. I said it so they will believe that you sent me."


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The dead man came out. His hands and feet were wrapped with strips of linen. A cloth was around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the clothes he was buried in and let him go."


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Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. "What can we do?" they asked. "This man is doing many miraculous signs.


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If we let him keep on doing this, everyone will believe in him. Then the Romans will come. They will take away our temple and our nation."


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One of them spoke up. His name was Caiaphas. He was high priest at that time. He said, "You don't know anything at all!


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You don't realize what is good for you. It is better if one man dies for the people than if the whole nation is destroyed."


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He did not say this on his own. But he was high priest at that time. So he told ahead of time that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation.


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He also prophesied that Jesus would die for God's children scattered everywhere. He would die to bring them together and make them one.


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Jesus no longer moved around openly among the Jews. Instead, he went away to an area near the desert. He went to a village called Ephraim. There he stayed with his disciples.


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It was almost time for the Jewish Passover Feast. Many people went up from the country to Jerusalem. They went there for the special washing that would make them pure before the Passover Feast.


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They kept looking for Jesus as they stood in the temple area. They asked one another, "What do you think? Isn't he coming to the Feast at all?"


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But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders. They had commanded anyone who found out where Jesus was staying to report it. Then they could arrest him.


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It was six days before the Passover Feast. Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived. Lazarus was the one Jesus had raised from the dead.


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A dinner was given at Bethany to honor Jesus. Martha served the food. Lazarus was among those at the table with Jesus.


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Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard. It was an expensive perfume. She poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the sweet smell of the perfume.


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But Judas Iscariot didn't like what Mary did. He was one of Jesus' disciples. Later he was going to hand Jesus over to his enemies. Judas said,


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"Why wasn't this perfume sold? Why wasn't the money given to poor people? It was worth a year's pay."


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He didn't say this because he cared about the poor. He said it because he was a thief. Judas was in charge of the money bag. He used to help himself to what was in it.


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Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there, so they came. But they did not come only because of Jesus. They also came to see Lazarus. After all, Jesus had raised him from the dead.


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Because of Lazarus, many of the Jews were starting to follow Jesus. They were putting their faith in him.


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The next day the large crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.


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So they took branches from palm trees and went out to meet him. They shouted, "Hosanna! " "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!" --(Psalm 118:25,26) "Blessed is the King of Israel!"


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"City of Zion, do not be afraid. See, your king is coming. He is sitting on a donkey's colt." --(Zechariah 9:9)


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At first, Jesus' disciples did not understand all this. They realized it only after he had received glory. Then they realized that these things had been written about him. They realized that the people had done these things to him.


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A crowd had been with Jesus when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead. So they continued to tell everyone about what had happened.


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So the Pharisees said to one another, "This isn't getting us anywhere. Look how the whole world is following him!"


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They came to ask Philip for a favor. Philip was from Bethsaida in Galilee. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus."


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What I'm about to tell you is true. Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only one seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.


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"Anyone who loves his life will lose it. But anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it and have eternal life.


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Anyone who serves me must follow me. And where I am, my servant will also be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.


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"My heart is troubled. What should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No. This is the very reason I came to this hour.


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Father, bring glory to your name!" Then a voice came from heaven. It said, "I have brought glory to my name. I will bring glory to it again."


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The crowd there heard the voice. Some said it was thunder. Others said an angel had spoken to Jesus.


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The crowd spoke up. "The Law tells us that the Christ will remain forever," they said. "So how can you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this 'Son of Man'?"


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Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light. Do this before darkness catches up with you. Anyone who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.


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While you have the light, put your trust in it. Then you can become sons of light." When Jesus had finished speaking, he left and hid from them.


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Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in front of them. But they still would not believe in him.


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This happened as Isaiah the prophet had said it would. He had said, "Lord, who has believed what we've been saying? Who has seen the Lord's saving power?" --(Isaiah 53:1)


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"The Lord has blinded their eyes. He has closed their minds. So they can't see with their eyes. They can't understand with their minds. They can't turn to the Lord. If they could, he would heal them." --(Isaiah 6:10)


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At the same time that Jesus did those miracles, many of the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees, they would not admit they believed. They were afraid they would be thrown out of the synagogue.


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Then Jesus cried out, "Anyone who believes in me does not believe in me only. He also believes in the One who sent me.


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"I don't judge a person who hears my words but does not obey them. I didn't come to judge the world. I came to save it.


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But there is a judge for anyone who does not accept me and my words. The very words I have spoken will judge him on the last day.


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"I did not speak on my own. The Father who sent me commanded me what to say. He also told me how to say it.


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I know that his command leads to eternal life. So everything I say is just what the Father has told me to say."


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It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world. It was time for him to go to the Father. Jesus loved his disciples who were in the world. So he now showed them how much he really loved them.


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The evening meal was being served. The devil had already tempted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. He had told Judas to hand Jesus over to his enemies.


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Jesus knew that the Father had put everything under his power. He also knew he had come from God and was returning to God.


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After that, he poured water into a large bowl. Then he began to wash his disciples' feet. He dried them with the towel that was wrapped around him.


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"No," said Peter. "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you can't share life with me."


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Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs to wash only his feet. The rest of his body is clean. And you are clean. But not all of you are."


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Jesus knew who was going to hand him over to his enemies. That was why he said not every one was clean.


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When Jesus finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes. Then he returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them.


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"What I'm about to tell you is true. A servant is not more important than his master. And a messenger is not more important than the one who sends him.


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"I am not talking about all of you. I know those I have chosen. But this will happen so that Scripture will come true. It says, 'The one who shares my bread has deserted me.'--(Psalm 41:9)


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What I'm about to tell you is true. Anyone who accepts someone I send accepts me. And anyone who accepts me accepts the One who sent me."


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After he had said this, Jesus' spirit was troubled. Here is the witness he gave. "What I'm about to tell you is true," he said. "One of you is going to hand me over to my enemies."


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Jesus answered, "It is the one I will give this piece of bread to. I will give it to him after I have dipped it in the dish." He dipped the piece of bread. Then he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon.


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As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. "Do quickly what you are going to do," Jesus told him.


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Judas was in charge of the money. So some of the disciples thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast. Others thought Jesus was talking about giving something to poor people.


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After Judas was gone, Jesus spoke. He said, "Now the Son of Man receives glory. And he brings glory to God.


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"My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me. Just as I told the Jews, so I am telling you now. You can't come where I am going.


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Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus replied, "Where I am going you can't follow now. But you will follow me later."


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Then Jesus answered, "Will you really give your life for me? What I'm about to tell you is true. Before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don't know me!


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"There are many rooms in my Father's house. If this were not true, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.


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If I go and do that, I will come back. And I will take you to be with me. Then you will also be where I am.


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Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.


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If you really knew me, you would know my Father also. From now on, you do know him. And you have seen him."


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Jesus answered, "Don't you know me, Philip? I have been among you such a long time! Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. So how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?


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"Don't you believe that I am in the Father? Don't you believe that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. The Father lives in me. He is the One who is doing his work.


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Believe me when I say I am in the Father. Also believe that the Father is in me. Or at least believe what the miracles show about me.


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"What I'm about to tell you is true. Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. In fact, he will do even greater things. That is because I am going to the Father.


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The Friend is the Spirit of truth. The world can't accept him. That is because the world does not see him or know him. But you know him. He lives with you, and he will be in you.


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"Before long, the world will not see me anymore. But you will see me. Because I live, you will live also.


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On that day you will realize that I am in my Father. You will know that you are in me, and I am in you.


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"Anyone who has my commands and obeys them loves me. My Father will love the one who loves me. I too will love him. And I will show myself to him."


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Then Judas spoke. "Lord," he said, "why do you plan to show yourself only to us? Why not also to the world?" The Judas who spoke those words was not Judas Iscariot.


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Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love him. We will come to him and make our home with him.


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Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. The words you hear me say are not my own. They belong to the Father who sent me.


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But the Father will send the Friend in my name to help you. The Friend is the Holy Spirit. He will teach you all things. He will remind you of everything I have said to you.


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"I leave my peace with you. I give my peace to you. I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be troubled. And do not be afraid.


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"You heard me say, 'I am going away. And I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad I am going to the Father. The Father is greater than I am.


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"I will not speak with you much longer. The prince of this world is coming. He has no power over me.


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But the world must learn that I love the Father. They must also learn that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me to do. "Come now. Let us leave.


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He cuts off every branch joined to me that does not bear fruit. He trims every branch that does bear fruit. Then it will bear even more fruit.


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Remain joined to me, and I will remain joined to you. No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain joined to the vine. In the same way, you can't bear fruit unless you remain joined to me.


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"I am the vine. You are the branches. If anyone remains joined to me, and I to him, he will bear a lot of fruit. You can't do anything without me.


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If anyone does not remain joined to me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and dries up. Branches like those are picked up. They are thrown into the fire and burned.


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"If you remain joined to me and my words remain in you, ask for anything you wish. And it will be given to you.


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If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love. In the same way, I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.


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"I do not call you servants anymore. Servants do not know their master's business. Instead, I have called you friends. I have told you everything I learned from my Father.


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"You did not choose me. Instead, I chose you. I appointed you to go and bear fruit. It is fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name.


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If you belonged to the world, it would love you like one of its own. But you do not belong to the world. I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.


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"Remember the words I spoke to you. I said, 'A servant is not more important than his master.'--(John 13:16) If people hated me and tried to hurt me, they will do the same to you. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.


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"If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin.


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"I did miracles among them that no one else did. If I hadn't, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen those miracles. And still they have hated both me and my Father.


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This has happened so that what is written in their Law would come true. It says, 'They hated me without any reason.'--(Psalms 35:19; 69:4)


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"I will send the Friend to you from the Father. He is the Spirit of truth, who comes out from the Father. When the Friend comes to help you, he will give witness about me.


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You will be thrown out of the synagogue. In fact, a time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing God a favor.


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"Why have I told you this? So that when the time comes, you will remember that I warned you. I didn't tell you this at first because I was with you.


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"But what I'm about to tell you is true. It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Friend will not come to help you. But if I go, I will send him to you.


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When he comes, he will prove that the world's people are guilty. He will prove their guilt concerning sin and godliness and judgment.


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The world is guilty as far as godliness is concerned. That is because I am going to the Father, where you can't see me anymore.


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The world is guilty as far as judgment is concerned. That is because the devil, the prince of this world, has already been judged.


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But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own. He will speak only what he hears. And he will tell you what is still going to happen.


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Everything that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Holy Spirit will receive something from me and show it to you.


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Some of his disciples spoke to one another. They said, "What does he mean by saying, 'In a little while, you will no longer see me. Then after a little while, you will see me'? And what does he mean by saying, 'I am going to the Father'?"


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Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about those things. So he said to them, "Are you asking one another what I meant? Didn't you understand when I said, 'In a little while, you will no longer see me. Then after a little while, you will see me'?


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What I'm about to tell you is true. You will cry and be full of sorrow while the world is full of joy. You will be sad, but your sadness will turn into joy.


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"A woman giving birth to a baby has pain. This is because her time to give birth has come. But when her baby is born, she forgets the pain. She forgets because she is so happy that a baby has been born into the world.


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"That's the way it is with you. Now it's your time to be sad. But I will see you again. Then you will be full of joy. And no one will take your joy away.


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"When that day comes, you will no longer ask me for anything. What I'm about to tell you is true. My Father will give you anything you ask for in my name.


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Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask, and you will receive what you ask for. Then your joy will be complete.


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"I have not been speaking to you plainly. But a time is coming when I will speak clearly. Then I will tell you plainly about my Father.


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When that day comes, you will ask for things in my name. I am not saying I will ask the Father instead of you asking him.


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No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me. He also loves you because you have believed that I came from God.


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"I came from the Father and entered the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."


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Now we can see that you know everything. You don't even need anyone to ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God."


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"But a time is coming when you will be scattered and go to your own homes. In fact, that time is already here. You will leave me all alone. But I am not really alone. My Father is with me.


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"I have told you these things, so that you can have peace because of me. In this world you will have trouble. But cheer up! I have won the battle over the world."


text:
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed. He said, "Father, the time has come. Bring glory to your Son. Then your Son will bring glory to you.


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"And what is eternal life? It is knowing you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.


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So now, Father, give glory to me in heaven where your throne is. Give me the glory I had with you before the world began. +&


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"I have shown you to the disciples you gave me out of the world. They were yours. You gave them to me. And they have obeyed your word.


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I gave them the words you gave me. And they accepted them. They knew for certain that I came from you. They believed that you sent me.


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"I pray for them. I am not praying for the world. I am praying for those you have given me, because they are yours.


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"I will not remain in the world any longer. But they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them safe by the power of your name. It is the name you gave me. Keep them safe so they can be one, just as you and I are one.


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"While I was with them, I guarded them. I kept them safe through the name you gave me. None of them has been lost, except the one who was sentenced to be destroyed. It happened so that Scripture would come true.


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"I am coming to you now. But I say these things while I am still in the world. I say them so that those you gave me can have all my joy inside them.


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I have given them your word. The world has hated them. This is because they are not part of the world any more than I am.


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I do not pray that you will take them out of the world. I pray that you will keep them safe from the evil one.


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"I do not pray only for them. I pray also for those who will believe in me because of their message.


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Father, I pray that all of them will be one, just as you are in me and I am in you. I want them also to be in us. Then the world will believe that you have sent me.


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I will be in them, just as you are in me. I want them to be brought together perfectly as one. This will let the world know that you sent me. It will also show the world that you have loved those you gave me, just as you have loved me.


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"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am. I want them to see my glory, the glory you have given me. You gave it to me because you loved me before the world was created.


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"Father, you are holy. The world does not know you, but I know you. Those you have given me know you have sent me.


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I have shown you to them. And I will continue to show you to them. Then the love you have for me will be in them. I myself will be in them." +&


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When Jesus had finished praying, he left with his disciples. They crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a grove of olive trees. Jesus and his disciples went into it.


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Judas knew the place. He was going to hand Jesus over to his enemies. Jesus had often met in that place with his disciples.


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So Judas came to the grove. He was guiding a group of soldiers and some officials. The chief priests and the Pharisees had sent them. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.


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Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him. So he went out and asked them, "Who is it that you want?"


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"Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I am he," Jesus said. Judas, who was going to hand Jesus over, was standing there with them.


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This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken would come true. He had said, "I have not lost anyone God has given me."--(John 6:39)


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Simon Peter had a sword and pulled it out. He struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.


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Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shouldn't I drink the cup of suffering the Father has given me?"


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Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. The high priest knew the other disciple. So that disciple went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard.


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But Peter had to wait outside by the door. The other disciple came back. He was the one the high priest knew. He spoke to the woman who was on duty there. Then he brought Peter in.


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The woman at the door spoke to Peter. "You are not one of Jesus' disciples, are you?" she asked him. "I am not," he replied.


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It was cold. The servants and officials stood around a fire. They had made it to keep warm. Peter was also standing with them. He was warming himself.


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"I have spoken openly to the world," Jesus replied. "I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I didn't say anything in secret.


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When Jesus said that, one of the officials nearby hit him in the face. "Is this any way to answer the high priest?" he asked.


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"Have I said something wrong?" Jesus replied. "If I have, give witness to it. But if I spoke the truth, why did you hit me?"


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Simon Peter stood there. He was warming himself. Then someone asked him, "You aren't one of Jesus' disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not."


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One of the high priest's servants was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off. He said to Peter, "Didn't I see you with Jesus in the olive grove?"


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Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning. The Jews did not want to be made "unclean." They wanted to be able to eat the Passover meal. So they did not enter the palace.


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Pilate said, "Take him yourselves. Judge him by your own law." "But we don't have the right to put anyone to death," the Jews complained.


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Then Pilate went back inside the palace. He ordered Jesus to be brought to him. Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"


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"Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What have you done?"


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Jesus said, "My kingdom is not part of this world. If it were, those who serve me would fight. They would try to keep the Jews from arresting me. My kingdom is from another place."


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"So you are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right to say I am a king. In fact, that's the reason I was born. I came into the world to give witness to the truth. Everyone who is on the side of truth listens to me."


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"What is truth?" Pilate asked. Then Pilate went out again to the Jews. He said, "I find no basis for any charge against him.


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But it is your practice for me to set one prisoner free for you at Passover time. Do you want me to set 'the king of the Jews' free?"


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They shouted back, "No! Not him! Give us Barabbas!" Barabbas had taken part in an armed struggle against the country's rulers.


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The soldiers twisted thorns together to make a crown. They put it on Jesus' head. Then they put a purple robe on him.


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They went up to him again and again. They kept saying, "We honor you, king of the Jews!" And they hit him in the face.


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Once more Pilate came out. He said to the Jews, "Look, I am bringing Jesus out to you. I want to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him."


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Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Then Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!"


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As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" But Pilate answered, "You take him and crucify him. I myself find no basis for a charge against him."


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He went back inside the palace. "Where do you come from?" he asked Jesus. But Jesus did not answer him.


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"Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you understand? I have the power to set you free or to nail you to a cross."


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Jesus answered, "You were given power from heaven. If you weren't, you would have no power over me. So the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."


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From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free. But the Jews kept shouting, "If you let this man go, you are not Caesar's friend! Anyone who claims to be a king is against Caesar!"


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When Pilate heard that, he brought Jesus out. Pilate sat down on the judge's seat. It was at a place called The Stone Walkway. In the Aramaic language it was called Gabbatha.


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It was about noon on Preparation Day in Passover Week. "Here is your king," Pilate said to the Jews.


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But they shouted, "Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!" "Should I crucify your king?" Pilate asked. "We have no king but Caesar," the chief priests answered.


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Finally, Pilate handed Jesus over to them to be nailed to a cross. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.


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He had to carry his own cross. He went out to a place called The Skull. In the Aramaic language it was called Golgotha.


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There they nailed Jesus to the cross. Two other men were crucified with him. One was on each side of him. Jesus was in the middle.


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Pilate had a notice prepared. It was fastened to the cross. It read, ~jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews.


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Many of the Jews read the sign. The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. The sign was written in the Aramaic, Latin and Greek languages.


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The chief priests of the Jews argued with Pilate. They said, "Do not write 'The King of the Jews.' Write that this man claimed to be king of the Jews."


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When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes. They divided them into four parts. Each soldier got one part. Jesus' long, inner robe was left. It did not have any seams. It was made out of one piece of cloth from top to bottom.


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"Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's cast lots to see who will get it." This happened so that Scripture would come true. It says, "They divided up my clothes among them. They cast lots for what I was wearing." --(Psalm 22:18) So that is what the soldiers did.


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Jesus' mother stood near his cross. So did his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.


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Jesus saw his mother there. He also saw the disciple he loved standing nearby. Jesus said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son."


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He said to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, the disciple took her into his home.


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Later Jesus said, "I am thirsty." He knew that everything was now finished. He knew that what Scripture said must come true.


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A jar of wine vinegar was there. So they soaked a sponge in it. They put the sponge on a stem of the hyssop plant. Then they lifted it up to Jesus' lips.


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It was Preparation Day. The next day would be a special Sabbath. The Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath. So they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.


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The soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus. Then they broke the legs of the other man.


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Instead, one of the soldiers stuck his spear into Jesus' side. Right away, blood and water flowed out.


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The man who saw it has given witness. And his witness is true. He knows that he tells the truth. He gives witness so that you also can believe.


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These things happened in order that Scripture would come true. It says, "Not one of his bones will be broken."--(Exodus 12:46; Numbers 9:12; Psalm 34:20)


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Later Joseph asked Pilate for Jesus' body. Joseph was from the town of Arimathea. He was a follower of Jesus. But he followed Jesus secretly because he was afraid of the Jews. After Pilate gave him permission, Joseph came and took the body away.


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Nicodemus went with Joseph. He was the man who had earlier visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought some mixed spices, about 75 pounds.


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The two men took Jesus' body. They wrapped it in strips of linen cloth, along with the spices. That was the way the Jews buried people's bodies.


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At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden. A new tomb was there. No one had ever been put in it before.


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Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. It was still dark. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the entrance.


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So she ran to Simon Peter and another disciple, the one Jesus loved. She said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb! We don't know where they have put him!"


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Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived. He went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there.


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He also saw the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself. It was separate from the linen.


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She saw two angels dressed in white. They were seated where Jesus' body had been. One of them was where Jesus' head had been laid. The other sat where his feet had been placed.


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They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said. "I don't know where they have put him."


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"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" She thought he was the gardener. So she said, "Sir, did you carry him away? Tell me where you put him. Then I will go and get him."


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Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him. Then she cried out in the Aramaic language, "Rabboni!" Rabboni means Teacher.


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Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me. I have not yet returned to the Father. Instead, go to those who believe in me. Tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' "


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Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news. She said, "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.


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On the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were together. They had locked the doors because they were afraid of the Jews. Jesus came in and stood among them. He said, "May peace be with you!"


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If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."


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Thomas was one of the Twelve. He was called Didymus. He was not with the other disciples when Jesus came.


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So they told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "First I must see the nail marks in his hands. I must put my finger where the nails were. I must put my hand into his side. Only then will I believe what you say."


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A week later, Jesus' disciples were in the house again. Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came in and stood among them. He said, "May peace be with you!"


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Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here. See my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."


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Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen me but still have believed."


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Jesus did many other miraculous signs in front of his disciples. They are not written down in this book.


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But these are written down so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. If you believe this, you will have life because you belong to him.


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After this, Jesus appeared to his disciples again. It was by the Sea of Galilee. Here is what happened.


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Simon Peter and Thomas, who was called Didymus, were there together. Nathanael from Cana in Galilee and the sons of Zebedee were with them. So were two other disciples.


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"I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them. They said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat. That night they didn't catch anything.


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Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore. But the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.


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He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat. There you will find some fish." When they did, they could not pull the net into the boat. There were too many fish in it.


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Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Simon Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Peter heard that, he put his coat on. He had taken it off earlier. Then he jumped into the water.


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The other disciples followed in the boat. They were towing the net full of fish. The shore was only about 100 yards away.


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When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals. There were fish on it. There was also some bread.


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Simon Peter climbed into the boat. He dragged the net to shore. It was full of large fish. There were 153 of them. But even with that many fish the net was not torn.


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Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord.


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When Jesus and the disciples had finished eating, Jesus spoke to Simon Peter. He asked, "Simon, son of John, do you really love me more than these others do?" "Yes, Lord," he answered. "You know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."


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Again Jesus asked, "Simon, son of John, do you really love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord. You know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."


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Jesus spoke to him a third time. He asked, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter felt bad because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He answered, "Lord, you know all things. You know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.


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What I'm about to tell you is true. When you were younger, you dressed yourself. You went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands. Someone else will dress you. Someone else will lead you where you do not want to go."


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Jesus said this to point out how Peter would die. His death would bring glory to God. Then Jesus said to him, "Follow me!"


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Peter turned around. He saw that the disciple Jesus loved was following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper. He had said, "Lord, who is going to hand you over to your enemies?"


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Jesus answered, "Suppose I want him to remain alive until I return. What does that matter to you? You must follow me."


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Because of what Jesus said, a false report spread among the believers. The story was told that the disciple Jesus loved wouldn't die. But Jesus did not say he would not die. He only said, "Suppose I want him to remain alive until I return. What does that matter to you?"


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This is the disciple who gives witness to these things. He also wrote them down. We know that his witness is true.


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Jesus also did many other things. What if every one of them were written down? I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.


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until the day he was taken up to heaven. Before Jesus left, he gave orders to the apostles he had chosen. He did this through the Holy Spirit.


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After his suffering and death, he appeared to them. In many ways he proved that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of 40 days. During that time he spoke about God's kingdom.


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One day Jesus was eating with them. He gave them a command. "Do not leave Jerusalem," he said. "Wait for the gift my Father promised. You have heard me talk about it.


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When the apostles met together, they asked Jesus a question. "Lord," they said, "are you going to give the kingdom back to Israel now?"


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He said to them, "You should not be concerned about times or dates. The Father has set them by his own authority.


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But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. Then you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem. You will be my witnesses in all Judea and Samaria. And you will be my witnesses from one end of the earth to the other."


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After Jesus said this, he was taken up to heaven. They watched until a cloud hid him from their sight.


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While he was going up, they kept on looking at the sky. Suddenly two men dressed in white clothing stood beside them.


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"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. But he will come back in the same way you saw him go."


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When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Peter, John, James and Andrew were there. Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew were there too. So were James, son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas, son of James.


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They all came together regularly to pray. The women joined them too. So did Jesus' mother Mary and his brothers.


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Peter said, "Brothers, a long time ago the Holy Spirit spoke through David's mouth about Judas. What he said in Scripture had to come true. Judas was the guide for the men who arrested Jesus.


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Judas bought a field with the reward he got for the evil thing he had done. He fell down headfirst in the field. His body burst open. All his insides spilled out.


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Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this. So they called that field Akeldama. In their language, Akeldama means The Field of Blood.


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Peter said, "Here is what is written in the book of Psalms. It says, " 'May his home be deserted. May no one live in it.' --(Psalm 69:25) The Psalms also say, " 'Let someone else take his place as leader.' --(Psalm 109:8)


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So we need to choose someone to take his place. It will have to be a man who was with us the whole time the Lord Jesus lived among us.


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That time began when John was baptizing. It ended when Jesus was taken up from us. The one we choose must join us in giving witness that Jesus rose from the dead."


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So they suggested two men. One was Joseph, who was called Barsabbas. He was also called Justus. The other man was Matthias.


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Then they prayed. "Lord," they said, "you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen.


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Show us who should take the place of Judas as an apostle. He gave up being an apostle to go where he belongs."


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Suddenly a sound came from heaven. It was like a strong wind blowing. It filled the whole house where they were sitting.


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They saw something that looked like tongues of fire. The flames separated and settled on each of them.


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All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak in languages they had not known before. The Spirit gave them the ability to do this.


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A crowd came together when they heard the sound. They were bewildered because they each heard the believers speaking in their own language.


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We are Parthians, Medes and Elamites. We live in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia. We are from Pontus, Asia,


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Phrygia and Pamphylia. Others of us are from Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene. Still others are visitors from Rome.


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Some of the visitors are Jews. Others have accepted the Jewish faith. Also, Cretans and Arabs are here. We hear all these people speaking about God's wonders in our own languages!"


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Then Peter stood up with the Eleven. In a loud voice he spoke to the crowd. "My Jewish friends," he said, "let me explain this to you. All of you who live in Jerusalem, listen carefully to what I say.


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He said, " 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Holy Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will have dreams.


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In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on those who serve me, both men and women. When I do, they will prophesy.


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I will show wonders in the heavens above. I will show miraculous signs on the earth below. There will be blood and fire and clouds of smoke.


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The sun will become dark. The moon will turn red like blood. This will happen before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.


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"Men of Israel, listen to this! Jesus of Nazareth was a man who had God's approval. God did miracles, wonders and signs among you through Jesus. You yourselves know this.


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Long ago God planned that Jesus would be handed over to you. With the help of evil people, you put Jesus to death. You nailed him to the cross.


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But God raised him from the dead. He set him free from the suffering of death. It wasn't possible for death to keep its hold on Jesus.


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David spoke about him. He said, " 'I know that the Lord is always with me. He is at my right hand. I will always be secure.


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You always show me the path that leads to life. You will fill me with joy when I am with you.' --(Psalm 16:8-11)


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But David was a prophet. He knew that God had made a promise to him. He had taken an oath that someone in David's family line would be king after him.


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David saw what was ahead. So he spoke about the Christ rising from the dead. He said that the Christ would not be left in the grave. His body wouldn't rot in the ground.


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Jesus has been given a place of honor at the right hand of God. He has received the Holy Spirit from the Father. This is what God had promised. It is Jesus who has poured out what you now see and hear.


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"So be sure of this, all you people of Israel. You nailed Jesus to the cross. But God has made him both Lord and Christ."


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When the people heard this, their hearts were filled with shame. They said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?"


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Peter replied, "All of you must turn away from your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then your sins will be forgiven. You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.


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The promise is for you and your children. It is also for all who are far away. It is for all whom the Lord our God will choose."


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Peter said many other things to warn them. He begged them, "Save yourselves from these evil people."


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The believers studied what the apostles taught. They shared life together. They broke bread and ate together. And they prayed.


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Every day they met together in the temple courtyard. In their homes they broke bread and ate together. Their hearts were glad and honest and true.


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They praised God. They were respected by all the people. Every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.


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One day Peter and John were going up to the temple. It was three o'clock in the afternoon. It was the time for prayer.


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A man unable to walk was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful. He had been that way since he was born. Every day someone put him near the gate. There he would beg from people going into the temple courtyards.


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Peter said, "I don't have any silver or gold. But I'll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk."


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Then Peter took him by the right hand and helped him up. At once the man's feet and ankles became strong.


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He jumped to his feet and began to walk. He went with Peter and John into the temple courtyards. He walked and jumped and praised God.


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They recognized him as the same man who used to sit and beg at the temple gate called Beautiful. They were filled with wonder. They were amazed at what had happened to him.


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The beggar was holding on to Peter and John. All the people were amazed. They came running to them at Solomon's Porch.


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When Peter saw this, he said, "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us? We haven't made this man walk by our own power or godliness.


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The God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has done this. He has brought glory to Jesus, who serves him. But you handed Jesus over to be killed. Pilate had decided to let him go. But you spoke against Jesus when he was in Pilate's court.


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This man whom you see and know was made strong because of faith in Jesus' name. Faith in Jesus has healed him completely. You can see it with your own eyes.


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But God had given a promise through all the prophets. And this is how he has made his promise come true. He said that his Christ would suffer.


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So turn away from your sins. Turn to God. Then your sins will be wiped away. The time will come when the Lord will make everything new.


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He must remain in heaven until the time when God makes everything new. He promised this long ago through his holy prophets.


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Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me. He will be one of your own people. You must listen to everything he tells you.


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Those who do not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.'--(Deuteronomy 18:15,18,19)


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What the prophets said was meant for you. The covenant God made with your people long ago is yours also. He said to Abraham, 'All nations on earth will be blessed through your children.'--(Genesis 22:18; 26:4)


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God raised up Jesus, who serves him. God sent him first to you. He did it to bless you. He wanted to turn each of you from your evil ways."


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Peter and John were speaking to the people. The priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees came up to the apostles.


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They were very upset by what the apostles were teaching the people. The apostles were saying that because Jesus rose from the dead, people can be raised from the dead.


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So the temple authorities arrested Peter and John. It was already evening, so they put them in prison until the next day.


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Annas, the high priest, was there. So were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others in the high priest's family.


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They had Peter and John brought to them. They wanted to question them. "By what power did you do this?" they asked. "And through whose name?"


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Are you asking us to explain our actions today? Do you want to know why we were kind to a disabled man? Are you asking how he was healed?


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Then listen to this, you and all the people of Israel! You nailed Jesus Christ of Nazareth to the cross. But God raised him from the dead. It is through Jesus' name that this man stands healed in front of you.


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Scripture says that Jesus is " 'the stone you builders did not accept. But it has become the most important stone of all.' --(Psalm 118:22)


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You can't be saved by believing in anyone else. God has given us no other name under heaven that will save us."


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The leaders saw how bold Peter and John were. They also realized that Peter and John were ordinary men with no training. This surprised the leaders. They realized that these men had been with Jesus.


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The leaders could see the man who had been healed standing there with them. So there was nothing they could say.


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"What can we do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle. We can't say it didn't happen.


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We have to stop this thing. It must not spread any further among the people. We have to warn these men. They must never speak to anyone in Jesus' name again."


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Once again the leaders called in Peter and John. They commanded them not to speak or teach at all in Jesus' name.


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But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves. Which is right from God's point of view? Should we obey you? Or God?


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The leaders warned them again. Then they let them go. They couldn't decide how to punish Peter and John. They knew that all the people were praising God for what had happened.


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Peter and John were allowed to leave. They went back to their own people. They reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them.


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When the believers heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Lord and King," they said, "you made the heavens, the earth and the sea. You made everything in them.


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Long ago you spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, who served you. You said, " 'Why are the nations angry? Why do the people make useless plans?


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The kings of the earth take their stand against the Lord. The rulers of the earth gather together against his Anointed King.' --(Psalm 2:1,2)


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"In fact, Herod and Pontius Pilate met together in this city with those who weren't Jews. They also met with the people of Israel. All of them made plans against your holy servant Jesus. He is the one you anointed.


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Now, Lord, consider the bad things they say they are going to do. Help us to be very bold when we speak your word.


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Stretch out your hand to heal. Do miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."


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After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. They were bold when they spoke God's word.


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All the believers were agreed in heart and mind. They didn't claim that anything they had was their own. They shared everything they owned.


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With great power the apostles continued their teaching. They gave witness that the Lord Jesus had risen from the dead. And they were greatly blessed by God.


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There were no needy persons among them. From time to time, those who owned land or houses sold them. They brought the money from the sales.


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Joseph was a Levite from Cyprus. The apostles called him Barnabas. The name Barnabas means Son of Help.


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Barnabas sold a field he owned. He brought the money from the sale. He put it down at the apostles' feet.


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He kept part of the money for himself. Sapphira knew he had kept it. He brought the rest of it and put it down at the apostles' feet.


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Then Peter said, "Ananias, why did you let Satan fill your heart? He made you lie to the Holy Spirit. You have kept some of the money you received for the land.


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Didn't the land belong to you before it was sold? After it was sold, you could have used the money as you wished. What made you think of doing such a thing? You haven't lied to just anyone. You've lied to God."


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When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. All who heard what had happened were filled with fear.


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Peter asked her, "Tell me. Is this the price you and Ananias sold the land for?" "Yes," she said. "That's the price."


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Peter asked her, "How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! You can hear the steps of the men who buried your husband. They are at the door. They will carry you out also."


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At that very moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in. They saw that Sapphira was dead. So they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.


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The apostles did many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. All the believers used to meet together at Solomon's Porch.


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So people brought those who were sick into the streets. They placed them on beds and mats. They hoped that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he walked by.


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Crowds even gathered from the towns around Jerusalem. They brought their sick. They also brought those who were suffering because of evil spirits. All of them were healed.


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But during the night an angel of the Lord came. He opened the prison doors and brought the apostles out.


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Early the next day they did as they had been told. They entered the temple courtyard. There they began to teach the people. The high priest and his companions arrived. They called the Sanhedrin together. The Sanhedrin was a gathering of all the elders of Israel. They sent for the apostles who were in prison.


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The officers arrived at the prison. But they didn't find the apostles there. So they went back and reported it.


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"We found the prison locked up tight," they said. "The guards were standing at the doors. But when we opened the doors, we didn't find anyone inside."


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When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report, they were bewildered. They wondered what would happen next.


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Then someone came and said, "Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the temple courtyard. They are teaching the people."


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So the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles back. But they didn't use force. They were afraid the people would kill them by throwing stones at them.


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"We gave you clear orders not to teach in Jesus' name," he said. "But you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching. You want to make us guilty of this man's death."


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You had Jesus killed by nailing him to a cross. But the God of our people raised Jesus from the dead.


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Now Jesus is Prince and Savior. God has proved this by giving him a place of honor at his own right hand. He did it so that he could turn Israel away from their sins and forgive them.


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We are witnesses of these things. And so is the Holy Spirit. God has given the Spirit to those who obey him."


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But a Pharisee named Gamaliel stood up in the Sanhedrin. He was a teacher of the law. He was honored by all the people. He ordered the men to be taken outside for a little while.


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Then he spoke to the Sanhedrin. "Men of Israel," he said, "think carefully about what you plan to do to these men.


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Some time ago Theudas appeared. He claimed he was really somebody. About 400 people followed him. But he was killed. All his followers were scattered. So they accomplished nothing.


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After this, Judas from Galilee came along. This was in the days when the Romans made a list of all the people. Judas led a gang of men against the Romans. He too was killed. All his followers were scattered.


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So let me give you some advice. Leave these men alone! Let them go! If their plans and actions are only human, they will fail.


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But if their plans come from God, you won't be able to stop these men. You will only find yourselves fighting against God."


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His speech won the leaders over. They called the apostles in and had them whipped. The leaders ordered them not to speak in Jesus' name. Then they let the apostles go.


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The apostles were full of joy as they left the Sanhedrin. They considered it an honor to suffer shame for the name of Jesus.


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Day after day, they kept teaching in the temple courtyards and from house to house. They never stopped telling the good news that Jesus is the Christ.


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In those days the number of believers was growing. The Jews who followed Greek practices complained against the Jews who followed only Jewish practices. They said that the widows of men who followed Greek practices were not being taken care of. They weren't getting their fair share of food each day.


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So the Twelve gathered all the believers together. They said, "It wouldn't be right for us to give up teaching God's word in order to wait on tables.


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Brothers, choose seven of your men. They must be known as men who are wise and full of the Holy Spirit. We will turn this important work over to them.


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This plan pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen. He was full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas were chosen too. The group also chose Nicolas from Antioch. He had accepted the Jewish faith.


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So God's word spread. The number of believers in Jerusalem grew quickly. Also, a large number of priests began to obey Jesus' teachings.


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Stephen was full of God's grace and power. He did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.


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But members of the group called the Synagogue of the Freedmen began to oppose him. Some of them were Jews from Cyrene and Alexandria. Others were Jews from Cilicia and Asia Minor. They all began to argue with Stephen.


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Then in secret they talked some men into lying about Stephen. They said, "We heard Stephen speak evil things against Moses. He also spoke evil things against God."


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So the people were stirred up. The elders and the teachers of the law were stirred up too. They arrested Stephen and brought him to the Sanhedrin.


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They found people who were willing to tell lies. The false witnesses said, "This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place. He also speaks against the law.


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We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place. He says Jesus will change the practices that Moses handed down to us."


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All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked right at Stephen. They saw that his face was like the face of an angel.


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"Brothers and fathers, listen to me!" Stephen replied. "The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham. At that time Abraham was still in Mesopotamia. He had not yet begun living in Haran.


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"So Abraham left the land of Babylonia. He settled in Haran. After his father died, God sent Abraham to this land where you are now living.


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God didn't give him any property here. He didn't give him even a foot of land. But God made a promise to him and to all his family after him. He said they would possess the land. The promise was made even though at that time Abraham had no child.


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"Here is what God said to him. 'Your family after you will be strangers in a country that is not their own. They will be slaves and will be treated badly for 400 years.


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But I will punish the nation that makes them slaves,' God said. 'After that, they will leave that country and worship me here.'--(Genesis 15:13,14)


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"Then God made a covenant with Abraham. God told him that circumcision would show who the members of the covenant were. Abraham became Isaac's father. He circumcised Isaac eight days after he was born. Later, Isaac became Jacob's father. Jacob had 12 sons. They became the founders of the 12 tribes of Israel.


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"Jacob's sons were jealous of their brother Joseph. So they sold him as a slave. He was taken to Egypt. But God was with him.


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He saved Joseph from all his troubles. God made Joseph wise. He helped him to become the friend of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made Joseph ruler over Egypt and his whole palace.


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"There was not enough food for all Egypt and Canaan. This brought great suffering. Jacob and his sons couldn't find food.


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"After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family. The total number of people was 75.


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Some of their bodies were brought back to Shechem. They were placed in a tomb Abraham had bought. He had purchased it from Hamor's sons at Shechem for a certain amount of money.


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"In Egypt the number of our people grew and grew. It was nearly time for God to make his promise to Abraham come true.


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He was very evil and dishonest with our people. He beat them down. He forced them to throw out their newborn babies to die.


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"At that time Moses was born. He was not an ordinary child. For three months he was taken care of by his family.


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Then he was placed outside. But Pharaoh's daughter took him home. She brought him up as her own son.


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Moses was taught all the knowledge of the people of Egypt. He became a powerful speaker and a man of action.


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He saw one of them being treated badly by a man of Egypt. So he went to help him. He got even by killing the man.


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"The next day Moses saw two men of Israel fighting. He tried to make peace between them. 'Men, you are both of Israel,' he said. 'Why do you want to hurt each other?'


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"But the man who was treating the other one badly pushed Moses to one side. He said, 'Who made you ruler and judge over us?


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When Moses heard this, he escaped to Midian. He lived there as a stranger. He became the father of two sons there.


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"Forty years passed. Then an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush. This happened in the desert near Mount Sinai.


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When Moses saw the bush, he was amazed. He went over for a closer look. There he heard the Lord's voice.


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'I am the God of your fathers,' the Lord said. 'I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.'--(Exodus 3:6) Moses shook with fear. He didn't dare to look.


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I have seen my people beaten down in Egypt. I have heard their groans. I have come down to set them free. Now come. I will send you back to Egypt.'--(Exodus 3:5,7,8,10)


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"This is the same Moses the two men of Israel would not accept. They had said, 'Who made you ruler and judge?' But God himself sent Moses to rule the people of Israel and set them free. He spoke to Moses through the angel who had appeared to him in the bush.


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So Moses led them out of Egypt. He did wonders and miraculous signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and for 40 years in the desert.


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"This is the same Moses who spoke to the people of Israel. 'God will send you a prophet,' he said. 'He will be like me. He will come from your own people.'--(Deuteronomy 18:15)


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Moses was with the Israelites in the desert. He was with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai. Moses was with our people of long ago. He received living words to pass on to us.


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"But our people refused to obey Moses. They would not accept him. In their hearts, they wished they were back in Egypt.


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They told Aaron, 'Make us a god who will lead us. This fellow Moses led us out of Egypt. But we don't know what has happened to him!'--(Exodus 32:1)


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That was the time they made a statue to be their god. It looked like a calf. They brought sacrifices to it. They were glad because of what they had made with their own hands.


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But God turned away from them. He left them to worship the sun, moon and stars. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets. There it says, " 'People of Israel, did you bring me sacrifices and offerings for 40 years in the desert?


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You lifted up the place where Molech was worshiped. You lifted up the star of your god Rephan. You made statues of them to worship. So I will send you away from your country.' --(Amos 5:25-27) God sent them to Babylon and even farther.


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"Long ago our people had with them in the desert the holy tent where the tablets of the covenant were kept. Moses had made the holy tent as God had commanded him. It was made like the pattern he had seen.


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Our people received the tent from God. They brought it with them when they took the land of Canaan. God drove out the nations that were in their way. At that time Joshua was Israel's leader. "The tent remained in the land until David's time.


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"But the Most High God does not live in houses made by human hands. As God says through the prophet,


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" 'Heaven is my throne. The earth is under my control. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Where will my resting place be?


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"You people! You won't obey! You are stubborn! You won't listen! You are just like your people of long ago! You always oppose the Holy Spirit!


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Was there ever a prophet your people didn't try to hurt? They even killed those who told about the coming of the Blameless One. And now you have handed him over to his enemies. You have murdered him.


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But he was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked up to heaven and saw God's glory. He saw Jesus standing at God's right hand.


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When the Sanhedrin heard this, they covered their ears. They yelled at the top of their voices. They all rushed at him.


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They dragged him out of the city. They began to throw stones at him to kill him. The witnesses took off their coats. They placed them at the feet of a young man named Saul.


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While the members of the Sanhedrin were throwing stones at Stephen, he prayed. "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," he said.


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Then he fell on his knees. He cried out, "Lord! Don't hold this sin against them!" When he had said this, he died.


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Saul was there. He had agreed that Stephen should die. On that day the church in Jerusalem began to be attacked and treated badly. All except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.


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But Saul began to destroy the church. He went from house to house. He dragged men and women away and put them in prison.


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The crowds listened to Philip. They saw the miraculous signs he did. They all paid close attention to what he said.


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Evil spirits screamed and came out of many people. Many who were disabled or who couldn't walk were healed.


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A man named Simon lived in the city. For quite a while he had practiced evil magic there. He amazed all the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great.


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All of the people listened to him, from the least important of them to the most important. They exclaimed, "This man is known as the Great Power of God!"


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But Philip preached the good news of God's kingdom. He preached the name of Jesus Christ. So men and women believed and were baptized.


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Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip everywhere. He was amazed by the great signs and miracles he saw.


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The apostles in Jerusalem heard that people in Samaria had accepted God's word. So they sent Peter and John to them.


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The Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.


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Simon watched as the apostles placed their hands on them. He saw that the Spirit was given to them. So he offered money to Peter and John.


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Peter answered, "May your money be destroyed with you! Do you think you can buy God's gift with money?


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Turn away from this evil sin of yours. Pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.


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Peter and John gave witness and preached the Lord's word. Then they returned to Jerusalem. On the way they preached the good news in many villages in Samaria.


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An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip. "Go south to the desert road," he said. "It's the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza."


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So Philip started out. On his way he met an Ethiopian official. The man had an important position. He was in charge of all the wealth of Candace. She was the queen of Ethiopia. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship.


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So Philip ran up to the chariot. He heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you're reading?" Philip asked.


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"How can I?" he said. "I need someone to explain it to me." So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.


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Here is the part of Scripture the official was reading. It says, "He was led like a sheep to be killed. Just as lambs are silent while their wool is being cut off, he did not open his mouth.


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When he was treated badly, he was refused a fair trial. Who can say anything about his children? His life was cut off from the earth." --(Isaiah 53:7,8)


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The official said to Philip, "Tell me, please. Who is the prophet talking about? Himself, or someone else?"


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As they traveled along the road, they came to some water. The official said, "Look! Here is water! Why shouldn't I be baptized?"


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He gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the official went down into the water. Philip baptized him.


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When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away. The official did not see him again. He went on his way full of joy.


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Philip was seen next at Azotus. From there he traveled all around. He preached the good news in all the towns. Finally he arrived in Caesarea.


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Meanwhile, Saul continued to oppose the Lord's followers. He said they would be put to death. He went to the high priest.


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He asked the priest for letters to the synagogues in Damascus. He wanted to find men and women who belonged to the Way of Jesus. The letters would allow him to take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.


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He fell to the ground. He heard a voice speak to him. "Saul! Saul!" the voice said. "Why are you opposing me?"


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The men traveling with Saul stood there. They weren't able to speak. They had heard the sound. But they didn't see anyone.


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Saul got up from the ground. He opened his eyes, but he couldn't see. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.


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In Damascus there was a believer named Ananias. The Lord called out to him in a vision. "Ananias!" he said. "Yes, Lord," he answered.


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The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street. Ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying.


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In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias. The man has come and placed his hands on him. Now he will be able to see again."


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"Lord," Ananias answered, "I've heard many reports about this man. They say he has done great harm to God's people in Jerusalem.


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Now he has come here to arrest all those who worship you. The chief priests have given him authority to do this."


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But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! I have chosen this man to work for me. He will carry my name to those who aren't Jews and to their kings. He will bring my name to the people of Israel.


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Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. He placed his hands on Saul. "Brother Saul," he said, "you saw the Lord Jesus. He appeared to you on the road as you were coming here. He has sent me so that you will be able to see again. You will be filled with the Holy Spirit."


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Right away something like scales fell from Saul's eyes. And he could see again. He got up and was baptized.


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After eating some food, he got his strength back. Saul spent several days with the believers in Damascus.


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All who heard him were amazed. They asked, "Isn't he the man who caused great trouble in Jerusalem for those who worship Jesus? Hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?"


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But Saul grew more and more powerful. The Jews living in Damascus couldn't believe what was happening. Saul proved to them that Jesus is the Christ.


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But he learned about their plan. Day and night they watched the city gates closely in order to kill him.


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But his followers helped him escape by night. They lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.


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When Saul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the believers. But they were all afraid of him. They didn't believe he was really one of Jesus' followers.


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But Barnabas took him to the apostles. He told them about Saul's journey. He said that Saul had seen the Lord. He told how the Lord had spoken to Saul. Barnabas also said that Saul had preached without fear in Jesus' name in Damascus.


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So Saul stayed with the believers. He moved about freely in Jerusalem. He spoke boldly in the Lord's name.


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The other believers heard about this. They took Saul down to Caesarea. From there they sent him off to Tarsus.


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Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. The Holy Spirit gave the church strength and boldness. So they grew in numbers. And they worshiped the Lord.


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There he found a disabled man named Aeneas. For eight years the man had spent most of his time in bed.


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"Aeneas," Peter said to him, "Jesus Christ heals you. Get up! Take care of your mat!" So Aeneas got up right away.


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In Joppa there was a believer named Tabitha. Her name in the Greek language was Dorcas. She was always doing good and helping poor people.


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Lydda was near Joppa. The believers heard that Peter was in Lydda. So they sent two men to him. They begged him, "Please come at once!"


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Peter went with them. When he arrived, he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him crying. They showed him the robes and other clothes Dorcas had made while she was still alive.


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Peter sent them all out of the room. Then he got down on his knees and prayed. He turned toward the dead woman. He said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up.


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He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows. He brought her to them. They saw that she was alive.


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Cornelius and all his family were faithful and worshiped God. He gave freely to people who were in need. He prayed to God regularly.


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One day about three o'clock in the afternoon he had a vision. He saw an angel of God clearly. The angel came to him and said, "Cornelius!"


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Cornelius was afraid. He stared at the angel. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to poor people have come up like an offering to God. So he has remembered you.


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The angel who spoke to him left. Then Cornelius called two of his servants. He also called a godly soldier who was one of his attendants.


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It was about noon the next day. The men were on their journey and were approaching the city. Peter went up on the roof to pray.


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He became hungry. He wanted something to eat. While the meal was being prepared, Peter had a vision.


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He saw heaven open up. There he saw something that looked like a large sheet. It was being let down to earth by its four corners.


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It had all kinds of four-footed animals in it. It also had reptiles of the earth and birds of the air.


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The voice spoke to him a second time. "Do not say anything is not pure that God has made 'clean,' " it said.


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Peter was wondering what the vision meant. At that very moment the men sent by Cornelius found Simon's house. They stopped at the gate


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Peter was still thinking about the vision. The Holy Spirit spoke to him. "Simon," he said, "three men are looking for you.


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Peter went down and spoke to the men. "I'm the one you're looking for," he said. "Why have you come?"


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The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius, the Roman commander. He is a good man who worships God. All the Jewish people respect him. A holy angel told him to invite you to his house. Cornelius wants to hear what you have to say."


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Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests. The next day Peter went with the three men. Some of the believers from Joppa went along.


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The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them. He had called together his relatives and close friends.


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He said to them, "You know that it is against our law for a Jew to have anything to do with those who aren't Jews. But God has shown me that I should not say anyone is not pure and 'clean.'


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Cornelius answered, "Four days ago at this very hour I was in my house praying. It was three o'clock in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood in front of me.


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Send someone to Joppa to get Simon Peter. He is a guest in the home of another Simon, who works with leather. He lives by the sea.'


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So I sent for you right away. It was good of you to come. Now we are all here. And God is here with us. We are ready to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."


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Then Peter began to speak. "I now realize how true it is that God treats everyone the same," he said.


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"You know the message God sent to the people of Israel. It is the good news of peace through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all.


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You know what has happened all through Judea. It started in Galilee after John preached about baptism.


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You know how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Jesus went around doing good. He healed all who were under the devil's power. God was with him.


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"We are witnesses of everything he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by nailing him to a cross.


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But he wasn't seen by all the people. He was seen only by us. We are witnesses whom God had already chosen. We ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.


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"He commanded us to preach to the people. He told us to give witness that he is the one appointed by God to judge the living and the dead.


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All the prophets give witness about him. They say that all who believe in him have their sins forgiven through his name."


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Some Jewish believers had come with Peter. They were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on those who weren't Jews.


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They heard them speaking in languages they had not known before. They also heard them praising God. Then Peter said,


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"Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have."


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So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.


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The apostles and the believers all through Judea heard that people who were not Jews had also received God's word.


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"I was in the city of Joppa praying," he said. "There I had a vision. I saw something that looked like a large sheet. It was being let down from heaven by its four corners. It came down to where I was.


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I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth. There were also wild animals, reptiles and birds.


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"A second time the voice spoke from heaven. 'Do not say anything is not pure that God has made "clean," ' the voice said.


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"Just then three men stopped at the house where I was staying. They had been sent to me from Caesarea.


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The Holy Spirit told me not to let anything keep me from going with them. These six brothers here went with me. We entered the man's house.


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He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house. The angel said, 'Send to Joppa for Simon Peter.


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"As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them. He came just as he had come on us at the beginning.


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Then I remembered the Lord's words. 'John baptized with water,' he had said. 'But you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'


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God gave them the same gift he gave those of us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. So who was I to think that I could oppose God?"


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When they heard this, they didn't object anymore. They praised God. They said, "So then, God has allowed even those who aren't Jews to turn away from their sins and live."


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Some believers had been scattered by the suffering that came to them after Stephen's death. They traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch. But they told the message only to Jews.


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Some believers from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch. There they began to speak to Greeks also. They told them the good news about the Lord Jesus.


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When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad. He told them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.


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Barnabas was a good man. He was full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. Large numbers of people came to know the Lord.


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He found him there. Then he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church. They taught large numbers of people. At Antioch the believers were called Christians for the first time.


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One of them was named Agabus. He stood up and spoke through the Spirit. He said there would not be nearly enough food anywhere in the Roman world. This happened while Claudius was the emperor.


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The believers decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. All of them helped as much as they could.


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About this time, King Herod arrested some people who belonged to the church. He planned to make them suffer greatly.


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Herod saw that the death of James pleased the Jews. So he arrested Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.


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After Herod arrested Peter, he put him in prison. Peter was placed under guard. He was watched by four groups of four soldiers each. Herod planned to put Peter on public trial. It would take place after the Passover Feast.


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It was the night before Herod was going to bring him to trial. Peter was sleeping between two soldiers. Two chains held him there. Lookouts stood guard at the entrance.


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Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared. A light shone in the prison cell. The angel struck Peter on his side. Peter woke up. "Quick!" the angel said. "Get up!" The chains fell off Peter's wrists.


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Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." Peter did so. "Put on your coat," the angel told him. "Follow me."


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Peter followed him out of the prison. But he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening. He thought he was seeing a vision.


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They passed the first and second guards. Then they came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself. They went through it. They walked the length of one street. Suddenly the angel left Peter.


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Then Peter realized what had happened. He said, "Now I know for sure that the Lord sent his angel. He set me free from Herod's power. He saved me from everything the Jewish people were hoping for."


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When Peter understood what had happened, he went to Mary's house. Mary was the mother of John Mark. Many people had gathered in her home. They were praying there.


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She recognized Peter's voice. She was so excited that she ran back without opening the door. "Peter is at the door!" she exclaimed.


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"You're out of your mind," they said to her. But she kept telling them it was true. So they said, "It must be his angel."


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Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet. He explained how the Lord had brought him out of prison. "Tell James and the others about this," he said. Then he went to another place.


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So Herod had them look everywhere for Peter. But they didn't find him. Then Herod questioned the guards closely. He ordered that they be put to death. Herod went from Judea to Caesarea. He stayed there awhile.


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He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they got together and asked for a meeting with him. This was because they depended on the king's country to supply them with food. They gained the support of Blastus and asked for peace. Blastus was a trusted personal servant of the king.


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The appointed day came. Herod was seated on his throne. He was wearing his royal robes. He made a speech to the people.


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Right away an angel of the Lord struck Herod down. Herod had not given praise to God. So he was eaten by worms and died.


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Barnabas and Saul finished their task. Then they returned from Jerusalem. They took John Mark with them.


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In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers. Among them were Barnabas, Simeon, and Lucius from Cyrene. Simeon was also called Niger. Another was Manaen. He had been brought up with Herod, the ruler of Galilee. Saul was among them too.


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While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke. "Set apart Barnabas and Saul for me," he said. "I have appointed them to do special work."


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The prophets and teachers fasted and prayed. They placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul. Then they sent them off.


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Barnabas and Saul were sent on their way by the Holy Spirit. They went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.


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They arrived at Salamis. There they preached God's word in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.


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They traveled all across the island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jew named Bar-Jesus. He was an evil magician and a false prophet.


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He was an attendant of Sergius Paulus, the governor. Paulus was a man of understanding. He sent for Barnabas and Saul. He wanted to hear God's word.


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But Elymas, the evil magician, opposed them. The name Elymas means "magician." He tried to keep the governor from becoming a believer.


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Saul was also known as Paul. He was filled with the Holy Spirit. He looked straight at Elymas. He said to him,


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"You are a child of the devil! You are an enemy of everything that is right! You cheat people. You use all kinds of tricks. Won't you ever stop twisting the right ways of the Lord?


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Now the Lord's hand is against you. You are going to go blind. You won't be able to see the light of the sun for a while." Right away mist and darkness came over him. He tried to feel his way around. He wanted to find someone to lead him by the hand.


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When the governor saw what had happened, he believed. He was amazed at what Paul was teaching about the Lord.


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From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia. There John left them and returned to Jerusalem.


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From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath day they entered the synagogue and sat down.


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The Law and the Prophets were read aloud. Then the synagogue rulers sent word to Paul and his companions. They said, "Brothers, do you have a message of hope for the people? If you do, please speak."


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Paul stood up and motioned with his hand. Then he said, "Men of Israel, and you non-Jews who worship God, listen to me!


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The God of Israel chose our people who lived long ago. He blessed them greatly while they were in Egypt. With his mighty power he led them out of that country.


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All of this took about 450 years. "After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.


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


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God removed him and made David their king. Here is God's witness about him. 'David, son of Jesse, is a man dear to my heart,' he said. 'He will do everything I want him to do.'


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"From this man's family line God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus. This is what he had promised.


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Before Jesus came, John preached that we should turn away from our sins and be baptized. He preached this to all Israel.


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John was coming to the end of his work. 'Who do you think I am?' he said. 'I am not the one you are looking for. No, he is coming after me. I am not good enough to untie his sandals.'


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"Listen, brothers, you children of Abraham! Listen, you non-Jews who worship God! This message of salvation has been sent to us.


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The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus. By finding him guilty, they made the prophets' words come true. These are read every Sabbath day.


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The people and their rulers had no reason at all for sentencing Jesus to death. But they asked Pilate to have him killed.


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They did everything that had been written about Jesus. Then they took him down from the cross. They laid him in a tomb.


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For many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Now they are his witnesses to our people.


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he has done for us, their children. He has raised up Jesus. This is what is written in the second Psalm. It says, " 'You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.' --(Psalm 2:7)


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God raised Jesus from the dead. He will never rot in the grave. This is what is written in Scripture. It says, " 'Holy and sure blessings were promised to David. I will give them to you.' --(Isaiah 55:3)


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"David carried out God's purpose while he lived. Then he died. He was buried with his people. His body rotted away.


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"My brothers, here is what I want you to know. I announce to you that your sins can be forgiven because of what Jesus has done.


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Through him everyone who believes is made right with God. Moses' law could not make you right in God's eyes.


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" 'Look, you who make fun of the truth! Wonder and die! I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe. You wouldn't believe it even if someone told you.' " --(Habakkuk 1:5)


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Paul and Barnabas started to leave the synagogue. The people invited them to say more about these things on the next Sabbath day.


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The people were told they could leave the service. Many Jews followed Paul and Barnabas. Many non-Jews who faithfully worshiped the God of the Jews did the same. Paul and Barnabas talked with them. They tried to get them to keep living in God's grace.


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When the Jews saw the crowds, they became very jealous. They said evil things against what Paul was saying.


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Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly. "We had to speak God's word to you first," they said. "But you don't accept it. You don't think you are good enough for eternal life. So now we are turning to those who aren't Jews.


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This is what the Lord has commanded us to do. He said, " 'I have made you a light for those who aren't Jews. You will bring salvation to the whole earth.' " --(Isaiah 49:6)


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When the non-Jews heard this, they were glad. They honored the word of the Lord. All who were appointed for eternal life believed.


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But the Jews stirred up the important women who worshiped God. They also stirred up the men who were leaders in the city. They tried to get them to attack Paul and Barnabas. They threw them out of that area.


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Paul and Barnabas didn't like this. So they shook the dust from their feet. They went on to Iconium.


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At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue as usual. They spoke there with great power. Large numbers of Jews and non-Jews became believers.


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But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up those who weren't Jews. They poisoned their minds against the two men and the new believers.


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So Paul and Barnabas spent a lot of time there. They spoke boldly for the Lord. He gave them the ability to do miraculous signs and wonders. In this way the Lord showed that they were telling the truth about his grace.


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The people of the city did not agree with each other. Some were on the side of the Jews. Others were on the side of the apostles.


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Jews and non-Jews alike planned to treat Paul and Barnabas badly. Their leaders agreed. They planned to kill them by throwing stones at them.


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But Paul and Barnabas found out about the plan. They escaped to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding area.


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In Lystra there sat a man who couldn't walk. He hadn't been able to use his feet since the day he was born.


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The crowd saw what Paul had done. They shouted in the Lycaonian language. "The gods have come down to us in human form!" they exclaimed.


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Just outside the city was the temple of the god Zeus. The priest of Zeus brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates. He and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas.


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But the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about this. So they tore their clothes. They rushed out into the crowd. They shouted,


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"Why are you men doing this? We are only human, just like you. We are bringing you good news. Turn away from these worthless things. Turn to the living God. He is the one who made the heavens and the earth and the sea. He made everything in them.


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But he has given proof of what he is like. He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven. He gives you crops in their seasons. He provides you with plenty of food. He fills your hearts with joy."


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Paul and Barnabas told them all these things. But they had trouble keeping the crowd from offering sacrifices to them.


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Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium. They won the crowd over to their side. They threw stones at Paul. They thought he was dead, so they dragged him out of the city.


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The believers gathered around Paul. Then he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.


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Paul and Barnabas preached the good news in the city of Derbe. They won large numbers of followers. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch.


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There they helped the believers gain strength. They told them to remain true to what they had been taught. "We must go through many hard times to enter God's kingdom," they said.


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Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church. The elders had trusted in the Lord. Paul and Barnabas prayed and fasted. They placed the elders in the Lord's care.


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From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch. That was where they had been committed to God's grace. They had now completed the work God had given them to do.


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When they arrived at Antioch, they gathered the church together. They reported all that God had done through them. They told how he had opened the way for non-Jews to believe.


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Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch. Here is what they were teaching the believers. "Moses commanded you to be circumcised," they said. "If you aren't, you can't be saved."


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But Paul and Barnabas didn't agree with this. They argued strongly with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed to go up to Jerusalem. Some other believers were chosen to go with them. They were supposed to see the apostles and elders about this question.


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The church sent them on their way. As they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how those who weren't Jews had turned to God. This news made all the believers very glad.


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When they arrived in Jerusalem, the church welcomed them. The apostles and elders welcomed them too. Then Paul and Barnabas reported everything God had done through them.


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Some of the believers were Pharisees. They stood up and said, "Those who aren't Jews must be circumcised. They must obey the law of Moses."


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After they had talked it over, Peter got up and spoke to them. "Brothers," he said, "you know that some time ago God chose me to take the good news to those who aren't Jews. He wanted them to hear the good news and believe.


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God knows the human heart. By giving the Holy Spirit to non-Jews, he showed that he accepted them. He did the same for them as he had done for us.


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He showed that there is no difference between us and them. He made their hearts pure because of their faith.


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"Now then, why are you trying to test God? You test him when you put a heavy load on the believers' shoulders. Our people of long ago couldn't carry that load. We can't either.


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No! We believe we are saved through the grace of our Lord Jesus. Those who aren't Jews are saved in the same way."


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Everyone became quiet as they listened to Barnabas and Paul. They were telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among non-Jews.


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Simon Peter has explained to us how God first showed his concern for those who aren't Jews. He chose some of them to be his very own people.


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" 'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. I will rebuild what was destroyed. I will make it what it used to be.


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Then the rest of the people can look to the Lord. This means all the non-Jews who belong to me. The Lord says this. He is the one who does these things.' --(Amos 9:11,12)


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Here is what we should write to them. They must not eat food polluted by being offered to statues of gods. They must not commit sexual sins. They must not eat the meat of animals that have been choked to death. And they must not drink blood.


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These laws of Moses have been preached in every city from the earliest times. They are read out loud in the synagogues every Sabbath day."


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Then the apostles, the elders and the whole church decided what to do. They would choose some of their own men. They would send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. So they chose two leaders among the believers. Their names were Judas Barsabbas and Silas.


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Here is the letter they sent with them. The apostles and elders, your brothers, are writing this letter. We are sending it to the non-Jewish believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. Greetings.


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We have heard that some of our people came to you and caused trouble. You were upset by what they said. But we had given them no authority to go.


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So we all agreed to send our dear friends Barnabas and Paul to you. We chose some others to go with them.


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It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to give you a load that is too heavy. So here are a few basic rules.


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Don't eat food that has been offered to statues of gods. Don't drink blood. Don't eat the meat of animals that have been choked to death. And don't commit sexual sins. You will do well to keep away from these things. Farewell.


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The men were sent down to Antioch. There they gathered the church together. They gave the letter to them.


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Judas and Silas stayed there for some time. Then the believers sent them away with the blessing of peace. They sent them back to those who had sent them out.


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Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch. There they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.


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Some time later Paul spoke to Barnabas. "Let's go back to all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord," he said. "Let's visit the believers and see how they are doing."


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But Paul didn't think it was wise to take him. Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia. He hadn't continued with them in their work.


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Barnabas and Paul strongly disagreed with each other. So they went their separate ways. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus.


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But Paul chose Silas. The believers asked the Lord to give his grace to Paul and Silas as they went.


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Paul came to Derbe. Then he went on to Lystra. A believer named Timothy lived there. His mother was Jewish and a believer. His father was a Greek.


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Paul wanted to take him along on the journey. So he circumcised Timothy because of the Jews who lived in that area. They all knew that Timothy's father was a Greek.


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Paul and his companions traveled from town to town. They reported what the apostles and elders in Jerusalem had decided. The people were supposed to obey what was in the report.


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Paul and his companions traveled all through the area of Phrygia and Galatia. The Holy Spirit had kept them from preaching the word in Asia Minor.


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They came to the border of Mysia. From there they tried to enter Bithynia. But the Spirit of Jesus would not let them.


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During the night Paul had a vision. He saw a man from Macedonia standing and begging him. "Come over to Macedonia!" the man said. "Help us!"


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After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia. We decided that God had called us to preach the good news there.


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At Troas we got into a boat. We sailed straight for Samothrace. The next day we went on to Neapolis.


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From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony. It is an important city in that part of Macedonia. We stayed there several days.


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On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate. We walked down to the river. There we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered together.


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One of those listening was a woman named Lydia. She was from the city of Thyatira. Her business was selling purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to accept Paul's message.


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She and her family were baptized. Then she invited us to her home. "Do you consider me a believer in the Lord?" she asked. "If you do, come and stay at my house." She succeeded in getting us to go home with her.


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One day we were going to the place of prayer. On the way we were met by a female slave. She had a spirit that helped her to tell ahead of time what was going to happen. She earned a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes.


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The woman followed Paul and the rest of us around. She shouted, "These men serve the Most High God. They are telling you how to be saved."


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She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became upset. Turning around, he spoke to the spirit. "In the name of Jesus Christ," he said, "I command you to come out of her!" At that very moment the spirit left her.


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The female slave's owners realized that their hope of making money was gone. So they grabbed Paul and Silas. They dragged them into the market place to face the authorities.


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They brought them to the judges. "These men are Jews," her owners said. "They are making trouble in our city.


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They are suggesting practices that are against Roman law. These are practices we can't accept or take part in."


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The crowd joined the attack against Paul and Silas. The judges ordered that Paul and Silas be stripped and beaten.


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They were whipped without mercy. Then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.


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When he received his orders, he put Paul and Silas deep inside the prison. He fastened their feet so they couldn't get away.


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About midnight Paul and Silas were praying. They were also singing hymns to God. The other prisoners were listening to them.


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Suddenly there was a powerful earthquake. It shook the prison from top to bottom. All at once the prison doors flew open. Everybody's chains came loose.


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The jailer woke up. He saw that the prison doors were open. He pulled out his sword and was going to kill himself. He thought the prisoners had escaped.


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The jailer called out for some lights. He rushed in, shaking with fear. He fell down in front of Paul and Silas.


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At that hour of the night, the jailer took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. Right away he and his whole family were baptized.


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The jailer brought them into his house. He set a meal in front of them. He and his whole family were filled with joy. They had become believers in God.


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Early in the morning the judges sent their officers to the jailer. They ordered him, "Let those men go."


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The jailer told Paul, "The judges have ordered me to set you and Silas free. You can leave now. Go in peace."


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But Paul replied to the officers. "They beat us in public," he said. "We weren't given a trial. And we are Roman citizens! They threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and personally lead us out."


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The officers reported this to the judges. When the judges heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they became afraid.


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So they came and said they were sorry. They led them out of the prison. Then they asked them to leave the city.


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After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia's house. There they met with the believers. They told them to be brave. Then they left.


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Paul and Silas passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia. They came to Thessalonica. A Jewish synagogue was there.


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Paul went into the synagogue as he usually did. For three Sabbath days in a row he talked about the Scriptures with the Jews.


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He explained and proved that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am telling you about is the Christ!" he said.


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His words won some of the Jews over. They joined Paul and Silas. A large number of Greeks who worshiped God joined them too. So did quite a few important women.


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But the Jews were jealous. So they rounded up some evil fellows from the market place. Forming a crowd, they started all kinds of trouble in the city. The Jews rushed to Jason's house. They were looking for Paul and Silas. They wanted to bring them out to the crowd.


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But they couldn't find them. So they dragged Jason and some other believers to the city officials. "These men have caused trouble all over the world," they shouted. "Now they have come here.


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Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all disobeying Caesar's commands. They say there is another king. He is called Jesus."


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They made Jason and the others give them money. They wanted to make sure they would return to the court. Then they let them go.


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As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. When they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue.


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The Bereans were very glad to receive Paul's message. They studied the Scriptures carefully every day. They wanted to see if what Paul said was true. So they were more noble than the Thessalonians.


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Many of the Jews believed. A number of important Greek women also became believers. And so did many Greek men.


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The Jews in Thessalonica found out that Paul was preaching God's word in Berea. So they went there too. They stirred up the crowds and got them all worked up.


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The men who went with Paul took him to Athens. Then they returned with orders that Silas and Timothy were supposed to join him as soon as they could.


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Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens. He was very upset to see that the city was full of statues of gods.


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So he went to the synagogue. There he talked with Jews and with Greeks who worshiped God. Each day he spoke with anyone who happened to be in the market place.


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A group of Epicurean and Stoic thinkers began to argue with him. Some of them asked, "What is this fellow chattering about?" Others said, "He seems to be telling us about gods we've never heard of." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus. He was telling them that Jesus had risen from the dead.


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They took him to a meeting of the Areopagus. There they said to him, "What is this new teaching you're giving us?


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All the people of Athens spent their time talking about and listening to the latest ideas. People from other lands who lived there did the same.


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Then Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus. He said, "Men of Athens! I see that you are very religious in every way.


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As I walked around, I looked carefully at the things you worship. I even found an altar with ~to an unknown god written on it. Now I am going to tell you about this 'unknown god' that you worship.


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"He is the God who made the world. He also made everything in it. He is the Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn't live in temples built by hands.


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He is not served by human hands. He doesn't need anything. He himself gives life and breath to all people. He also gives them everything else they have.


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From one man he made all the people of the world. Now they live all over the earth. He decided exactly when they should live. And he decided exactly where they should live.


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God did this so that people would seek him. Then perhaps they would reach out for him and find him. They would find him even though he is not far from any of us.


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'In him we live and move and exist.' As some of your own poets have also said, 'We are his children.'


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"Yes, we are God's children. So we shouldn't think that God is made out of gold or silver or stone. He isn't a statue planned and made by clever people.


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In the past, God didn't judge people for what they didn't know. But now he commands all people everywhere to turn away from their sins.


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He has set a day when he will judge the world fairly. He has appointed a man to be its judge. God has proved this to all people by raising that man from the dead."


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When they heard Paul talk about the dead rising, some of them made fun of it. But others said, "We want to hear you speak about this again."


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A few men became followers of Paul and believed in Jesus. Dionysius was one of them. He was a member of the Areopagus. A woman named Damaris also became a believer. And so did some others.


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There he met a Jew named Aquila, who was a native of Pontus. Aquila had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla. The emperor Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see Aquila and Priscilla.


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Every Sabbath day he went to the synagogue. He was trying to get both Jews and Greeks to believe in the Lord.


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Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia. Then Paul spent all his time preaching. He gave witness to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.


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But the Jews opposed Paul. They treated him badly. He didn't like this. So he shook out his clothes. Then he said to them, "Anything that happens to you will be your own fault! Don't blame me for it! From now on I will go to people who are not Jews."


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Then Paul left the synagogue. He went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a man who worshiped God.


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Crispus was the synagogue ruler. He and his whole family came to believe in the Lord. Many others who lived in Corinth heard Paul. They too believed and were baptized.


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One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision. "Don't be afraid," he said. "Keep on speaking. Don't be silent.


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At that time Gallio was governor of Achaia. The Jews got together and attacked Paul. They brought him into court.


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"This man," they charged, "is trying to talk people into worshiping God in ways that are against the law."


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Paul was about to speak up for himself. But just then Gallio spoke to the Jews. "You Jews are not claiming that Paul has committed a crime, whether large or small," he said. "If you were, it would make sense for me to listen to you.


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But this is about your own law. It is a question of words and names. Settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things."


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Then all the Jews turned against Sosthenes. He was the synagogue ruler. They beat him up in front of the court. But Gallio didn't care at all.


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Paul stayed in Corinth for some time. Then he left the believers and sailed for Syria. Priscilla and Aquila went with him. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea. He did this because he had made a promise to God.


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They arrived at Ephesus. There Paul said good-by to Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and talked with the Jews.


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As he left, he made them a promise. "If God wants me to," he said, "I will come back." Then he sailed from Ephesus.


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When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem. There he greeted the church. He then went down to Antioch.


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Paul spent some time in Antioch. Then he left and traveled all over Galatia and Phrygia. He gave strength to all the believers there.


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At that time a Jew named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was an educated man from Alexandria. He knew the Scriptures very well.


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Apollos had been taught the way of the Lord. He spoke with great power. He taught the truth about Jesus. But he only knew about John's baptism.


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He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. Priscilla and Aquila heard him. So they invited him to their home. There they gave him a better understanding of the way of God.


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Apollos wanted to go to Achaia. The brothers agreed with him. They wrote to the believers there. They asked them to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who had become believers by God's grace.


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He argued strongly against the Jews in public meetings. He proved from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.


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While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road to Ephesus. When he arrived, he found some believers there.


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He asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?" "No," they answered. "We haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."


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Paul said, "John baptized people, calling them to turn away from their sins. He told them to believe in the one who was coming after him. Jesus is that one."


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Paul placed his hands on them. Then the Holy Spirit came on them. They spoke in languages they had not known before. They also prophesied.


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Paul entered the synagogue. There he spoke boldly for three months. He tried to talk the people into accepting his teaching about God's kingdom.


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But some of them wouldn't listen. They refused to believe. In public they said evil things about the Way of Jesus. So Paul left them. He took the believers with him. Each day he talked with people in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.


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This went on for two years. So all the Jews and Greeks who lived in Asia Minor heard the word of the Lord.


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Even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to those who were sick. When this happened, their sicknesses were healed and evil spirits left them.


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Some Jews went around driving out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to set free those who were controlled by demons. They said, "In Jesus' name I command you to come out. He is the Jesus that Paul is preaching about."


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Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on Sceva's sons. He overpowered them all. He gave them a terrible beating. They ran out of the house naked and bleeding.


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The Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus heard about this. They were all overcome with fear. They held the name of the Lord Jesus in high honor.


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A number of those who had practiced evil magic brought their scrolls together. They set them on fire out in the open. They added up the value of the scrolls. They found that it would take more than two lifetimes to earn what the scrolls were worth.


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After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem. He went through Macedonia and Achaia. "After I have been to Jerusalem," he said, "I must visit Rome also."


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He sent Timothy and Erastus, two of his helpers, to Macedonia. But he stayed a little longer in Asia Minor.


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There was a man named Demetrius who made things out of silver. He made silver models of the temple of the goddess Artemis. He brought in a lot of business for the other skilled workers.


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One day he called them together. He also called others who were in the same kind of business. "Men," he said, "you know that we make good money from our work.


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You have seen and heard what this fellow Paul is doing. He has talked to large numbers of people here in Ephesus. Almost everywhere in Asia Minor he has led people away from our gods. He says that the gods we make are not gods at all.


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Our work is in danger of losing its good name. People's faith in the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be weakened. Now she is worshiped through all of Asia Minor and the whole world. But soon she will be robbed of her greatness."


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When they heard this, they became very angry. They began shouting, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"


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Soon people were making trouble in the whole city. They all rushed into the theater. They dragged Gaius and Aristarchus along with them. These two men had come with Paul from Macedonia.


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Some of the officials in Asia Minor were friends of Paul. They sent him a message, begging him not to go into the theater.


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The crowd didn't know what was going on. Some were shouting one thing and some another. Most of the people didn't even know why they were there.


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The Jews pushed Alexander to the front. Some of the crowd tried to tell him what to say. But he motioned for them to be quiet. He wanted to speak up for himself in front of the people.


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But then they realized that he was a Jew. So they all shouted the same thing for about two hours. "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" they yelled.


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The city clerk quieted the crowd down. "Men of Ephesus!" he said. "The whole world knows that the city of Ephesus guards the temple of the great Artemis. They know that Ephesus guards her statue, which fell from heaven.


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"These men haven't robbed any temples. They haven't said evil things against our goddess. But you have brought them here anyhow.


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Demetrius and the other skilled workers may feel they have been wronged by someone. Let them bring charges. The courts are open. We have our governors.


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As it is, today we are in danger of being charged with causing all this trouble. But there is no reason for it. We wouldn't be able to explain what has happened."


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All the trouble came to an end. Then Paul sent for the believers. After cheering them up, he said good-by. He then left for Macedonia.


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He traveled through that area, speaking many words of hope to the people. Finally he arrived in Greece.


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There he stayed for three months. He was just about to sail for Syria. But the Jews were making plans against him. So he decided to go back through Macedonia.


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Sopater, son of Pyrrhus, from Berea went with him. Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, and Timothy went too. Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia Minor also went with him.


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But we sailed from Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Five days later we joined the others at Troas. We stayed there for seven days.


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On the first day of the week we met to break bread and eat together. Paul spoke to the people. He kept on talking until midnight because he planned to leave the next day.


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A young man named Eutychus was sitting in a window. He sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. Sound asleep, Eutychus fell from the third floor. When they picked him up from the ground, he was dead.


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Paul went down and threw himself on the young man. He put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he told them. "He's alive!"


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Then Paul went upstairs again. He broke bread and ate with them. He kept on talking until daylight. Then he left.


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We went on ahead to the ship. We sailed for Assos. There we were going to take Paul on board. He had planned it this way because he wanted to go there by land.


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The next day we sailed from there. We arrived near Kios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos. We arrived at Miletus the next day.


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Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus. He didn't want to spend time in Asia Minor. He was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem. If he could, he wanted to be there by the day of Pentecost.


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When they arrived, he spoke to them. "You know how I lived the whole time I was with you," he said. "From the first day I came into Asia Minor,


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I was free of pride. I served the Lord with tears. I served him even though I was greatly tested by the evil plans of the Jews.


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You know I haven't let anyone keep me from preaching anything that would be helpful to you. I have taught you in public and from house to house.


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I have told both Jews and Greeks that they must turn away from their sins to God. They must have faith in our Lord Jesus.


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"Now I am going to Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit compels me. I don't know what will happen to me there.


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I only know that in every city the Spirit warns me. He tells me that I will face prison and suffering.


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But my life means nothing to me. I only want to finish the race. I want to complete the work the Lord Jesus has given me. He wants me to give witness to others about the good news of God's grace.


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"I have spent time with you preaching about the kingdom. I know that none of you will ever see me again.


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"Keep watch over yourselves. Keep watch over all the believers. The Holy Spirit has made you leaders over them. Be shepherds of God's church. He bought it with his own blood.


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Even men from your own people will rise up and twist the truth. They want to get the believers to follow them.


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So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning you. Night and day I warned each of you with tears.


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"Now I commit you to God's care. I commit you to the word of his grace. It can build you up. Then you will share in what God plans to give all his people.


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You yourselves know that I have used my own hands to meet my needs. I have also met the needs of my companions.


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In everything I did, I showed you that we must work hard and help the weak. We must remember the words of the Lord Jesus. He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "


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What hurt them the most was that he had said they would never see his face again. Then they went with him to the ship.


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After we had torn ourselves away from the Ephesian elders, we headed out to sea. We sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes. From there we continued on to Patara.


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We came near Cyprus and passed to the south of it. Then we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre. There our ship was supposed to unload.


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We found the believers there and stayed with them for seven days. Led by the Holy Spirit, they tried to get Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.


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But when it was time to leave, we continued on our way. All the believers and their families went with us out of the city. There on the beach we got down on our knees to pray.


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Continuing on from Tyre, we landed at Ptolemais. There we greeted the brothers and sisters. We stayed with them for a day.


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The next day we left and arrived at Caesarea. We stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist. He was one of the seven deacons.


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He came over to us. Then he took Paul's belt and tied his own hands and feet with it. He said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'This is how the Jews of Jerusalem will tie up the owner of this belt. They will hand him over to people who are not Jews.' "


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He asked, "Why are you crying? Why are you breaking my heart? I'm ready to be put in prison. In fact, I'm ready to die in Jerusalem for the Lord Jesus."


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Some of the believers from Caesarea went with us. They brought us to Mnason's home. We were supposed to stay there. Mnason was from Cyprus. He was one of the first believers.


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When they heard this, they praised God. Then they spoke to Paul. "Brother," they said, "you see that thousands of Jews have become believers. All of them try very hard to obey the law.


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They have been told that you teach all the Jews who live among the non-Jews to turn away from Moses. They think that you teach them not to circumcise their children. They think that you teach them to give up our Jewish ways.


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Take them with you. Join them in the Jewish practice that makes people pure and clean. Pay their expenses so they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know that these reports about you are not true in any way. They will know that you yourself obey the law.


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"We have already given written directions to the believers who are not Jews. They must not eat food that has been offered to statues of gods. They must not drink blood. They must not eat the meat of animals that have been choked to death. And they must not commit sexual sins."


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The next day Paul took the men with him. They all made themselves pure and clean in the usual way. Then Paul went to the temple. There he reported the date when the days of cleansing would end. At that time the proper offering would be made for each of them.


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The seven days of cleansing were almost over. Some Jews from Asia Minor saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd. They arrested Paul.


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"Men of Israel, help us!" they shouted. "This is the man who teaches everyone in all places against our people. He speaks against our law and against this holy place. Besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area. He has made this holy place unclean."


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They said this because they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul. They thought Paul had brought him into the temple area.


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The whole city was stirred up. People came running from all directions. They grabbed Paul and dragged him out of the temple. Right away the temple gates were shut.


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The people were trying to kill Paul. But news reached the commander of the Roman troops. He heard that people were making trouble in the whole city of Jerusalem.


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At once he took some officers and soldiers with him. They ran down to the crowd. The people causing the trouble saw the commander and his soldiers. So they stopped beating Paul.


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The commander came up and arrested Paul. He ordered him to be held with two chains. Then he asked who Paul was and what he had done.


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Some in the crowd shouted one thing, some another. But the commander couldn't get the facts because of all the noise. So he ordered that Paul be taken into the fort.


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The soldiers were about to take Paul into the fort. Then he asked the commander, "May I say something to you?" "Do you speak Greek?" he replied.


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"Aren't you the Egyptian who turned some of our people against their leaders? Didn't you lead 4,000 terrorists out into the desert some time ago?"


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Paul answered, "I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia. I am a citizen of an important city. Please let me speak to the people."


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The commander told him he could. So Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When all of them were quiet, he spoke to them in the Aramaic language.


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"I am a Jew. I was born in Tarsus in Cilicia. But I grew up here in Jerusalem. I was well trained by Gamaliel in the law of our people. I wanted to serve God as much as any of you do today.


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I hurt the followers of the Way of Jesus. I sent many of them to their death. I arrested men and women. I threw them into prison.


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The high priest and the whole Council can give witness to this. I even had some official letters they had written to their friends in Damascus. So I went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.


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I fell to the ground and heard a voice speak to me. 'Saul! Saul!' it said. 'Why are you opposing me?'


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" 'Who are you, Lord?' I asked. " 'I am Jesus of Nazareth,' he replied. 'I am the one you are opposing.'


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"The light was seen by my companions. But they didn't understand the voice of the one speaking to me.


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" 'What should I do, Lord?' I asked. " 'Get up,' the Lord said. 'Go into Damascus. There you will be told everything you have been given to do.'


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"A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a godly Jew who obeyed the law. All the Jews living there respected him very much.


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He stood beside me and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' At that very moment I was able to see him.


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"Then he said, 'The God of our people has chosen you. He wanted to tell you his plans for you. You have seen the Blameless One. You have heard words from his mouth.


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I saw the Lord speaking to me. 'Quick!' he said. 'Leave Jerusalem at once. These people will not accept your witness about me.'


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" 'Lord,' I replied, 'these people know what I used to do. I went from one synagogue to another and put believers in prison. I also beat them.


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Stephen was a man who gave witness to others about you. I stood there when he was killed. I had agreed that he should die. I even guarded the coats of those who were killing him.'


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So the commanding officer ordered Paul to be taken into the fort. He gave orders for Paul to be whipped and questioned. He wanted to find out why the people were shouting at him like this.


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A commander was standing there as they stretched Paul out to be whipped. Paul said to him, "Does the law allow you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn't even been found guilty?"


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When the commander heard this, he went to the commanding officer and reported it. "What are you going to do?" the commander asked. "This man is a Roman citizen."


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So the commanding officer went to Paul. "Tell me," he asked. "Are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes, I am," Paul answered.


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Then the officer said, "I had to pay a lot of money to become a citizen." "But I was born a citizen," Paul replied.


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Right away those who were about to question him left. Even the officer was alarmed. He realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.


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The commanding officer wanted to find out exactly what the Jews had against Paul. So the next day he let Paul out of prison. He ordered a meeting of the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin. Then he brought Paul and had him stand in front of them.


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Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin. "My brothers," he said, "I have always done my duty to God. To this very day I feel that I have done nothing wrong."


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Ananias the high priest heard this. So he ordered the men standing near Paul to hit him on the mouth.


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Then Paul said to him, "You pretender! God will hit you! You sit there and judge me by the law. But you yourself broke the law when you commanded them to hit me!"


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Paul replied, "Brothers, I didn't realize he was the high priest. It is written, 'Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.' "--(Exodus 22:28)


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Paul knew that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees. So he called out in the Sanhedrin. "My brothers," he said, "I am a Pharisee. I am the son of a Pharisee. I believe that people will rise from the dead. That's why I am on trial."


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The Sadducees say that people will not rise from the dead. They don't believe there are angels or spirits either. But the Pharisees believe all these things.


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People were causing trouble and making a lot of noise. Some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up. They argued strongly. "We find nothing wrong with this man," they said. "What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?"


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The arguing got out of hand. The commanding officer was afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by those who were arguing. So he ordered the soldiers to go down and take him away from them by force. They were supposed to bring him into the fort.


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The next night the Lord stood near Paul. He said, "Be brave! You have given witness about me in Jerusalem. You must do the same in Rome."


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The next morning the Jews gathered secretly to make plans against Paul. They took an oath that they would not eat or drink anything until they had killed him.


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They went to the chief priests and the elders. They said, "We have taken a strong oath. We have made a special promise to God. We will not eat anything until we have killed Paul.


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Now then, you and the Sanhedrin must make an appeal to the commanding officer. Ask him to bring Paul to you. Pretend you want more facts about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here."


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Then Paul called one of the commanders. He said to him, "Take this young man to the commanding officer. He has something to tell him."


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So the commander took Paul's nephew to the officer. The commander said, "Paul, the prisoner, sent for me. He asked me to bring this young man to you. The young man has something to tell you."


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The commanding officer took the young man by the hand. He spoke to him in private. "What do you want to tell me?" the officer asked.


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He said, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul to the Sanhedrin tomorrow. They will pretend they want more facts about him.


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Don't give in to them. More than 40 of them are waiting in hiding to attack him. They have taken an oath that they will not eat or drink anything until they have killed him. They are ready now. All they need is for you to bring Paul to the Sanhedrin."


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The commanding officer let the young man go. But he gave him a warning. "Don't tell anyone you have reported this to me," he said.


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Then the commanding officer called for two of his commanders. He ordered them, "Gather a company of 200 soldiers, 70 horsemen and 200 men armed with spears. Get them ready to go to Caesarea at nine o'clock tonight.


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I, Claudius Lysias, am writing this letter. I am sending it to His Excellency, Governor Felix. Greetings.


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The Jews grabbed Paul. They were about to kill him. But I came with my soldiers and saved him. I had learned that he is a Roman citizen.


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I found out that the charge against him was based on questions about their law. But there was no charge against him worthy of death or prison.


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Then I was told about a plan against the man. So I sent him to you at once. I also ordered those bringing charges against him to tell you their case.


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The soldiers followed their orders. During the night they took Paul with them. They brought him as far as Antipatris.


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The horsemen arrived in Caesarea. They gave the letter to the governor. Then they handed Paul over to him.


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The governor read the letter. He asked Paul where he was from. He learned that Paul was from Cilicia.


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So he said, "I will hear your case when those bringing charges against you get here." Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod's palace.


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Five days later Ananias the high priest went down to Caesarea. Some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus went with him. They brought their charges against Paul to the governor.


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So Paul was called in. Tertullus began to bring the charges against Paul. He said to Felix, "We have enjoyed a long time of peace while you have been ruling. You are a wise leader. You have made this a better nation.


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"We have found that Paul is a troublemaker. He stirs up trouble among Jews all over the world. He is a leader of those who follow Jesus of Nazareth.


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Question him yourself. Then you will learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him."


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The governor motioned for Paul to speak. Paul said, "I know that you have been a judge over this nation for quite a few years. So I am glad to stand up for myself.


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Those bringing charges against me did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple. I wasn't stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city.


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"It is true that I worship the God of our people. I am a follower of the Way of Jesus. Those bringing charges against me call it a cult. I believe everything that agrees with the Law. I believe everything written in the Prophets.


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I have the same hope in God that these men have. I believe that both the godly and the ungodly will rise from the dead.


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"I was away for several years. Then I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for those who were poor. I also came to offer sacrifices.


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They found me doing this in the temple courtyard. I had already been made pure and clean in the usual way. There was no crowd with me. I didn't stir up any trouble.


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"But there are some other Jews who should be here in front of you. They are from Asia Minor. They should bring charges if they have anything against me.


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Let the Jews who are here tell you what crime I am guilty of. After all, I was put on trial by the Sanhedrin.


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Perhaps they blame me for what I said when I was on trial. I shouted, 'I believe that people will rise from the dead. That is why I am on trial here today.' "


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Felix knew all about the Way of Jesus. So he put off the trial for the time being. "Lysias the commanding officer will come," he said. "Then I will decide your case."


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He ordered the commander to keep Paul under guard. He told him to give Paul some freedom. He also told him to allow Paul's friends to take care of his needs.


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Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla. She was a Jew. Felix sent for Paul and listened to him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.


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Paul talked about how to live right. He talked about how people should control themselves. He also talked about the time when God will judge everyone. Then Felix became afraid. "That's enough for now!" he said. "You may leave. When I find the time, I will send for you."


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He was hoping that Paul would offer him some money to let him go. So he often sent for Paul and talked with him.


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Two years passed. Porcius Festus took the place of Felix. But Felix wanted to do the Jews a favor. So he left Paul in prison.


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They tried to get Festus to have Paul taken to Jerusalem. They asked for this as a favor. They were planning to hide and attack Paul along the way. They wanted to kill him.


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Let some of your leaders come with me. If the man has done anything wrong, they can bring charges against him there."


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Festus spent eight or ten days in Jerusalem with them. Then he went down to Caesarea. The next day he called the court together. He ordered Paul to be brought to him.


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When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many strong charges against him. But they couldn't prove them.


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Then Paul spoke up for himself. He said, "I've done nothing wrong against the law of the Jews or against the temple. I've done nothing wrong against Caesar."


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But Festus wanted to do the Jews a favor. So he said to Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem? Are you willing to go on trial there? Are you willing to face these charges in my court?"


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Paul answered, "I'm already standing in Caesar's court. This is where I should go on trial. I haven't done anything wrong to the Jews. You yourself know that very well.


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If I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I'm willing to die. But the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true. No one has the right to hand me over to them. I make my appeal to Caesar!"


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Festus talked it over with the members of his court. Then he said, "You have made an appeal to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!"


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They were spending many days there. So Festus talked with the king about Paul's case. He said, "There's a man here that Felix left as a prisoner.


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When I went to Jerusalem, the Jewish chief priests and the elders brought charges against the man. They wanted him to be found guilty.


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"I told them that this is not the way Romans do things. We don't judge people before they have faced those bringing charges against them. They must have a chance to speak up for themselves.


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When the Jews came back with me, I didn't waste any time. I called the court together the next day. I ordered the man to be brought in.


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Those bringing charges against him got up to speak. But they didn't charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.


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Instead, they argued with him about their own beliefs. They didn't agree about a dead man named Jesus. Paul claimed Jesus was alive.


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"I had no idea how to look into such matters. So I asked Paul if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem. There he could be tried on these charges.


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But Paul made an appeal to have the Emperor decide his case. So I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar."


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Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I would like to hear this man myself." Festus replied, "Tomorrow you will hear him."


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The next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived. They acted like very important people. They entered the courtroom. The most important officers and the leading men of the city came with them. When Festus gave the command, Paul was brought in.


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Festus said, "King Agrippa, and all who are here with us, take a good look at this man! Both in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea a large number of Jews have come to me about him. They keep shouting that he shouldn't live any longer.


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I have found that he hasn't done anything worthy of death. But he made his appeal to the Emperor. So I decided to send him to Rome.


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"I don't have anything certain to write about him to His Majesty. So I have brought him here today. Now all of you will be able to hear him. King Agrippa, it will also be very good for you to hear him. As a result of this hearing, I will have something to write.


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Agrippa said to Paul, "You may now speak for yourself." So Paul motioned with his hand. Then he began to stand up for himself.


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"King Agrippa," he said, "I am happy to be able to stand here today. I will speak up for myself against all the charges brought by the Jews.


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I am very pleased that you are familiar with Jewish ways. You know the kinds of things they argue about. So I beg you to be patient as you listen to me.


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"The Jews all know how I have lived ever since I was a child. They know all about me from the beginning of my life. They know how I lived in my own country and in Jerusalem.


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They have known me for a long time. So if they wanted to, they could give witness that I lived by the rules of the Pharisees. Those rules are harder to obey than the rules of any other group in the Jewish faith.


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"Today I am on trial because of the hope I have. I believe in what God promised our people long ago.


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It is the promise that our 12 tribes are hoping to see come true. Because of this hope they serve God with a true and honest heart day and night. King Agrippa, it is also because of this hope that the Jews are bringing charges against me.


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That's just what I was doing in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests, I put many of God's people in prison. I agreed that they should die.


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I often went from one synagogue to another to have them punished. I tried to force them to speak evil things against Jesus. I hated them so much that I even went to cities in other lands to hurt them.


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"On one of these journeys I was on my way to Damascus. I had the authority and commission of the chief priests.


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About noon, King Agrippa, I was on the road. I saw a light coming from heaven. It was brighter than the sun. It was shining around me and my companions.


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We all fell to the ground. I heard a voice speak to me in the Aramaic language. 'Saul! Saul!' it said. 'Why are you opposing me? It is hard for you to go against what you know is right.'


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"Then I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' " 'I am Jesus,' the Lord replied. 'I am the one you are opposing.


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Now get up. Stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you to serve me and be my witness. You will tell others that you have seen me today. You will also tell them that I will show myself to you again.


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to open their eyes. I want you to turn them from darkness to light. I want you to turn them from Satan's power to God. I want their sins to be forgiven. They will be forgiven when they believe in me. They will have their place among God's people.'


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First I preached to people in Damascus. Then I preached in Jerusalem and in all Judea. I preached also to people who are not Jews. I told them to turn away from their sins to God. The way they live must prove that they have turned away from their sins.


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"But God has helped me to this very day. So I stand here and give witness to both small and great. I have been saying nothing different from what the prophets and Moses said would happen.


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They said the Christ would suffer. He would be the first to rise from the dead. He would announce the light of life to his own people and to those who aren't Jews."


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While Paul was still speaking up for himself, Festus interrupted. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you crazy!"


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The king is familiar with these things. So I can speak openly to him. I am certain he knows everything that has been going on. After all, it was not done in secret.


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Then Agrippa spoke to Paul. "Are you trying to talk me into becoming a Christian?" he said. "Do you think you can do that in such a short time?"


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Paul replied, "I don't care if it takes a short time or a long time. I pray to God for you and all who are listening to me today. I pray that you may become like me, except for these chains."


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They left the room and began to talk with one another. "Why should this man die or be put in prison?" they said. "He has done nothing worthy of that!"


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It was decided that we would sail for Italy. Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a Roman commander named Julius. He belonged to the Imperial Guard.


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We boarded a ship from Adramyttium. It was about to sail for ports along the coast of Asia Minor. We headed out to sea. Aristarchus was with us. He was a Macedonian from Thessalonica.


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The next day we landed at Sidon. There Julius was kind to Paul. He let Paul visit his friends so they could give him what he needed.


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From there we headed out to sea again. We passed the calmer side of Cyprus because the winds were against us.


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We sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia. Then we landed at Myra in Lycia.


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We moved along slowly for many days. We had trouble getting to Cnidus. The wind did not let us stay on course. So we passed the calmer side of Crete, opposite Salmone.


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It was not easy to sail along the coast. Then we came to a place called Fair Havens. It was near the town of Lasea.


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A lot of time had passed. Sailing had already become dangerous. By now it was after the Day of Atonement, a day of fasting. So Paul gave them a warning.


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"Men," he said, "I can see that our trip is going to be dangerous. The ship and everything in it will be lost. Our own lives will be in danger also."


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But the commander didn't listen to what Paul said. Instead, he followed the advice of the pilot and the ship's owner.


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The harbor wasn't a good place for ships to stay during winter. So most of the people decided we should sail on. They hoped we would reach Phoenix. They wanted to spend the winter there. Phoenix was a harbor in Crete. It faced both southwest and northwest.


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A gentle south wind began to blow. They thought that this was what they had been waiting for. So they pulled up the anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete.


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Before very long, a wind blew down from the island. It had the force of a hurricane. It was called a "northeaster."


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The ship was caught by the storm. We could not keep it sailing into the wind. So we gave up and were driven along.


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So the men lifted it on board. Then they tied ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. They were afraid it would get stuck on the sandbars of Syrtis. They lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along.


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We took a very bad beating from the storm. The next day the crew began to throw the ship's contents overboard.


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The sun and stars didn't appear for many days. The storm was terrible. So we gave up all hope of being saved.


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The men had not eaten for a long time. Paul stood up in front of them. "Men," he said, "you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete. Then you would have avoided this harm and loss.


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The angel said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must go on trial in front of Caesar. God has shown his grace by sparing the lives of all those sailing with you.'


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On the 14th night we were still being driven across the Sea of Adria. About midnight the sailors had a feeling that they were approaching land.


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They measured how deep the water was. They found that it was 120 feet deep. A short time later they measured the water again. This time it was 90 feet deep.


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They were afraid we would crash against the rocks. So they dropped four anchors from the back of the ship. They prayed that daylight would come.


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The sailors wanted to escape from the ship. So they let the lifeboat down into the sea. They pretended they were going to lower some anchors from the front of the ship.


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But Paul spoke to the commander and the soldiers. "These men must stay with the ship," he said. "If they don't, you can't be saved."


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Just before dawn Paul tried to get them all to eat. "For the last 14 days," he said, "you have wondered what would happen. You have gone without food. You haven't eaten anything.


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Now I am asking you to eat some food. You need it to live. Not one of you will lose a single hair from your head."


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After Paul said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God. He did this where they all could see him. Then he broke it and began to eat.


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They ate as much as they wanted. They needed to make the ship lighter. So they threw the rest of the grain into the sea.


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When daylight came, they saw a bay with a sandy beach. They didn't recognize the place. But they decided to run the ship onto the beach if they could.


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So they cut the anchors loose and left them in the sea. At the same time, they untied the ropes that held the rudders. They lifted the sail at the front of the ship to the wind. Then they headed for the beach.


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But the ship hit a sandbar. So the front of it got stuck and wouldn't move. The back of the ship was broken to pieces by the pounding of the waves.


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The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners. They wanted to keep them from swimming away and escaping.


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But the commander wanted to save Paul's life. So he kept the soldiers from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and swim to land.


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The rest were supposed to get there on boards or other pieces of the ship. That is how everyone reached land safely.


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The people of the island were unusually kind. It was raining and cold. So they built a fire and welcomed all of us.


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Paul gathered some sticks and put them on the fire. A poisonous snake was driven out by the heat. It fastened itself on Paul's hand.


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The people of the island saw the snake hanging from his hand. They said to each other, "This man must be a murderer. He escaped from the sea. But Justice won't let him live." Justice was the name of a goddess.


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The people expected him to swell up. They thought he would suddenly fall dead. They waited for a long time. But they didn't see anything unusual happen to him. So they changed their minds. They said he was a god.


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Publius owned property nearby. He was the chief official on the island. He welcomed us to his home. For three days he took care of us. He treated us with kindness.


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His father was sick in bed. The man suffered from fever and dysentery. So Paul went in to see him. Paul prayed for him. He placed his hands on him and healed him.


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The people of the island honored us in many ways. When we were ready to sail, they gave us the supplies we needed.


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After three months we headed out to sea. We sailed in a ship that had stayed at the island during the winter. It was a ship from Alexandria. On the front of it the figures of twin gods were carved. Their names were Castor and Pollux.


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From there we sailed to Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up. The day after that, we reached Puteoli.


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The brothers and sisters there had heard we were coming. They traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw these people, he thanked God and was cheered up.


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Three days later Paul called a meeting of the Jewish leaders. So they came. Paul said to them, "My brothers, I have done nothing against our people. I have also done nothing against what our people of long ago practiced. But I was arrested in Jerusalem. I was handed over to the Romans.


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"They questioned me. And they wanted to let me go. They saw I wasn't guilty of any crime worthy of death.


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But the Jews objected. So I had to make an appeal to Caesar. "It wasn't that I had anything against my own people.


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I share Israel's hope. That is why I am held with this chain. So I have asked to see you and talk with you."


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They replied, "We have not received any letters from Judea about you. None of our companions who came from there has reported or said anything bad about you.


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But we want to hear what your ideas are. We know that people everywhere are talking against those who believe as you do."


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They decided to meet Paul on a certain day. At that time even more people came to the place where he was staying. From morning until evening, he told them about God's kingdom and explained it to them. Using the Law of Moses and the Prophets, he tried to get them to believe in Jesus.


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They didn't agree with each other. They began to leave after Paul had made a final statement. He said, "The Holy Spirit was right when he spoke to your people long ago. Through Isaiah the prophet the Spirit said,


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" 'Go to your people. Say to them, "You will hear but never understand. You will see but never know what you are seeing."


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These people's hearts have become stubborn. They can barely hear with their ears. They have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes. They might hear with their ears. They might understand with their hearts. They might turn, and then I would heal them.' --(Isaiah 6:9,10)


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"Here is what I want you to know. God has sent his salvation to people who are not Jews. And they will listen!"


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He preached boldly about God's kingdom. No one could keep him from teaching people about the Lord Jesus Christ.


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I, Paul, am writing this letter. I serve Christ Jesus. I have been appointed to be an apostle. God set me apart to tell others his good news.


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The good news is about God's Son. As a human being, the Son of God belonged to King David's family line.


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By the power of the Holy Spirit, he was appointed to be the mighty Son of God because he rose from the dead. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.


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I received God's grace because of what Jesus did so that I could bring glory to him. He made me an apostle to all those who aren't Jews. I must invite them to have faith in God and obey him.


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I am sending this letter to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and appointed to be his people. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.


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


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I serve God with my whole heart. I preach the good news about his Son. God knows that I always remember you


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Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that I planned many times to visit you. But until now I have been kept from coming. My work has produced results among others who are not Jews. In the same way, I want to see results among you.


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I have a duty both to Greeks and to non-Greeks. I have a duty both to wise people and to foolish people.


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I am not ashamed of the good news. It is God's power. And it will save everyone who believes. It is meant first for the Jews. It is meant also for those who aren't Jews.


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The good news shows how God makes people right with himself. From beginning to end, becoming right with God depends on a person's faith. It is written, "Those who are right with God will live by faith."--(Habakkuk 2:4)


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God shows his anger from heaven. It is against all the godless and evil things people do. They are so evil that they say no to the truth.


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Ever since the world was created it has been possible to see the qualities of God that are not seen. I'm talking about his eternal power and about the fact that he is God. Those things can be seen in what he has made. So people have no excuse for what they do.


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They knew God. But they didn't honor him as God. They didn't thank him. Their thinking became worthless. Their foolish hearts became dark.


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They would rather have statues of gods than the glorious God who lives forever. Their statues of gods are made to look like people, birds, animals and reptiles.


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So God let them go. He allowed them to do what their sinful hearts wanted to. He let them commit sexual sins. They polluted one another's bodies by what they did.


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They chose a lie instead of God's truth. They worshiped and served created things. They didn't worship the Creator. But he must be praised forever. Amen.


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So God let them go. They were filled with shameful longings. Their women committed sexual acts that were not natural.


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In the same way, the men turned away from their natural love for women. They burned with sexual longing for each other. Men did shameful things with other men. They suffered in their bodies for all the twisted things they did.


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They didn't think it was important to know God. So God let them go. He allowed them to have dirty minds. They did things they shouldn't do.


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They are full of every kind of sin, evil and ungodliness. They want more than they need. They commit murder. They want what belongs to other people. They fight and cheat. They hate others. They say mean things about other people.


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They tell lies about them. They hate God. They are rude and proud. They brag. They think of new ways to do evil. They don't obey their parents.


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They know that God's commands are right. They know that those who do evil things should die. But they continue to do those very things. They also approve of others who do them.


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If you judge someone else, you have no excuse for it. When you judge another person, you are judging yourself. You do the same things you blame others for doing.


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Though you are only a human being, you judge others. But you yourself do the same things. So how do you think you will escape when God judges you?


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Do you make fun of God's great kindness and favor? Do you make fun of God when he is patient with you? Don't you realize that God's kindness is meant to turn you away from your sins?


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But you are stubborn. In your heart you are not sorry for your sins. You are storing up anger against yourself. The day of God's anger is coming. Then his way of judging fairly will be shown.


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God will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good. They want glory, honor, and life that never ends.


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But there are others who only look out for themselves. They don't accept the truth. They go down an evil path. God will pour out his burning anger on them.


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There will be trouble and suffering for everyone who does evil. That is meant first for the Jews. It is also meant for the non-Jews.


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But there will be glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good. That is meant first for the Jews. It is also meant for the non-Jews.


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Some people do not know God's law when they sin. They will not be judged by the law when they die. Others do know God's law when they sin. They will be judged by the law.


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Hearing the law does not make a person right with God. People are considered to be right with God only when they obey the law.


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Those who aren't Jews do not have the law. Sometimes they just naturally do what the law requires. They are a law for themselves. This is true even though they don't have the law.


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They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts. The way their minds judge them gives witness to that fact. Sometimes their thoughts find them guilty. At other times their thoughts find them not guilty.


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People will be judged on the day God appoints Jesus Christ to judge their secret thoughts. That's part of my good news.


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You are sure you can lead people who are blind. You are sure you are a light for those who are in the dark.


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You claim to be able to teach foolish people. You can even teach babies. You think that in the law you have all knowledge and truth.


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You say that people should not commit adultery. But you commit adultery! You hate statues of gods. But you rob temples!


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It is written, "Those who aren't Jews say evil things against God's name because of you."--(Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 36:22)


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Circumcision has value if you obey the law. But if you break the law, it is just as if you hadn't been circumcised.


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Sometimes those who aren't circumcised do what the law requires. Won't God accept them as if they had been circumcised?


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Many are not circumcised physically, but they obey the law. They will prove that you are guilty. You are breaking the law, even though you have the written law and are circumcised.


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A man is not a Jew if he is a Jew only on the outside. And circumcision is more than just something done to the outside of a man's body.


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No, a man is a Jew only if he is a Jew on the inside. And true circumcision means that the heart has been circumcised. It is done by the Holy Spirit. It is more than just obeying the written Law. Then a man's praise will not come from others. It will come from God.


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What if some Jews did not believe? Will the fact that they don't have faith keep God from being faithful?


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Not at all! God is true, even though every human being is a liar. It is written, "You are right when you sentence me. You are fair when you judge me." --(Psalm 51:4)


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Doesn't the fact that we are wrong prove more clearly that God is right? Then what can we say? Can we say that God is not fair when he brings his anger down on us? As you can tell, I am just using human ways of thinking.


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Someone might argue, "When I lie, it becomes clearer that God is truthful. It makes his glory shine more brightly. Why then does he find me guilty of sin?"


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Why not say, "Let's do evil things so that good things will happen"? Some people actually lie by reporting that this is what we say. They are the ones who should be found guilty.


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What should we say then? Are we Jews any better? Not at all! We have already claimed that Jews are sinners. The same is true of those who aren't Jews.


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All of them have turned away. They have all become worthless. No one does anything good, no one at all." --(Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Ecclesiastes 7:20)


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"Their throats are like open graves. With their tongues they tell lies." --(Psalm 5:9) "The words from their lips are like the poison of a snake." --(Psalm 140:3)


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What the law says, it says to those who are ruled by the law. Its purpose is to shut every mouth and make the whole world accountable to God.


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So it can't be said that anyone will be made right with God by obeying the law. Not at all! The law makes us more aware of our sin.


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But now God has shown us how to become right with him. The Law and the Prophets give witness to this. It has nothing to do with obeying the law.


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We are made right with God by putting our faith in Jesus Christ. That happens to all who believe. It is no different for the Jews than for anyone else.


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The free gift of God's grace makes all of us right with him. Christ Jesus paid the price to set us free.


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God gave him as a sacrifice to pay for sins. So he forgives the sins of those who have faith in his blood. God did all of that to prove that he is fair. Because of his mercy he did not punish people for the sins they had committed before Jesus died for them.


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God did that to prove in our own time that he is fair. He proved that he is right. He also made right with himself those who believe in Jesus.


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So who can brag? No one! Are people saved by obeying the law? Not at all! They are saved because of their faith.


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We firmly believe that people are made right with God because of their faith. They are not saved by obeying the law.


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Is God the God of Jews only? Isn't he also the God of those who aren't Jews? Yes, he is their God too.


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There is only one God. When those who are circumcised believe in him, he makes them right with himself. When those who are not circumcised believe in him, he also makes them right with himself.


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What should we say about those things? What did our father Abraham discover about being right with God?


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Did he become right with God because of something he did? If so, he could brag about it. But he couldn't brag to God.


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What do we find in Scripture? It says, "Abraham believed God. God accepted Abraham's faith, and so his faith made him right with God."--(Genesis 15:6)


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But things are different with God. He makes evil people right with himself. If people trust in him, their faith is accepted even though they do not work. Their faith makes them right with God.


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King David says the same thing. He tells us how blessed some people are. God makes those people right with himself. But they don't have to do anything in return. David says,


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Is that blessing only for those who are circumcised? Or is it also for those who are not circumcised? We have been saying that God accepted Abraham's faith, and so his faith made him right with God.


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When did it happen? Was it after Abraham was circumcised, or before? It was before he was circumcised, not after!


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He was circumcised as a sign of the covenant God had made with him. It showed that his faith had made him right with God before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the father of all believers who have not been circumcised. God accepts their faith. So their faith makes them right with him.


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Abraham is also the father of the circumcised who believe. So just being circumcised is not enough. Those who are circumcised must also follow the steps of our father Abraham. He had faith before he was circumcised.


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Abraham and his family received a promise. God promised that Abraham would receive the world. It would not come to him because he obeyed the law. It would come because of his faith, which made him right with God.


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Do those who obey the law receive the promise? If they do, faith would have no value. God's promise would be worthless.


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The promise is based on God's grace. The promise comes by faith. All of Abraham's children will certainly receive the promise. And it is not only for those who are ruled by the law. Those who have the same faith that Abraham had are also included. He is the father of us all.


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It is written, "I have made you a father of many nations."--(Genesis 17:5) God considers Abraham to be our father. The God that Abraham believed in gives life to the dead. Abraham's God also speaks of things that do not exist as if they do exist.


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When there was no reason for hope, Abraham believed because he had hope. He became the father of many nations, exactly as God had promised. God said, "That is how many children you will have."--(Genesis 15:5)


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Without becoming weak in his faith, Abraham accepted the fact that he was past the time when he could have children. At that time he was about 100 years old. He also realized that Sarah was too old to have children.


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They were written also for us. We believe in the God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. So God will accept our faith and make us right with himself.


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Jesus was handed over to die for our sins. He was raised to life in order to make us right with God.


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We have been made right with God because of our faith. Now we have peace with him because of our Lord Jesus Christ.


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Through faith in Jesus we have received God's grace. In that grace we stand. We are full of joy because we expect to share in God's glory.


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And that's not all. We are full of joy even when we suffer. We know that our suffering gives us the strength to go on.


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And hope will never let us down. God has poured his love into our hearts. He did it through the Holy Spirit, whom he has given to us.


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At just the right time Christ died for ungodly people. He died for us when we had no power of our own.


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It is unusual for anyone to die for a godly person. Maybe someone would be willing to die for a good person.


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The blood of Christ has made us right with God. So we are even more sure that Jesus will save us from God's anger.


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Once we were God's enemies. But we have been brought back to him because his Son has died for us. Now that God has brought us back, we are even more secure. We know that we will be saved because Christ lives.


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And that is not all. We are full of joy in God because of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of him, God has brought us back to himself.


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Sin entered the world because one man sinned. And death came because of sin. Everyone sinned, so death came to all people.


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Death ruled from the time of Adam to the time of Moses. Death ruled even over those who did not sin as Adam did. He broke God's command. But he also became a pattern of the One who was going to come.


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God's gift is different from Adam's sin. Many people died because of the sin of that one man. But it was even more sure that God's grace would also come through one man. That man is Jesus Christ. God's gift of grace was more than enough for the whole world.


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The result of God's gift is different from the result of Adam's sin. God judged one sin. That brought guilt. But after many sins, God's gift made people right with him.


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One man sinned, and death ruled because of his sin. But we are even more sure of what will happen because of what the one man, Jesus Christ, has done. Those who receive the rich supply of God's grace will rule with Christ in his kingdom. They have received God's gift and have been made right with him.


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One man's sin brought guilt to all people. So also one right act made all people right with God. And all who are right with God will live.


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Many people were made sinners because one man did not obey. But one man did obey. That is why many people will be made right with God.


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The law was given so that sin would increase. But where sin increased, God's grace increased even more.


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Sin ruled because of death. So also grace rules in the lives of those who are right with God. The grace of God brings eternal life because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done.


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By being baptized, we were buried with Christ into his death. Christ has been raised from the dead by the Father's glory. And like Christ we also can live a new life.


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By being baptized, we have been joined with him in his death. We will certainly also be joined with him in his resurrection.


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We know that what we used to be was nailed to the cross with him. That happened so our sinful bodies would lose their power. We are no longer slaves of sin.


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We know that Christ was raised from the dead and will never die again. Death doesn't control him anymore.


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When he died, he died once and for all time as far as sin is concerned. Now that he lives, he lives as far as God is concerned.


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In the same way, consider yourselves to be dead as far as sin is concerned. Now that you believe in Christ Jesus, consider yourselves to be alive as far as God is concerned.


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Don't give the parts of your body to serve sin. Don't let them be used to do evil. Instead, give yourselves to God. You have been brought from death to life. Give the parts of your body to him to do what is right.


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What should we say then? Should we sin because we are not ruled by law but by God's grace? Not at all!


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Don't you know that when you give yourselves to obey someone you become that person's slave? You can be slaves of sin. Then you will die. Or you can be slaves who obey God. Then you will live a godly life.


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You used to be slaves of sin. But thank God that with your whole heart you obeyed the teachings you were given!


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Because you are human, you find this hard to understand. So I have said it in a way that will help you understand it. You used to give the parts of your body to be slaves to unclean living. You were becoming more and more evil. Now give your bodies to be slaves to right living. Then you will become holy.


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You have been set free from sin. God has made you his slaves. The benefit you gain leads to holy living. And the end result is eternal life.


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When you sin, the pay you get is death. But God gives you the gift of eternal life because of what Christ Jesus our Lord has done.


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Brothers and sisters, I am speaking to you who know the law. Don't you know that the law has authority over us only as long as we are alive?


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For example, by law a married woman is joined to her husband as long as he is living. But suppose her husband dies. Then the marriage law no longer applies to her.


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But suppose that married woman gets married again while her husband is still alive. Then she is called a woman who commits adultery. But suppose her husband dies. Then she is free from that law. She is not guilty of adultery even if she marries another man.


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My brothers and sisters, when Christ died you also died as far as the law is concerned. Then it became possible for you to belong to him. He was raised from the dead. Now our lives can be useful to God.


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Our sinful nature used to control us. The law stirred up sinful longings in our bodies. So the things we did resulted in death.


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But now we have died to what used to control us. We have been set free from the law. Now we serve in the new way of the Holy Spirit. We no longer serve in the old way of the written law.


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What should we say then? That the law is sin? Not at all! I wouldn't have known what sin was unless the law had told me. The law said, "Do not want what belongs to other people."--(Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21) If the law hadn't said that, I would not have known what it was like to want what belonged to others.


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But the commandment gave sin an opportunity. Sin caused me to want all kinds of things that belonged to others. No one can break a law that doesn't exist.


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Before I knew about the law, I was alive. But then the commandment came. Sin came to life, and I died.


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When the commandment gave sin the opportunity, sin tricked me. It used the commandment to put me to death.


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Did what is good cause me to die? Not at all! Sin had to be recognized for what it really is. So it produced death in me through what was good. Because of the commandment, sin became totally sinful.


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But I see another law working in the parts of my body. It fights against the law of my mind. It makes me a prisoner of the law of sin. That law controls the parts of my body.


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I give thanks to God. He will do it through Jesus Christ our Lord. So in my mind I am a slave to God's law. But in my sinful nature I am a slave to the law of sin.


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I am now controlled by the law of the Holy Spirit. That law gives me life because of what Christ Jesus has done. It has set me free from the law of sin that brings death.


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The written law was made weak by our sinful nature. But God did what the written law could not do. He made his Son to be like those who have a sinful nature. He sent him to be an offering for sin. In that way, he judged sin in his Son's human body.


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Now we can do everything the law requires. Our sinful nature no longer controls the way we live. The Holy Spirit now controls the way we live.


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Don't live under the control of your sinful nature. If you do, you will think about what your sinful nature wants. Live under the control of the Holy Spirit. If you do, you will think about what the Spirit wants.


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The way a sinful person thinks leads to death. But the mind controlled by the Spirit brings life and peace.


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But your sinful nature does not control you. The Holy Spirit controls you. The Spirit of God lives in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ.


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Christ lives in you. So your body is dead because of sin. But your spirit is alive because you have been made right with God.


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The Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you. So the God who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your bodies, which are going to die. He will do this by the power of his Spirit, who lives in you.


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Brothers and sisters, we have a duty. Our duty is not to live under the control of our sinful nature.


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If you live under the control of your sinful nature, you will die. But by the power of the Holy Spirit you can put to death the sins your body commits. Then you will live.


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You didn't receive a spirit that makes you a slave to fear once again. Instead you received the Holy Spirit, who makes you God's child. By the Spirit's power we call God "Abba." Abba means Father.


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As his children, we will receive all that he has for us. We will share what Christ receives. But we must share in his sufferings if we want to share in his glory.


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Everything God created looks forward to the time when his children will appear in their full and final glory.


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The created world was bound to fail. But that was not the result of its own choice. It was planned that way by the One who made it. God planned


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to set the created world free. He didn't want it to rot away completely. Instead, he wanted it to have the same glorious freedom that his children have.


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We know that all that God created has been groaning. It is in pain as if it were giving birth to a child. The created world continues to groan even now.


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And that's not all. We have the Holy Spirit as the promise of future blessing. But we also groan inside ourselves as we look forward to the time when God will adopt us as full members of his family. Then he will give us everything he has for us. He will raise our bodies and give glory to them.


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That's the hope we had when we were saved. But hope that can be seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?


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In the same way, the Holy Spirit helps us when we are weak. We don't know what we should pray for. But the Spirit himself prays for us. He prays with groans too deep for words.


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God, who looks into our hearts, knows the mind of the Spirit. And the Spirit prays for God's people just as God wants him to pray.


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We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. He appointed them to be saved in keeping with his purpose.


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God planned that those he had chosen would become like his Son. In that way, Christ will be the first and most honored among many brothers.


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And those God has planned for, he has also appointed to be saved. Those he has appointed, he has made right with himself. To those he has made right with himself, he has given his glory.


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God did not spare his own Son. He gave him up for us all. Then won't he also freely give us everything else?


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Who can sentence us to death? Christ Jesus is at the right hand of God and is also praying for us. He died. More than that, he was raised to life.


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Who can separate us from Christ's love? Can trouble or hard times or harm or hunger? Can nakedness or danger or war?


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It is written, "Because of you, we face death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be killed." --(Psalm 44:22)


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I am absolutely sure that not even death or life can separate us from God's love. Not even angels or demons, the present or the future, or any powers can do that.


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Not even the highest places or the lowest, or anything else in all creation can do that. Nothing at all can ever separate us from God's love because of what Christ Jesus our Lord has done.


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I speak the truth in Christ. I am not lying. My mind tells me that what I say is true. It is guided by the Holy Spirit.


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I am so concerned about my people, who are members of my own race. I am ready to be cursed, if that would help them. I am even willing to be separated from Christ.


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They are the people of Israel. They have been adopted as God's children. God's glory belongs to them. So do the covenants. They received the law. They were taught to worship in the temple. They were given the promises.


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The founders of our nation belong to them. Christ comes from their family line. He is God over all. May he always be praised! Amen.


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Their condition does not mean that God's word has failed. Not everyone in the family line of Israel really belongs to Israel.


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Not everyone in Abraham's family line is really his child. Not at all! Scripture says, "Your family line will continue through Isaac."--(Genesis 21:12)


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In other words, God's children are not just Abraham's natural children. Instead, they are the children God promised to him. They are the ones considered to be Abraham's children.


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Here is what happened. Rebekah's twins had not even been born. They hadn't done anything good or bad yet. So they show that God's purpose is based firmly on his free choice.


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It was not because of anything they did but because of God's choice. So Rebekah was told, "The older son will serve the younger one."--(Genesis 25:23)


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He said to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy. I will show love to those I love." --(Exodus 33:19)


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In Scripture, God says to Pharaoh, "I had a special reason for making you king. I decided to use you to show my power. I wanted my name to become known everywhere on earth."--(Exodus 9:16)


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But you are a mere man. So who are you to talk back to God? Scripture says, "Can what is made say to the one who made it, 'Why did you make me like this?' "--(Isaiah 29:16; 45:9)


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Isn't the potter free to make different kinds of pots out of the same lump of clay? Some are for special purposes. Others are for ordinary use.


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What if God chose to show his great anger? What if he chose to make his power known? That is why he put up with people he was angry with. They had been made to be destroyed.


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What if he did that to show the riches of his glory to others? Those are the people he shows his mercy to. He had prepared them to receive his glory.


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We are those people. He has chosen us. We do not come only from the Jewish race. Many of us are not Jews.


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God says in Hosea, "I will call those who are not my people 'my people.' I will call the one who is not my loved one 'my loved one.' " --(Hosea 2:23)


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He also says, "Once it was said to them, 'You are not my people.' In that very place they will be called 'children of the living God.' " --(Hosea 1:10)


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Isaiah cries out concerning Israel. He says, "The number of people from Israel may be like the sand by the sea. But only a few of them will be saved.


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The Lord will carry out his sentence. He will be quick to carry it out on earth, once and for all." --(Isaiah 10:22,23)


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Earlier Isaiah had said, "The Lord who rules over all left us children and grandchildren. If he hadn't, we would have become like Sodom. We would have been like Gomorrah." --(Isaiah 1:9)


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What should we say then? Those who aren't Jews did not look for a way to be right with God. But they found it by having faith.


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Why not? Because they didn't look for it by faith. They tried to get it by working for it. They tripped over the stone that causes people to trip and fall.


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It is written, "Look! In Zion I am laying a stone that causes people to trip. It is a rock that makes them fall. The one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." --(Isaiah 8:14; 28:16)


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Brothers and sisters, with all my heart I long for the people of Israel to be saved. I pray to God for them.


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I can give witness about them that they really want to serve God. But how they are trying to do it is not based on what they know.


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They didn't know how God makes people right with himself. They tried to get right with God in their own way. They didn't do it in God's way.


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Moses explained how the law could help a person do what God requires. He said, "The one who does those things will live by them."--(Leviticus 18:5)


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But the way to do what God requires must begin by having faith in him. Scripture says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will go up into heaven?' "--(Deuteronomy 30:12) That means to go up into heaven and bring Christ down.


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"And do not say, 'Who will go down into the grave?' "--(Deuteronomy 30:13) That means to bring Christ up from the dead.


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But what does it say? "The word is near you. It's in your mouth and in your heart."--(Deuteronomy 30:14) That means the word we are preaching. You must put your faith in it.


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Say with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord." Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. Then you will be saved.


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With your heart you believe and are made right with God. With your mouth you say that Jesus is Lord. And so you are saved.


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There is no difference between those who are Jews and those who are not. The same Lord is Lord of all. He richly blesses everyone who calls on him.


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How can they call on him unless they believe in him? How can they believe in him unless they hear about him? How can they hear about him unless someone preaches to them?


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And how can anyone preach without being sent? It is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"--(Isaiah 52:7)


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But not all the people of Israel accepted the good news. Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?"--(Isaiah 53:1)


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But I ask, "Didn't the people of Israel hear?" Of course they did. It is written, "Their voice has gone out into the whole earth. Their words have gone out from one end of the world to the other." --(Psalm 19:4)


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Again I ask, "Didn't Israel understand?" First, Moses says, "I will use people who are not a nation to make you jealous. I will use a nation that has no understanding to make you angry." --(Deuteronomy 32:21)


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Then Isaiah boldly speaks about what God says. God said, "I was found by those who were not trying to find me. I made myself known to those who were not asking for me." --(Isaiah 65:1)


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But Isaiah also speaks about what God says concerning Israel. God said, "All day long I have held out my hands. I have held them out to a stubborn people who do not obey me." --(Isaiah 65:2)


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So here is what I ask. Did God turn his back on his people? Not at all! I myself belong to Israel. I am one of Abraham's children. I am from the tribe of Benjamin.


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God didn't turn his back on his people. After all, he chose them. Don't you know what Scripture says about Elijah? He complained to God about Israel.


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He said, "Lord, they have killed your prophets. They have torn down your altars. I'm the only one left. And they are trying to kill me."--(1 Kings 19:10,14)


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How did God answer him? God said, "I have kept 7,000 people for myself. They have not bowed down to Baal."--(1 Kings 19:18)


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And if they are chosen by grace, it is no longer a matter of working for it. If it were, grace wouldn't be grace anymore.


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What should we say then? Israel did not receive what they wanted so badly. But those who were chosen did. God made the rest of them stubborn.


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It is written, "God made it hard for them to understand. He gave them eyes that could not see. He gave them ears that could not hear. And they are still like that today." --(Deuteronomy 29:4; Isaiah 29:10)


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David says, "Let their feast be a trap and a snare. Let it make Israel trip and fall. Let Israel get what's coming to them.


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Again, here is what I ask. They didn't trip and fall once and for all time, did they? Not at all! Because Israel sinned, those who aren't Jews can be saved. That will make Israel jealous of them.


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Israel's sin brought riches to the world. Their loss brought riches to the non-Jews. What greater riches will come when all Israel turns to God!


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I am talking to you who are not Jews. I am the apostle to the non-Jews. So I think the work I do for God and others is very important.


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When they were not accepted, it became possible for the whole world to be brought back to God. So what will happen when they are accepted? It will be like life from the dead.


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The first handful of dough that is offered is holy. This makes all of the dough holy. If the root is holy, so are the branches.


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Some of the natural branches have been broken off. You are a wild olive branch. But you have been joined to the tree with the other branches. Now you enjoy the life-giving sap of the olive tree root.


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So don't think you are better than the other branches. Remember, you don't give life to the root. The root gives life to you.


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That's true. But they were broken off because they didn't believe. You stand only because you do believe. So don't be proud. Be afraid.


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Think about how kind God is! Also think about how firm he is! He was hard on those who stopped following him. But he is kind to you. So you must continue to live in his kindness. If you don't, you also will be cut off.


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If the people of Israel do not continue in their unbelief, they will again be joined to the tree. God is able to join them to the tree again.


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After all, weren't you cut from a wild olive tree? Weren't you joined to an olive tree that was taken care of? And wasn't that the opposite of how things should be done? How much more easily will the natural branches be joined to their own olive tree!


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Brothers and sisters, here is a mystery I want you to understand. It will keep you from being proud. Part of Israel has refused to obey God. That will continue until the full number of non-Jews has entered God's kingdom.


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And so all Israel will be saved. It is written, "The One who saves will come from Mount Zion. He will remove sin from Jacob.


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Here is my covenant with them. I will take away their sins." --(Isaiah 59:20,21; 27:9; Jeremiah 31:33,34)


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As far as the good news is concerned, the people of Israel are enemies. That is for your good. But as far as God's choice is concerned, the people of Israel are loved. That is because of God's promises to the founders of our nation.


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In the same way, Israel has not been obeying God. But now they receive mercy because of God's mercy to you.


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How very rich are God's wisdom and knowledge! How he judges is more than we can understand! The way he deals with people is more than we can know!


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All things come from him. All things are directed by him. All things are for his good. May God be given the glory forever! Amen.


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Brothers and sisters, God has shown you his mercy. So I am asking you to offer up your bodies to him while you are still alive. Your bodies are a holy sacrifice that is pleasing to God. When you offer your bodies to God, you are worshiping him.


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Don't live any longer the way this world lives. Let your way of thinking be completely changed. Then you will be able to test what God wants for you. And you will agree that what he wants is right. His plan is good and pleasing and perfect.


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God's grace has been given to me. So here is what I say to every one of you. Don't think of yourself more highly than you should. Be reasonable when you think about yourself. Keep in mind the amount of faith God has given you.


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So also we are many persons. But in Christ we are one body. And each part of the body belongs to all the other parts.


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We all have gifts. They differ in keeping with the grace that God has given each of us. Do you have the gift of prophecy? Then use it in keeping with the faith you have.


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Is it telling others how they should live? Then tell them. Is it giving to those who are in need? Then give freely. Is it being a leader? Then work hard at it. Is it showing mercy? Then do it cheerfully.


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Agree with each other. Don't be proud. Be willing to be a friend of people who aren't considered important. Don't think that you are better than others.


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My friends, don't try to get even. Leave room for God to show his anger. It is written, "I am the One who judges people. I will pay them back,"--(Deuteronomy 32:35) says the Lord.


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Do just the opposite. Scripture says, "If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. By doing those things, you will pile up burning coals on their heads." --(Proverbs 25:21,22)


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All of you must be willing to obey completely those who rule over you. There are no authorities except the ones God has chosen. Those who now rule have been chosen by God.


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So when you oppose the authorities, you are opposing those whom God has appointed. Those who do that will be judged.


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If you do what is right, you won't need to be afraid of your rulers. But watch out if you do what is wrong! You don't want to be afraid of those in authority, do you? Then do what is right. The one in authority will praise you.


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He serves God and will do you good. But if you do wrong, watch out! The ruler doesn't carry a sword for no reason at all. He serves God. And God is carrying out his anger through him. The ruler punishes anyone who does wrong.


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You must obey the authorities. Then you will not be punished. You must also obey them because you know it is right.


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Give to everyone what you owe. Do you owe taxes? Then pay them. Do you owe anything else to the government? Then pay it. Do you owe respect? Then give it. Do you owe honor? Then show it.


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Pay everything you owe. But you can never pay back all the love you owe each other. Those who love others have done everything the law requires.


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Here are some commandments to think about. "Do not commit adultery." "Do not commit murder." "Do not steal." "Do not want what belongs to others."--(Exodus 20:13-15,17; Deuteronomy 5:17-19,21) These and other commandments are all included in one rule. Here's what it is. "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."--(Leviticus 19:18)


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When you do those things, keep in mind the times we are living in. The hour has come for you to wake up from your sleep. Our full salvation is closer now than it was when we first believed in Christ.


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The dark night of evil is nearly over. The day of Christ's return is almost here. So let us get rid of the works of darkness. Let us put on the armor of light.


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Let us act as we should, like people living in the daytime. Have nothing to do with wild parties. Don't get drunk. Don't take part in sexual sins or evil conduct. Don't fight with each other. Don't be jealous of anyone.


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Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ as your clothing. Don't think about how to satisfy what your sinful nature wants.


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The faith of some people allows them to eat anything. But others eat only vegetables because their faith is weak.


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People who eat everything must not look down on those who do not. And people who don't eat everything must not judge those who do. God has accepted them.


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Who are you to judge someone else's servants? Whether they are faithful or not is their own master's concern. They will be faithful, because the Lord has the power to make them faithful.


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Some people consider one day to be more holy than another. Others think all days are the same. Each person should be absolutely sure in his own mind.


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Those who think one day is special do it to honor the Lord. Those who eat meat do it to honor the Lord. They give thanks to God. Those who don't eat meat do it to honor the Lord. They also give thanks to God.


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If we live, we live to honor the Lord. If we die, we die to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.


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Now then, who are you to judge your brother or sister? Why do you look down on them? We will all stand in God's courtroom to be judged.


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It is written, " 'You can be sure that I live,' says the Lord. 'And you can be just as sure that every knee will bow down in front of me. Every tongue will tell the truth to God.' " --(Isaiah 45:23)


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Let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put anything in your brother's way that would make him trip and fall.


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I am absolutely sure that no food is "unclean" in itself. I say this as one who belongs to the Lord Jesus. But some people may consider a thing to be "unclean." If they do, it is "unclean" for them.


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Your brothers and sisters may be upset by what you eat. If they are, you are no longer acting as though you love them. So don't destroy them by what you eat. Christ died for them.


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God's kingdom has nothing to do with eating or drinking. It is a matter of being right with God. It brings the peace and joy the Holy Spirit gives.


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Don't destroy the work of God because of food. All food is "clean." But it is wrong for you to eat anything that causes someone else to trip and fall.


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Don't eat meat if it will cause your brothers and sisters to fall. Don't drink wine or do anything else that will make them fall.


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No matter what you think about those things, keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who do not have to feel guilty for what they allow.


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But those who have doubts are guilty if they eat. Their eating is not based on faith. Everything that is not based on faith is sin.


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We who have strong faith should help the weak with their problems. We should not please only ourselves.


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Even Christ did not please himself. It is written, "Those who make fun of you have made fun of me also."--(Psalm 69:9)


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Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us. The Scriptures give us strength to go on. They cheer us up and give us hope.


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Our God is a God who strengthens you and cheers you up. May he help you agree with each other as you follow Christ Jesus.


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Then you can give glory to God with one heart and voice. He is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.


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I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews. He teaches us that God is true. He shows us that God will keep the promises he made to the founders of our nation.


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Jesus became a servant of the Jews so that people who are not Jews could give glory to God for his mercy. It is written, "I will praise you among those who aren't Jews. I will sing praises to you." --(2 Samuel 22:50; Psalm 18:49)


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Again it says, "You non-Jews, be full of joy. Be joyful together with God's people." --(Deuteronomy 32:43)


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And again it says, "All you non-Jews, praise the Lord. All you nations, sing praises to him." --(Psalm 117:1)


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And Isaiah says, "The Root of Jesse will grow up quickly. He will rule over the nations. Those who aren't Jews will put their hope in him." --(Isaiah 11:10)


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May the God who gives hope fill you with great joy. May you have perfect peace as you trust in him. May the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope.


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My brothers and sisters, I am sure that you are full of goodness. What you know is complete. You are able to teach one another.


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I have written to you very boldly about some things. I wanted you to think about them again. The grace of God has allowed me


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to serve Christ Jesus among those who aren't Jews. My duty as a priest is to preach God's good news. Then the non-Jews will become an offering that pleases God. The Holy Spirit will make the offering holy.


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I will not try to speak of anything except what Christ has done through me. He has been leading those who aren't Jews to obey God. He has been doing this by what I have said and done.


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He has given me power to do signs and miracles. He has given me the power of the Holy Spirit. From Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum I have finished preaching the good news about Christ.


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I have always wanted to preach the good news where Christ was not known. I don't want to build on what someone else has started.


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It is written, "Those who were not told about him will understand. Those who have not heard will know what it all means." --(Isaiah 52:15)


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Now there is no more place for me to work in those areas. For many years I have been longing to see you.


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So I plan to see you when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while I am passing through. And I hope you will help me on my journey there. But first I want to enjoy being with you for a while.


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The believers in Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to take an offering for those who were poor among God's people in Jerusalem.


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They were happy to do it. And of course they owe it to them. Those who aren't Jews have shared from the Jews' spiritual blessings. So the non-Jews should share their earthly blessings with the Jews.


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I want to finish my task. I want to make sure that the poor in Jerusalem have received the offering. Then I will go to Spain. On my way I will visit you.


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Brothers and sisters, I am asking you through the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray for me with the love the Holy Spirit provides.


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Pray that I will be saved from those in Judea who do not believe. Pray that my work in Jerusalem will be accepted by God's people there.


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I ask you to receive her as one who belongs to the Lord. Receive her in the way God's people should. Give her any help she may need from you. She has been a great help to many people, including me.


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They have put their lives in danger for me. I am thankful for them. So are all the non-Jewish churches.


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Greet also the church that meets in the house of Priscilla and Aquila. Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the first person in Asia Minor to become a believer in Christ.


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Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives. They have been in prison with me. They are leaders among the apostles. They became believers in Christ before I did.


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Greet Apelles. Even though he was put to the test, he remained faithful as one who belonged to Christ. Greet those who live in the house of Aristobulus.


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Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa. Those women work hard for the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis. She is another woman who has worked very hard for the Lord.


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Greet Rufus. He is a choice believer in the Lord. And greet his mother. She has been like a mother to me too.


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I am warning you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who try to keep you from staying together. They want to trip you up. They teach you things opposite to what you have learned. Stay away from them.


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People like that are not serving Christ our Lord. They are serving only themselves. With smooth talk and with words they don't mean they fool people who don't know any better.


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Everyone has heard that you obey God. So you have filled me with joy. I want you to be wise about what is good. And I want you to have nothing to do with what is evil.


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The God who gives peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.


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Timothy works together with me. He sends his greetings to you. So do Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, my relatives.


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Gaius sends you his greetings. He has welcomed me and the whole church here into his house. Erastus is the director of public works here in the city. He sends you his greetings. Our brother Quartus also greets you.


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May God receive glory. He is able to strengthen your faith because of the good news I preach. It is the message about Jesus Christ. It is in keeping with the mystery that was hidden for a very long time.


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The mystery has now been made known through the writings of the prophets. The eternal God commanded that it be made known. He wanted all nations to believe and obey him.


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I, Paul, am writing this letter. I have been chosen to be an apostle of Christ Jesus just as God planned. Our brother Sosthenes joins me in writing.


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We are sending this letter to you, the members of God's church in Corinth. You have been made holy because you belong to Christ Jesus. God has chosen you to be his holy people. He has done the same for all those everywhere who pray to our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is their Lord and ours.


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I always thank God for you. I thank him because of the grace he has given to you who belong to Christ Jesus.


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You have been blessed in every way because of him. All your teaching of the truth is better. Your understanding of it is more complete.


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There is no gift of the Holy Spirit that you don't have. You are full of hope as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to come again.


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God will keep you strong to the very end. Then you will be without blame on the day our Lord Jesus Christ returns.


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Brothers and sisters, I ask all of you to agree with one another. I make my appeal in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then you won't take sides. You will be in complete agreement in all that you think.


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My brothers and sisters, some people who live in Chloe's house have told me you are arguing with each other.


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Here is what I mean. One of you says, "I follow Paul." Another says, "I follow Apollos." Another says, "I follow Peter." And still another says, "I follow Christ."


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It's true that I also baptized those who live in the house of Stephanas. Besides that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.


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Christ did not send me to baptize. He sent me to preach the good news. He commanded me not to use the kind of wisdom that people commonly use. That would take all the power away from the cross of Christ.


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The message of the cross seems foolish to those who are lost and dying. But it is God's power to us who are being saved.


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It is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of those who are wise. I will do away with the cleverness of those who think they are so smart." --(Isaiah 29:14)


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Where is the wise person? Where is the educated person? Where are the great thinkers of this world? Hasn't God made the wisdom of the world foolish?


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God wisely planned that the world would not know him through its own wisdom. It pleased God to use the foolish things we preach to save those who believe.


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But we preach about Christ and his death on the cross. That is very hard for Jews to accept. And everyone else thinks it's foolish.


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But there are those God has chosen, both Jews and others. To them Christ is God's power and God's wisdom.


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The foolish things of God are wiser than human wisdom. The weakness of God is stronger than human strength.


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Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when God chose you. Not many of you were considered wise by human standards. Not many of you were powerful. Not many of you belonged to important families.


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But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. He chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.


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God chose the things of this world that are common and looked down on. He chose what is not considered to be important to do away with what is considered to be important.


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Because of what God has done, you belong to Christ Jesus. He has become God's wisdom for us. He makes us right with God. He makes us holy and sets us free.


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Brothers and sisters, when I came to you I didn't come with fancy words or great wisdom. I preached to you the truth about God's love.


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I made up my mind to pay attention to only one thing while I was with you. That one thing was Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.


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I didn't preach my message with clever and compelling words. As I preached, the Holy Spirit showed his power.


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The words we speak to those who have grown in the faith are wise. Our words are different from the words of the wise people or rulers of this world. People like that aren't going anywhere.


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No, we speak about God's secret wisdom. His wisdom has been hidden. But before time began, God planned that his wisdom would bring us heavenly glory.


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None of the rulers of this world understood God's wisdom. If they had, they would not have nailed the Lord of glory to the cross.


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It is written, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has known what God has prepared for those who love him." --(Isaiah 64:4)


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But God has shown it to us through his Spirit. The Spirit understands all things. He understands even the deep things of God.


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Who can know the thoughts of another person? Only a person's own spirit can know them. In the same way, only the Spirit of God knows God's thoughts.


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We have not received the spirit of the world. We have received the Spirit who is from God. The Spirit helps us understand what God has freely given us.


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That is what we speak about. We don't use words taught to us by people. We use words taught to us by the Holy Spirit. We use the words of the Spirit to teach the truths of the Spirit.


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Some people don't have the Holy Spirit. They don't accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. Things like that are foolish to them. They can't understand them. In fact, such things can't be understood without the Spirit's help.


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Everyone who has the Spirit can judge all things. But no one can judge those who have the Spirit. It is written,


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"Who can ever know what is in the Lord's mind? Can anyone ever teach him?" --(Isaiah 40:13) But we have the mind of Christ.


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Brothers and sisters, I couldn't speak to you as if you were guided by the Holy Spirit. I had to speak to you as if you were following the ways of the world. You aren't growing as Christ wants you to. You are still like babies.


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The words I spoke to you were like milk, not like solid food. You weren't ready for solid food yet. And you still aren't ready for it.


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You are still following the ways of the world. Some of you are jealous. Some of you argue. So aren't you following the ways of the world? Aren't you acting like ordinary human beings?


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One of you says, "I follow Paul." Another says, "I follow Apollos." Aren't you acting like ordinary human beings?


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After all, what is Apollos? And what is Paul? We are only people who serve. We helped you to believe. The Lord has given each of us our own work to do.


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So the one who plants is not important. The one who waters is not important. It is God who makes things grow. He is the One who is important.


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The one who plants and the one who waters have the same purpose. The Lord will give each of us a reward for our work.


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God has given me the grace to lay a foundation as a master builder. Now someone else is building on it. But each one should build carefully.


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No one can lay any other foundation than the one that has already been laid. That foundation is Jesus Christ.


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But each person's work will be shown for what it is. On judgment day it will be brought to light. It will be put through fire. The fire will test how good everyone's work is.


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If the building burns up, the builder will lose everything. The builder will be saved, but only like one escaping through the flames.


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If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. God's temple is holy. And you are that temple.


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Don't fool yourselves. Suppose some of you think you are wise by the standards of the world. Then you should become a "fool" so that you can become wise.


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The wisdom of this world is foolish in God's eyes. It is written, "God catches wise people in their own tricks."--(Job 5:13)


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It is also written, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise don't amount to anything."--(Psalm 94:11)


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That means Paul or Apollos or Peter or the world or life or death or the present or the future. All are yours.


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So don't judge anything before the appointed time. Wait until the Lord returns. He will bring to light what is hidden in the dark. He will show the real reasons why people do what they do. At that time each person will receive praise from God.


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Brothers and sisters, I have used myself and Apollos as examples to help you. You can learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Don't go beyond what is written." Then you won't be proud that you follow one person instead of another.


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Who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you brag as though you did not?


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You already have everything you want, don't you? Have you already become rich? Have you begun to rule as kings? And did you do that without us? I wish that you really had begun to rule. Then we could rule with you!


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It seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of a parade. We are like men sentenced to die in front of a crowd. We have been made a show for the whole creation to see. Angels and people are staring at us.


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We are fools for Christ. But you are so wise in Christ! We are weak. But you are so strong! You are honored. But we are looked down on!


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Up to this very hour we are hungry and thirsty. We are dressed in rags. We are being treated badly. We have no homes.


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We work hard with our own hands. When others call down a curse on us, we bless them. When we are attacked, we put up with it.


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When others say bad things about us, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the world's garbage. We are everybody's trash.


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You may have 10,000 believers in Christ watching over you. But you don't have many fathers. I became your father by serving Christ Jesus and telling you the good news.


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That's the reason I'm sending Timothy to you. He is like a son to me, and I love him. He is faithful in serving the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in serving Christ Jesus. And that agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.


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But I will come very soon, if that's what the Lord wants. Then I will find out how those proud people are talking. I will also find out what power they have.


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Which do you want? Should I come to you with a whip? Or should I come in love and with a gentle spirit?


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It is actually reported that there is sexual sin among you. I'm told that a man is living with his father's wife and is having sex with her. Even people who do not know God don't commit that sin.


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And you are proud! Shouldn't you be filled with sadness instead? Shouldn't you have put the man who did that out of your church?


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Even though I am not right there with you, I am with you in spirit. And I have already judged the one who did that, just as if I were there.


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When you come together in the name of our Lord Jesus, I will be with you in spirit. The power of our Lord Jesus will also be with you.


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When you come together like that, hand that man over to Satan. Then his sinful nature will be destroyed. His spirit will be saved on the day the Lord returns.


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Your bragging is not good. It is like yeast. Don't you know that just a little yeast works its way through the whole batch of dough?


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Get rid of the old yeast. Be like a new batch of dough without yeast. That is what you really are, because Christ has been offered up for us. He is our Passover lamb.


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So let us keep the Feast, but not with the old yeast. I'm talking about yeast that is full of hatred and evil. Let us keep the Feast with bread made without yeast. Let us do it with bread that is honest and true.


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I didn't mean the people of this world who sin that way or who always want more and more. I didn't mean those who cheat or who worship statues of gods. In that case you would have to leave this world!


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But here is what I am writing to you. You must stay away from anyone who claims to be a believer but who does those things. Stay away from anyone who commits sexual sins or who always wants more and more things. Stay away from a person who worships statues of gods or who tells lies about others. Stay away from anyone who gets drunk or who cheats. Don't even eat with a person like that.


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Is it my business to judge those outside the church? Aren't you supposed to judge those inside the church?


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God will judge those outside. Scripture says, "Get rid of that evil person!"--(Deuteronomy 17:7; 19:19; 21:21; 22:21,24; 24:7)


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Suppose one of you wants to bring a charge against another believer. Should you take it to the ungodly to be judged? Why not take it to God's people?


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Don't you know that God's people will judge the world? And if you are going to judge the world, aren't you able to judge small cases?


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Don't you know that we will judge angels? Then we should be able to judge the things of this life even more!


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So if you want to press charges in matters like that, appoint as judges members of the church who aren't very important!


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I say this to shame you. Is it possible that no one among you is wise enough to judge matters between believers?


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The very fact that you take another believer to court means you have lost the battle already. Why not be treated wrongly? Why not be cheated?


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Don't you know that evil people will not receive God's kingdom? Don't be fooled. Those who commit sexual sins will not receive the kingdom. Neither will those who worship statues of gods or commit adultery. Neither will men who are prostitutes or who commit homosexual acts.


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Neither will thieves or those who always want more and more. Neither will those who are often drunk or tell lies or cheat. People who live like that will not receive God's kingdom.


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Some of you used to do those things. But your sins were washed away. You were made holy. You were made right with God. All of that was done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.


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Some of you say, "Everything is permitted for me." But not everything is good for me. Again some of you say, "Everything is permitted for me." But I will not be controlled by anything.


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Some of you say, "Food is for the stomach. And the stomach is for food." But God will destroy both of them. The body is not meant for sexual sins. The body is meant for the Lord. And the Lord is meant for the body.


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Don't you know that your bodies belong to the body of Christ? Should I take what belongs to Christ and join it to a prostitute? Never!


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Don't you know that when you join yourself to a prostitute, you become one with her in body? Scripture says, "The two will become one."--(Genesis 2:24)


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Keep far away from sexual sins. All the other sins a person commits are outside his body. But sexual sins are sins against one's own body.


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Don't you know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit? The Spirit is in you. You have received him from God. You do not belong to yourselves.


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Now I want to deal with the things you wrote me about. Some of you say, "It is good for a man not to have sex with a woman."


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But since there is so much sexual sin, each man should have his own wife. And each woman should have her own husband.


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A husband should satisfy his wife's sexual needs. And a wife should satisfy her husband's sexual needs.


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The wife's body does not belong only to her. It also belongs to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong only to him. It also belongs to his wife.


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You shouldn't stop giving yourselves to each other except when you both agree to do so. And that should be only to give yourselves time to pray for a while. Then you should come together again. In that way, Satan will not tempt you when you can't control yourselves.


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I wish all of you were like me. But you each have your own gift from God. One has this gift. Another has that.


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I speak to those who are not married. I also speak to widows. It is good for you to stay single like me.


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But if you can't control yourselves, you should get married. It is better to get married than to burn with sexual longing.


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I give a command to those who are married. It is a direct command from the Lord, not from me. A wife must not leave her husband.


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But if she does, she must not get married again. Or she can go back to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.


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I also have something to say to everyone else. It is from me, not a direct command from the Lord. Suppose a brother has a wife who is not a believer. If she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.


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And suppose a woman has a husband who is not a believer. If he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.


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The unbelieving husband has been made holy through his wife. The unbelieving wife has been made holy through her believing husband. If that were not the case, your children would not be pure and clean. But as it is, they are holy.


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If the unbeliever leaves, let that person go. In that case, a believing man or woman does not have to stay married. God wants us to live in peace.


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Wife, how do you know if you can save your husband? Husband, how do you know if you can save your wife?


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But each of you should remain in the place in life that the Lord has given you. Stay as you were when God chose you. That's the rule all the churches must follow.


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Was a man already circumcised when God chose him? Then he should not become uncircumcised. Was he uncircumcised when God chose him? Then he should not be circumcised.


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Being circumcised means nothing. Being uncircumcised means nothing. Doing what God commands is what counts.


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Were you a slave when God chose you? Don't let it trouble you. But if you can get your master to set you free, do it.


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Those who were slaves when the Lord chose them are now the Lord's free people. Those who were free when God chose them are now slaves of Christ.


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Brothers and sisters, you are accountable to God. So all of you should stay as you were when God chose you.


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Now I want to say something about virgins. I have no direct command from the Lord. But I give my opinion. Because of the Lord's mercy, I give it as one who can be trusted.


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But if you get married, you have not sinned. And if a virgin gets married, she has not sinned. But those who get married will have many troubles in this life. I want to save you from that.


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Brothers and sisters, what I mean is that the time is short. From now on, those who have a husband or wife should live as if they did not.


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Those who are sad should live as if they were not. Those who are happy should live as if they were not. Those who buy something should live as if it were not theirs to keep.


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Those who use the things of the world should not become all wrapped up in them. The world as it now exists is passing away.


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I don't want you to have anything to worry about. A single man is concerned about the Lord's matters. He wants to know how he can please the Lord.


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But a married man is concerned about the matters of this world. He wants to know how he can please his wife.


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His concerns pull him in two directions. A single woman or a virgin is concerned about the Lord's matters. She wants to serve the Lord with both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the matters of this world. She wants to know how she can please her husband.


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I'm saying those things for your own good. I'm not trying to hold you back. I want you to be free to live in a way that is right. I want you to give yourselves completely to the Lord.


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Suppose a man thinks he is not acting properly toward the virgin he has promised to marry. Suppose she is getting old, and he feels that he should marry her. He should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married.


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But suppose the man has decided not to marry the virgin. And suppose he has no compelling need to get married and can control himself. If he has made up his mind not to get married, he also does the right thing.


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So then, the man who marries the virgin does the right thing. But the man who doesn't marry her does an even better thing.


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A woman has to stay married to her husband as long as he lives. If he dies, she is free to marry anyone she wants to. But the one she marries must belong to the Lord.


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In my opinion, she is happier if she stays single. And I also think that I am led by the Spirit of God in saying that.


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Now I want to deal with food offered to statues of gods. We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes people proud. But love builds them up.


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So then, here is what I say about eating food that is offered to statues of gods. We know that a god made by human hands is really nothing at all in the world. We know there is only one God.


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There may be so-called gods either in heaven or on earth. In fact, there are many "gods" and many "lords."


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But for us there is only one God. He is the Father. All things came from him, and we live for him. And there is only one Lord. He is Jesus Christ. All things came because of him, and we live because of him.


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But not everyone knows that. Some people still think that statues of gods are real gods. When they eat food that was offered to statues of gods, they think of it as food that was offered to real gods. And because they have a weak sense of what is right and wrong, they feel guilty.


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But food doesn't bring us close to God. We are no worse if we don't eat. We are no better if we do eat.


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Suppose you who have that knowledge are eating in a temple of one of those gods. And suppose someone who has a weak sense of what is right and wrong sees you. Won't that person become bold and eat what has been offered to statues of gods?


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When you sin against other believers in that way, you harm their weak sense of what is right and wrong. By doing that you sin against Christ.


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So what should I do if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin? I will never eat meat again. In that way, I will not cause them to fall.


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Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven't I seen Jesus our Lord? Aren't you the result of my work for the Lord?


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Even though others may not think of me as an apostle, I am certainly one to you! You are the proof that I am the Lord's apostle.


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Don't we have the right to take a believing wife with us when we travel? The other apostles do. The Lord's brothers do. Peter does.


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Who serves as a soldier but doesn't get paid? Who plants a vineyard but doesn't eat any of its grapes? Who takes care of a flock but doesn't drink any of the milk?


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Here is what is written in the Law of Moses. "Do not stop an ox from eating while it helps separate the grain from the straw."--(Deuteronomy 25:4) Is it oxen that God is concerned about?


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Doesn't he say that for us? Yes, it was written for us. When a farmer plows and separates the grain, he does it because he hopes to share in the crop.


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We have planted spiritual seed among you. Is it too much to ask that we receive from you some of the things we need?


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Others have the right to receive help from you. Don't we have even more right to do so? But we didn't use that right. No, we have put up with everything. We didn't want to keep the good news of Christ from spreading.


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Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple? Don't you know that those who serve at the altar eat from what is offered on the altar?


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In the same way, those who preach the good news should receive their living from their work. That is what the Lord has commanded.


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But I haven't used any of those rights. And I'm not writing because I hope you will do things like that for me. I would rather die than have anyone take away my pride in my work.


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But when I preach the good news, I can't brag. I have to preach it. How terrible it will be for me if I do not preach the good news!


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If I preach because I want to, I get a reward. If I preach because I have to, I'm only doing my duty.


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Then what reward do I get? Here is what it is. I am able to preach the good news free of charge. And I can do it without making use of my rights when I preach it.


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I am free. I don't belong to anyone. But I make myself a slave to everyone. I do it to win as many as I can to Christ.


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To the Jews I became like a Jew. That was to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one who was under the law, even though I myself am not under the law. That was to win those under the law.


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To those who don't have the law I became like one who doesn't have the law. I am not free from God's law. I am under Christ's law. Now I can win those who don't have the law.


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To those who are weak I became weak. That was to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that in all possible ways I might save some.


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In a race all the runners run. But only one gets the prize. You know that, don't you? So run in a way that will get you the prize.


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All who take part in the games train hard. They do it to get a crown that will not last. But we do it to get a crown that will last forever.


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So I do not run like someone who doesn't run toward the finish line. I do not fight like a boxer who hits nothing but air.


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No, I train my body and bring it under control. Then after I have preached to others, I myself will not break the rules and fail to win the prize.


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Brothers and sisters, here is what I want you to know about our people who lived long ago. They were all led by the cloud. They all walked through the Red Sea.


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They all drank the same supernatural water. They drank from the supernatural rock that went with them. That rock was Christ.


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Now those things happened as examples for us. They are supposed to keep us from longing for evil things, as the people of Israel did.


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So don't worship statues of gods, as some of them did. It is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up to dance wildly in front of their god."--(Exodus 32:6)


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Don't tell your leaders how unhappy you are with them. That's what some of the people of Israel did. And they were killed by the destroying angel.


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Those things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who are living at the time when God's work is being completed.


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You are tempted in the same way all other human beings are. God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted any more than you can take. But when you are tempted, God will give you a way out so that you can stand up under it.


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When we give thanks for the cup at the Lord's Supper, aren't we sharing in the blood of Christ? When we break the bread, aren't we sharing in the body of Christ?


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Do I mean that what is offered to a statue of a god is anything? Do I mean that a statue of a god is anything?


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No! But what is offered by those who worship statues of gods is really offered to demons. It is not offered to God. I don't want you to be sharing with demons.


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You can't drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too. You can't have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons.


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You say, "Everything is permitted." But not everything is good for us. Again you say, "Everything is permitted." But not everything builds us up.


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We should not look out for our own interests. Instead, we should look out for the interests of others.


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Suppose an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go. Then eat anything that is put in front of you. Don't ask if it's right or wrong.


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But suppose someone says to you, "This food has been offered to a statue of a god." Then don't eat it. Keep in mind the good of the one who told you. And don't eat because of a sense of what is right and wrong.


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I'm talking about the other person's sense of what is right and wrong, not yours. Why should my freedom be judged by what someone else thinks?


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Don't do anything that causes another person to trip and fall. It doesn't matter if that person is a Jew or a Greek or a member of God's church.


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Follow my example. I try to please everyone in every way. I'm not looking out for what is good for me. I'm looking out for the interests of others. I do it so that they might be saved.


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I praise you for being faithful in remembering me. I also praise you for staying true to all my teachings, just as I gave them to you.


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Now I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ. The head of the woman is the man. And the head of Christ is God.


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And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered brings shame on her head. It is just as if her head were shaved.


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What if a woman does not cover her head? She should have her hair cut off. But it is shameful for her to cut her hair or shave it off. So she should cover her head.


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A man should not cover his head. He is the likeness and glory of God. But the woman is the glory of the man.


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That's why a woman should have her head covered. It shows that she is under authority. She should also cover her head because of the angels.


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But here is how things are for those who belong to the Lord. The woman is not independent of the man. And the man is not independent of the woman.


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And suppose a woman has long hair. Doesn't the very nature of things teach you that it is her glory? Long hair is given to her as a covering.


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If anyone wants to argue about that, we don't have any other practice. And God's churches don't either.


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First, here is what people are telling me. When you come together as a church, you take sides. And in some ways I believe it.


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As you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anyone else. One remains hungry and another gets drunk.


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Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you think so little of God's church that you shame those in it who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you for that? Certainly not!


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I passed on to you what I received from the Lord. On the night the Lord Jesus was handed over to his enemies, he took bread.


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When he had given thanks, he broke it. He said, "This is my body. It is given for you. Every time you eat it, do it in memory of me."


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In the same way, after supper he took the cup. He said, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Every time you drink it, do it in memory of me."


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So do not eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in a way that isn't worthy of him. If you do, you will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.


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Anyone who eats and drinks must recognize the body of the Lord. If he doesn't, God will judge him for it.


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When the Lord judges us, he corrects us. Then we will not be judged along with the rest of the world.


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Those who are hungry should eat at home. Then when you come together, you will not be judged. When I come, I will give you more directions.


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You know that at one time you were unbelievers. You were somehow drawn away to worship statues of gods that couldn't even speak.


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So I tell you that no one who is speaking with the help of God's Spirit says, "May Jesus be cursed." And without the help of the Holy Spirit no one can say, "Jesus is Lord."


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There are different ways to work. But the same God makes it possible for all of us to have all those different things.


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To some people the Spirit gives the message of wisdom. To others the same Spirit gives the message of knowledge.


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To others he gives the power to do miracles. To others he gives the ability to prophesy. To others he gives the ability to tell the spirits apart. To others he gives the ability to speak in different kinds of languages they had not known before. And to still others he gives the ability to explain what was said in those languages.


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All of the gifts are produced by one and the same Spirit. He gives them to each person, just as he decides.


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There is one body. But it has many parts. Even though it has many parts, they make up one body. It is the same with Christ.


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We were all baptized by one Holy Spirit into one body. It didn't matter whether we were Jews or Greeks, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink.


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Suppose the foot says, "I am not a hand. So I don't belong to the body." It is still part of the body.


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And suppose the ear says, "I am not an eye. So I don't belong to the body." It is still part of the body.


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If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell?


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The eye can't say to the hand, "I don't need you!" The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you!"


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In fact, it is just the opposite. The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are the ones we can't do without.


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The parts that we think are less important we treat with special honor. The private parts aren't shown. But they are treated with special care.


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The parts that can be shown don't need special care. But God has joined together all the parts of the body. And he has given more honor to the parts that didn't have any.


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If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part shares in its joy.


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First, God has appointed apostles in the church. Second, he has appointed prophets. Third, he has appointed teachers. Then he has appointed people who do miracles and those who have gifts of healing. He also appointed those able to help others, those able to direct things, and those who can speak in different kinds of languages they had not known before.


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Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in languages they had not known before? Do all explain what is said in those languages?


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But above all, you should want the more important gifts. And now I will show you the best way of all.


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Suppose I speak in the languages of human beings and of angels. If I don't have love, I am only a loud gong or a noisy cymbal.


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Suppose I have the gift of prophecy. Suppose I can understand all the secret things of God and know everything about him. And suppose I have enough faith to move mountains. If I don't have love, I am nothing at all.


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Suppose I give everything I have to poor people. And suppose I give my body to be burned. If I don't have love, I get nothing at all.


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Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not want what belongs to others. It does not brag. It is not proud.


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It is not rude. It does not look out for its own interests. It does not easily become angry. It does not keep track of other people's wrongs.


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Love never fails. But prophecy will pass away. Speaking in languages that had not been known before will end. And knowledge will pass away.


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When I was a child, I talked like a child. I thought like a child. I had the understanding of a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.


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Now we see only a dim likeness of things. It is as if we were seeing them in a mirror. But someday we will see clearly. We will see face to face. What I know now is not complete. But someday I will know completely, just as God knows me completely.


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Follow the way of love. You should also want the gifts the Holy Spirit gives. Most of all, you should want the gift of prophecy.


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Anyone who speaks in a language he had not known before doesn't speak to people. He speaks only to God. In fact, no one understands that person. What he says with his spirit remains a mystery.


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But anyone who prophesies speaks to people. He says things to make them stronger, to give them hope and to comfort them.


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I would like all of you to speak in other languages. But I would rather have you prophesy. Those who prophesy are more helpful than those who speak in other languages. But that is not the case if those who speak in other languages explain what they have said. Then the whole church can be built up.


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Brothers and sisters, suppose I were to come to you and speak in other languages. What good would I be to you? None! I would need to come with new truth or knowledge, or a prophecy or a teaching.


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Here are some examples. Certain objects make sounds. Take a flute or a harp. No one will know what the tune is unless different notes are played.


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It's the same with you. You must speak words that people understand. If you don't, no one will know what you are saying. You will just be speaking into the air.


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But if I don't understand what someone is saying, I am a stranger to that person. And that person is a stranger to me.


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It's the same with you. You want to have gifts of the Spirit. So try to do your best in using gifts that build up the church.


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For that reason, those who speak in languages they had not known before should pray that they can explain what they say.


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So what should I do? I will pray with my spirit. But I will also pray with my mind. I will sing with my spirit. But I will also sing with my mind.


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Suppose you are praising God with your spirit. And suppose there are visitors among you who don't understand what's going on. How can they say "Amen" when you give thanks? They don't know what you are saying.


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But in the church I would rather speak five words that people can understand than 10,000 words in another language. Then I would be teaching others.


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Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. Be like babies as far as evil is concerned. But be grown up in your thinking.


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In the Law it is written, "Through people who speak unfamiliar languages and through the lips of strangers I will speak to these people. But even then they will not listen to me." --(Isaiah 28:11,12) That is what the Lord says.


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So speaking in other languages is a sign for those who don't believe. It is not a sign for those who do believe. But prophecy is for believers. It is not for those who don't believe.


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Suppose the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in other languages. And suppose visitors or unbelievers come in. Won't they say you are out of your minds?


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But suppose unbelievers or visitors come in while everyone is prophesying. Then they will be shown by all who speak that they are sinners. They will be judged by all.


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The secrets of their hearts will be brought out into the open. They will fall down and worship God. They will exclaim, "God is really here among you!"


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Brothers and sisters, what should we say then? When you come together, every one of you brings something. You bring a hymn or a teaching or a word from God. You bring a message in another language or explain what was said. All of those things must be done to make the church strong.


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No more than two or three people should speak in another language. And they should speak one at a time. Then someone must explain what was said.


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If there is no one to explain, the speakers should keep quiet in the church. They can speak to themselves and to God.


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Only two or three prophets are supposed to speak. Others should decide if what is being said is true.


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What if a message from God comes to someone else who is sitting there? Then the one who is speaking should stop.


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women should remain silent in the meetings. They are not allowed to speak. They must follow the lead of those who are in authority, as the Law says.


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If they have a question about something, they should ask their own husbands at home. It is shameful for women to speak in church meetings.


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Suppose some think they are prophets or have gifts of the Holy Spirit. They should agree that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command.


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Brothers and sisters, you should want to prophesy. And don't stop people from speaking in languages they had not known before.


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Brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the good news I preached to you. You received it and have put your faith in it.


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Because you believed the good news, you are saved. But you must hold firmly to the message I preached to you. If you don't, you have believed it for nothing.


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What I received I passed on to you. And it is the most important of all. Here is what it is. Christ died for our sins, just as Scripture said he would.


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After that, he appeared to more than 500 believers at the same time. Most of them are still living. But some have died.


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Last of all, he also appeared to me. I was like someone who wasn't born at the right time or in a normal way.


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I am the least important of the apostles. I'm not even fit to be called an apostle. I tried to destroy God's church.


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But because of God's grace I am what I am. And his grace was not wasted on me. No, I have worked harder than all the other apostles. But I didn't do the work. God's grace was with me.


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So whether it was I or the other apostles who preached to you, that is what we preach. And that is what you believed.


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We have preached that Christ has been raised from the dead. So how can some of you say that no one rises from the dead?


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And if Christ has not been raised, what we preach doesn't mean anything. Your faith doesn't mean anything either.


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More than that, we would be lying about God. We have given witness that God raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if the dead are not raised.


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And if Christ has not been raised, your faith doesn't mean anything. Your sins have not been forgiven.


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But here is the order of events. Christ is the first of those who rise from the dead. When he comes back, those who belong to him will be raised.


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Then the end will come. Christ will destroy all rule, authority and power. He will hand over the kingdom to God the Father.


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Scripture says that God "has put everything under his control."--(Psalm 8:6) It says that "everything" has been put under him. But it is clear that this does not include God himself, who puts everything under Christ.


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When he has done that, the Son also will be under God's rule. God puts everything under the Son. In that way, God will be all in all.


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Suppose no one rises from the dead. Then what will people do who are baptized for the dead? Suppose the dead are not raised at all. Then why are people baptized for them?


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I die every day. I really mean that, brothers and sisters. Here is something you can be sure of. I take pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done for you through my work.


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Did I fight wild animals in Ephesus for only human reasons? Then what have I gotten for it? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, because tomorrow we will die." --(Isaiah 22:13)


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You should come back to your senses and stop sinning. Some of you don't know anything about God. I say this to make you ashamed.


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When you plant something, it isn't a completely grown plant that you put in the ground. You only plant a seed. Maybe it's wheat or something else.


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But God gives the seed a body just as he has planned. And to each kind of seed he gives its own body.


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All earthly creatures are not the same. People have one kind of body. Animals have another. Birds have another kind. Fish have still another.


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There are also heavenly bodies as well as earthly bodies. Heavenly bodies have one kind of glory. Earthly bodies have another.


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The sun has one kind of glory. The moon has another kind. The stars have still another. And one star's glory is different from that of another star.


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It will be like that with bodies that are raised from the dead. The body that is planted does not last forever. The body that is raised from the dead lasts forever.


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It is planted without honor. But it is raised in glory. It is planted in weakness. But it is raised in power.


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It is planted as an earthly body. But it is raised as a spiritual body. Just as there is an earthly body, there is also a spiritual body.


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It is written, "The first man Adam became a living person."--(Genesis 2:7) The last Adam became a spirit that gives life.


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What is spiritual did not come first. What is earthly came first. What is spiritual came after that.


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Those who belong to the earth are like the one who came from the earth. And those who are spiritual are like the one who came from heaven.


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Brothers and sisters, here is what I'm telling you. Bodies made of flesh and blood can't share in the kingdom of God. And what dies can't share in what never dies.


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That will happen in a flash, as quickly as you can wink an eye. It will happen when the last trumpet sounds. The trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised to live forever. And we will be changed.


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Our natural bodies don't last forever. They must be dressed with what does last forever. What dies must be dressed with what does not die.


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In fact, that is going to happen. What does not last will be dressed with what lasts forever. What dies will be dressed with what does not die. Then what is written will come true. It says, "Death has been swallowed up. It has lost the battle."--(Isaiah 25:8)


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"Death, where is the battle you thought you were winning? Death, where is your sting?" --(Hosea 13:14)


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But let us give thanks to God! He wins the battle for us because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done.


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My dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Don't let anything move you. Always give yourselves completely to the work of the Lord. Because you belong to the Lord, you know that your work is not worthless.


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Now I want to deal with the offering of money for God's people. Do what I told the churches in Galatia to do.


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On the first day of every week, each of you should put some money away. The amount should be in keeping with how much money you make. Save the money so that you won't have to take up an offering when I come.


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When I arrive, I will send some people with your gift to Jerusalem. They will be people you consider to be good. And I will give them letters that explain who they are.


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But I might stay with you for a while. I might even spend the winter. Then you can help me on my journey everywhere I go.


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I don't want to see you now while I am just passing through. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord allows it.


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Timothy might come to you. Make sure he has nothing to worry about while he is with you. He is doing the work of the Lord, just as I am.


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No one should refuse to accept him. Send him safely on his way so he can return to me. I'm expecting him to come back along with the others.


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I want to say something about our brother Apollos. I tried my best to get him to go to you with the others. But he didn't want to go right now. He will go when he can.


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You know that the first believers in Achaia were from the family of Stephanas. They have spent all their time serving God's people. Brothers and sisters, I am asking you


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I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived. They have supplied me with what you couldn't give me.


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The churches in Asia Minor send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly because of the Lord's love. So does the church that meets in their house.


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I, Paul, am writing this letter. I am an apostle of Christ Jesus just as God planned. Timothy our brother joins me in writing. We are sending this letter to you, the members of God's church in Corinth. It is also for all of God's people everywhere in Achaia.


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Give praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He is the Father who gives tender love. All comfort comes from him.


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He comforts us in all our troubles. Now we can comfort others when they are in trouble. We ourselves have received comfort from God.


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If we are having trouble, it is so that you will be comforted and renewed. If we are comforted, it is so that you will be comforted. Then you will be able to put up with the same suffering we have gone through.


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Our hope for you remains firm. We know that you suffer just as we do. In the same way, God comforts you just as he comforts us.


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Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the hard times we suffered in Asia Minor. We were having a lot of trouble. It was far more than we could stand. We even thought we were going to die.


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In fact, in our hearts we felt as if we were under the sentence of death. But that happened so that we would not depend on ourselves but on God. He raises the dead to life.


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God has saved us from deadly dangers. And he will continue to do it. We have put our hope in him. He will continue to save us.


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You must help us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because of what will happen to us. They will thank God for his kindness to us in answer to the prayers of many.


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Here is what we take pride in. Our sense of what is right and wrong gives witness that we have acted in God's holy and honest ways. That is how we live in the world. We live that way most of all when we are dealing with you. Our way of living is not wise in the eyes of the world. But it is in keeping with God's grace.


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Up to this point you have understood some of the things we have said. But now I hope that someday you will be able to take pride in us, just as we will take pride in you on the day the Lord Jesus returns. When you are able to do that, you will understand us completely.


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I was sure of those things. So I planned to visit you first. Here is how I thought you would be helped twice.


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I planned to visit you on my way to Macedonia. I would have come back to you from there. Then you would have sent me on my way to Judea.


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When I planned all of that, did I do it without much thought? No. I don't make my plans the way the world makes theirs. In the same breath the world says, "Yes! Yes!" and "No! No!"


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Silas, Timothy and I preached to you about the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Our message did not say "Yes" and "No" at the same time. The message of Christ has always been "Yes."


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God has made a great many promises. They are all "Yes" because of what Christ has done. So through Christ we say "Amen." We want God to receive glory.


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He put his Spirit in our hearts and marked us as his own. We can now be sure that he will give us everything he promised us.


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Your faith is not under our control. You stand firm in your own faith. But we work together with you for your joy.


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I wrote what I did for a special reason. When I came, I didn't want to be troubled by those who should make me glad. I was sure that all of you would share my joy.


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I was very troubled when I wrote to you. My heart was sad. My eyes were full of tears. I didn't want to make you sad. I wanted to let you know that I love you very deeply.


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Suppose someone has made us sad. In some ways, he hasn't made me sad so much as he has made all of you sad. But I don't want to put this too strongly.


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I wrote to you for a special reason. I wanted to see if you could stand the test. I wanted to see if you could obey everything that was asked of you.


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Anyone you forgive I also forgive. Was there anything to forgive? If so, I have forgiven it for your benefit, knowing that Christ is watching.


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I went to Troas to preach the good news about Christ. There I found that the Lord had opened a door of opportunity for me.


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But I still had no peace of mind. I couldn't find my brother Titus there. So I said good-by to the believers at Troas and went on to Macedonia.


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Give thanks to God! He always leads us in the winners' parade because we belong to Christ. Through us, God spreads the knowledge of Christ everywhere like perfume.


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God considers us to be the sweet smell that Christ is spreading among people who are being saved and people who are dying.


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To the one, we are the smell of death. To the other, we are the perfume of life. Who is able to do that work?


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Unlike many people, we aren't selling God's word to make money. In fact, it is just the opposite. Because of Christ we speak honestly before God. We speak like people God has sent.


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Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Some people need letters that speak well of them. Do we need those kinds of letters, either to you or from you?


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You make it clear that you are a letter from Christ. You are the result of our work for God. You are a letter written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. You are a letter written not on tablets made out of stone but on human hearts.


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In ourselves we are not able to claim anything for ourselves. The power to do what we do comes from God.


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He has given us the power to serve under a new covenant. The covenant is not based on the written Law of Moses. It comes from the Holy Spirit. The written Law kills, but the Spirit gives life.


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The Law was written in letters on stone. Even though it was a way of serving God, it led to death. But even that way of serving God came with glory. And even though the glory was fading, the people of Israel couldn't look at Moses' face very long.


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The Law that sentences people to death is glorious. How much more glorious is the work of the Spirit! His work makes people right with God.


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The glory of the old is fading away. How much greater is the glory of the new! It will last forever.


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We are not like Moses. He used to cover his face with a veil. That was to keep the people of Israel from looking at his face while the brightness was fading away.


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But their minds were made stubborn. To this very day, the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. The veil has not been removed. Only faith in Christ can take it away.


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Our faces are not covered with a veil. We all display the Lord's glory. We are being changed to become more like him so that we have more and more glory. And the glory comes from the Lord, who is the Holy Spirit.


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Instead, we have given up doing secret and shameful things. We don't twist God's word. In fact, we do just the opposite. We present the truth plainly. In the sight of God, we make our appeal to everyone's sense of what is right and wrong.


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The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They can't see the light of the good news of Christ's glory. He is the likeness of God.


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We do not preach about ourselves. We preach about Jesus Christ. We say that he is Lord. And we serve you because of him.


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God said, "Let light shine out of darkness."--(Genesis 1:3) He made his light shine in our hearts. It shows us the light of God's glory in the face of Christ.


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Treasure is kept in clay jars. In the same way, we have the treasure of the good news in these earthly bodies of ours. That shows that the mighty power of the good news comes from God. It doesn't come from us.


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We are pushed hard from all sides. But we are not beaten down. We are bewildered. But that doesn't make us lose hope.


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We always carry around the death of Jesus in our bodies. In that way, the life of Jesus can be shown in our bodies.


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We who are alive are always in danger of death because we are serving Jesus. So his life can be shown in our earthly bodies.


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It is written, "I believed, and so I have spoken."--(Psalm 116:10) With that same spirit of faith we also believe. And we also speak.


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We know that God raised the Lord Jesus from the dead. And he will also raise us up with Jesus. He will bring us with you to God in heaven.


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All of that is for your benefit. God's grace is reaching more and more people. So they will become more and more thankful. They will give glory to God.


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We don't give up. Our bodies are becoming weaker and weaker. But our spirits are being renewed day by day.


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Our troubles are small. They last only for a short time. But they are earning for us a glory that will last forever. It is greater than all our troubles.


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So we don't spend all our time looking at what we can see. Instead, we look at what we can't see. What can be seen lasts only a short time. But what can't be seen will last forever.


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We know that the earthly tent we live in will be destroyed. But we have a building made by God. It is a house in heaven that lasts forever. Human hands did not build it.


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While we live in this tent of ours, we groan under our heavy load. We don't want to be naked. We want to be dressed with our house in heaven. What must die will be swallowed up by life.


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God has made us for that very purpose. He has given us the Holy Spirit as a down payment. The Spirit makes us sure of what is still to come.


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So here is what we can always be certain about. As long as we are at home in our bodies, we are away from the Lord.


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So we try our best to please him. We want to please him whether we are at home in our bodies or away from them.


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We must all stand in front of Christ to be judged. Each one of us will be judged for the good things and the bad things we do while we are in our bodies. Then each of us will receive what we are supposed to get.


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We know what it means to have respect for the Lord. So we try to help other people to understand it. What we are is plain to God. I hope it is also plain to your way of thinking.


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We are not trying to make an appeal to you again. But we are giving you a chance to take pride in us. Then you can answer those who take pride in how people look rather than in what is really in their hearts.


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Are we out of our minds? That is because we want to serve God. Does what we say make sense? That is because we want to serve you.


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Christ died for everyone. He died so that those who live should not live for themselves anymore. They should live for Christ. He died for them and was raised again.


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So from now on we don't look at anyone the way the world does. At one time we looked at Christ in that way. But we don't anymore.


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It is all from God. He brought us back to himself through Christ's death on the cross. And he has given us the task of bringing others back to him through Christ.


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God was bringing the world back to himself through Christ. He did not hold people's sins against them. God has trusted us with the message that people may be brought back to him.


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So we are Christ's official messengers. It is as if God were making his appeal through us. Here is what Christ wants us to beg you to do. Come back to God!


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Christ didn't have any sin. But God made him become sin for us. So we can be made right with God because of what Christ has done for us.


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We work together with God. So we are asking you not to receive God's grace and then do nothing with it.


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He says, "When I showed you my favor, I heard you. On the day I saved you, I helped you." --(Isaiah 49:8) I tell you, now is the time God shows his favor. Now is the day he saves.


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Instead, we make it clear that we serve God in every way. We serve him by holding steady. We stand firm in all kinds of trouble, hard times and suffering.


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We don't give up when we are beaten or put in prison. When people stir up trouble in the streets, we continue to serve God. We work hard for him. We go without sleep and food.


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We remain pure. We understand completely what it means to serve God. We are patient and kind. We serve him in the power of the Holy Spirit. We serve him with true love.


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We speak the truth. We serve in the power of God. We hold the weapons of godliness in the right hand and in the left.


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We serve God in times of glory and shame. We serve him whether the news about us is bad or good. We are true to our calling. But people treat us as if we were pretenders.


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We are known, but people treat us as if we were unknown. We are dying, but we continue to live. We are beaten, but we are not killed.


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We are sad, but we are always full of joy. We are poor, but we make many people rich. We have nothing, but we own everything.


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I speak to you as if you were my children. It is only fair that you open your hearts wide to us also.


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Do not be joined to unbelievers. What do right and wrong have in common? Can light and darkness be friends?


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How can the temple of the true God and the statues of other gods agree? We are the temple of the living God. God has said, "I will live with them. I will walk among them. I will be their God. And they will be my people."--(Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 32:38; Ezekiel 37:27)


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"So come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch anything that is not pure and clean. Then I will receive you." --(Isaiah 52:11; Ezekiel 20:34,41)


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"I will be your Father. You will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord who rules over all."+/--(2 Samuel 7:14; 7:8)


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Dear friends, we have these promises from God. So let us make ourselves pure from everything that pollutes our bodies and spirits. Let us be completely holy. We want to honor God.


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Make room for us in your hearts. We haven't done anything wrong to anyone. We haven't caused anyone to sin. We haven't taken advantage of anyone.


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I don't say this to judge you. I have told you before that you have an important place in our hearts. We would live or die with you.


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I have great faith in you. I am very proud of you. I am very happy. Even with all our troubles, my joy has no limit.


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When I came to Macedonia, my body wasn't able to rest. I was attacked no matter where I went. I had battles on the outside and fears on the inside.


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I was comforted not only when he came but also by the comfort you had given him. He told me how much you longed for me. He told me about your deep sadness and concern for me. That made my joy greater than ever.


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Even if my letter made you sad, I'm not sorry I sent it. At first I was sorry. I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while.


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Now I am happy. I'm not happy because you were made sad. I'm happy because your sadness led you to turn away from your sins. You became sad just as God wanted you to. So you were not hurt in any way by us.


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Godly sadness causes us to turn away from our sins and be saved. And we are certainly not sorry about that! But worldly sadness brings death.


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Look at what that godly sadness has produced in you. You are working hard to clear yourselves. You are angry and alarmed. You are longing to see me. You are concerned. You are ready to make sure that the right thing is done. In every way you have proved that you are not guilty in that matter.


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So even though I wrote to you, it wasn't because of the one who did the wrong. It wasn't because of the one who was hurt. Instead, I wrote you so that in the sight of God you could see for yourselves how faithful you are to us.


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All of that cheers us up. We were also very glad to see how happy Titus was. You have all renewed his spirit.


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I had bragged about you to him. And you have not let me down. Everything we said to you was true. In the same way, our bragging about you to Titus has also turned out to be true.


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His love for you is even greater when he remembers that you all obeyed his teaching. You received him with fear and trembling.


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Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given to the churches in Macedonia.


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They have suffered a great deal. But their joy was more than full. Even though they were very poor, they gave very freely.


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I give witness that they gave as much as they could. In fact, they gave even more than they could. Completely on their own,


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They did more than we expected. First they gave themselves to the Lord. Then they gave themselves to us in keeping with what God wanted.


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Titus had already started collecting money from you. So we asked him to get you to finish making your kind gift.


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You do well in everything else. You do well in faith and in speaking. You do well in knowledge and in complete commitment. And you do well in your love for us. So make sure that you also do well in the grace of giving to others.


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I am not commanding you to do it. But I want to put you to the test. I want to find out if you really love God. I want to compare your love with that of others.


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You know the grace shown by our Lord Jesus Christ. Even though he was rich, he became poor to help you. Because he became poor, you can become rich.


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Here is my advice about what is best for you in that matter. Last year you were the first to give. You were also the first to want to give.


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So finish the work. Then your longing to do it will be matched by your finishing it. Give on the basis of what you have.


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Do you really want to give? Then the gift is received in keeping with what you have, not with what you don't have.


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Right now you have plenty in order to take care of what they need. Then they will have plenty to take care of what you need. That will make things equal.


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It is written, "Those who gathered a lot didn't have too much. And those who gathered a little had enough."--(Exodus 16:18)


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Along with Titus, we are sending another brother. All the churches praise him for his service in telling the good news.


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He was also chosen by the churches to go with us as we bring the offering. We are in charge of it. We want to honor the Lord himself. We want to show how ready we are to help.


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We are also sending another one of our brothers with them. He has often proved to us in many ways that he is very committed. He is now even more committed because he has great faith in you.


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Titus is my helper. He and I work together among you. Our brothers are messengers from the churches. They honor Christ.


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So show them that you really love them. Show them why we are proud of you. Then the churches can see it.


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I know how much you want to help. I have been bragging about it to the people in Macedonia. I have been telling them that since last year you who live in Achaia were ready to give. You are so excited that it has stirred up most of them to take action.


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But I am sending the brothers. Then our bragging about you in this matter will have a good reason. You will be ready, just as I said you would be.


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Suppose people from Macedonia come with me and find out that you are not prepared. Then we, as well as you, would be ashamed of being so certain.


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So I thought I should try to get the brothers to visit you ahead of time. They will finish the plans for the large gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a gift that is freely given. It will not be given by force.


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Here is something to remember. The one who plants only a little will gather only a little. And the one who plants a lot will gather a lot.


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You should each give what you have decided in your heart to give. You shouldn't give if you don't want to. You shouldn't give because you are forced to. God loves a cheerful giver.


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And God is able to shower all kinds of blessings on you. In all things and at all times you will have everything you need. You will do more and more good works.


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It is written, "They have spread their gifts around to poor people. Their good works continue forever." --(Psalm 112:9)


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God supplies seed to the planter. He supplies bread for food. God will also supply and increase the amount of your seed. He will increase the results of your good works.


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You will be made rich in every way. Then you can always give freely. We will take your many gifts to the people who need them. And they will give thanks to God.


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Your gifts meet the needs of God's people. And that's not all. Your gifts also cause many people to thank God.


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You have shown yourselves to be worthy by what you have given. So people will praise God because you obey him. That proves that you really believe the good news about Christ. They will also praise God because you share freely with them and with everyone else.


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Their hearts will be filled with longing for you when they pray for you. God has given you grace that is better than anything.


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Let us give thanks to God for his gift. It is so great that no one can tell how wonderful it really is!


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Christ is gentle and free of pride. So I make my appeal to you. I, Paul, am the one you call shy when I am face to face with you. But when I am away from you, you call me bold.


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I beg you that when I come I won't have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people. They think that I live the way the people of this world live.


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The weapons I fight with are not the weapons the world uses. In fact, it is just the opposite. My weapons have the power of God to destroy the camps of the enemy.


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I destroy every claim and every reason that keeps people from knowing God. I keep every thought under control in order to make it obey Christ.


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You are looking only at what appears on the surface of things. Suppose you are sure you belong to Christ. Then you should consider again that I belong to Christ just as much as you do.


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Do I brag too much about the authority the Lord gave me? If I do, it's because I want to build you up, not pull you down. And I'm not ashamed of that kind of bragging.


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Some say, "His letters sound important. They are powerful. But in person he doesn't seem like much. And what he says doesn't amount to anything."


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People like that have a lot to learn. What I say in my letters when I'm away from you, I will do in my actions when I'm with you.


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I don't dare to compare myself with those who praise themselves. I'm not that kind of person. They measure themselves by themselves. They compare themselves with themselves. When they do that, they are not wise.


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But I won't brag more than I should. Instead, I will brag only about what I have done in the area God has given me. It is an area that reaches all the way to you.


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I am not going too far in my bragging. I would be going too far if I hadn't come to where you live. But I did get there with the good news about Christ.


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And I won't brag about work done by others. If I did, I would be bragging more than I should. As your faith continues to grow, I hope that my work among you will greatly increase.


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Then I will be able to preach the good news in the areas beyond you. I don't want to brag about work already done in someone else's territory.


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My jealousy for you comes from God himself. I promised to give you to only one husband. That husband is Christ. I wanted to be able to give you to him as if you were a pure virgin.


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But Eve was tricked by the snake's clever lies. And I'm afraid that in the same way your minds will somehow be led down the wrong path. They will be led away from your true and pure love for Christ.


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Suppose someone comes to you and preaches about a Jesus different from the Jesus we preached about. Or suppose you receive a spirit different from the one you received before. Or suppose you receive a message of good news different from the one you accepted earlier. You put up with those kinds of things easily enough.


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I may not be a trained speaker. But I do have knowledge. I've made that very clear to you in every way.


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When I preached God's good news to you free of charge, I put myself down in order to lift you up. Was that a sin?


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When I was with you and needed something, I didn't cause you any expense. The believers who came from Macedonia gave me what I needed. I haven't caused you any expense at all. And I won't ever do it.


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I'm sure that the truth of Christ is in me. And I'm just as sure that nobody in Achaia will keep me from bragging.


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And I will keep on doing what I'm doing. That will stop those who claim they have things to brag about. They think they have a chance to be considered equal with us.


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People like that are false apostles. They work hard to trick others. They only pretend to be apostles of Christ.


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So it doesn't surprise us that those who serve Satan pretend to be serving God. They will finally get exactly what they should.


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I will say it again. Don't let anyone think I'm a fool. But if you do, receive me just as you would receive a fool. Then I can do a little bragging.


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When I brag about myself like this, I'm not talking the way the Lord would. I'm talking like a fool.


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In fact, you even put up with anyone who makes you a slave or uses you. You put up with those who take advantage of you. You put up with those who claim to be better than you. You put up with those who slap you in the face.


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I'm ashamed to have to say that I was too weak for that! What anyone else dares to brag about, I also dare to brag about. I'm speaking like a fool!


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Are they Hebrews? So am I. Do they belong to the people of Israel? So do I. Are they Abraham's children? So am I.


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Are they serving Christ? I am serving him even more. I'm out of my mind to talk like this! I have worked much harder. I have been in prison more often. I have suffered terrible beatings. Again and again I almost died.


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Three times I was beaten with sticks. Once they tried to kill me by throwing stones at me. Three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea.


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I have had to keep on the move. I have been in danger from rivers. I have been in danger from robbers. I have been in danger from people from my own country. I have been in danger from those who aren't Jews. I have been in danger in the city, in the country, and at sea. I have been in danger from people who pretended they were believers.


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I have worked very hard. Often I have gone without sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. Often I have gone without food. I have been cold and naked.


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In Damascus the governor who served under King Aretas had their city guarded. He wanted to arrest me.


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We can't gain anything by bragging. But I have to do it anyway. I am going to tell you what I've seen. I want to talk about what the Lord has shown me.


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I know a believer in Christ who was taken up to the third heaven 14 years ago. I don't know if his body was taken up or not. Only God knows.


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he was taken up to paradise. He heard things that couldn't be put into words. They were things that people aren't allowed to talk about.


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I will brag about a man like that. But I won't brag about myself. I will brag only about how weak I am.


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Suppose I decide to brag. That would not make me a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I don't do it. Then no one will think more of me than he should because of what I do or say.


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I could have become proud of myself because of the amazing and wonderful things God has shown me. So I was given a problem that caused pain in my body. It is a messenger from Satan to make me suffer.


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But he said to me, "My grace is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak." So I am very happy to brag about how weak I am. Then Christ's power can rest on me.


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Because of how I suffered for Christ, I'm glad that I am weak. I am glad in hard times. I am glad when people say mean things about me. I am glad when things are difficult. And I am glad when people make me suffer. When I am weak, I am strong.


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I have made a fool of myself. But you made me do it. You should have praised me. Even though I am nothing, I am in no way less important than the "super-apostles."


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You can recognize apostles by the signs, wonders and miracles they do. Those things were faithfully done among you no matter what happened.


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How were you less important than the other churches? The only difference was that I didn't cause you any expense. Forgive me for that wrong!


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Now I am ready to visit you for the third time. I won't cause you any expense. I don't want what you have. What I really want is you. After all, children shouldn't have to save up for their parents. Parents should save up for their children.


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So I will be very happy to spend everything I have for you. I will even spend myself. If I love you more, will you love me less?


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In any case, I haven't caused you any expense. But I'm such a tricky fellow! I have caught you by tricking you!


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I asked Titus to go to you. And I sent our brother with him. Titus didn't take advantage of you, did he? Didn't I act in the same spirit? Didn't I follow the same path?


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All this time, have you been thinking that I've been speaking up for myself? No, I've been speaking with God as my witness. I've been speaking like a believer in Christ. Dear friends, everything I do is to help you become stronger.


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I'm afraid that when I come I won't find you as I want you to be. I'm afraid that you won't find me as you want me to be. I'm afraid there will be arguing, jealousy and fits of anger. I'm afraid you will separate into your own little groups. Then you will tell lies about each other. You will talk about each other. I'm afraid you will be proud and cause trouble.


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I'm afraid that when I come again my God will put me to shame in front of you. Then I will be sad about many who sinned earlier and have not turned away from it. They have not turned away from uncleanness, sexual sins and wild living. They have done all those things.


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This will be my third visit to you. Scripture says, "Every matter must be proved by the words of two or three witnesses."--(Deuteronomy 19:15)


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I already warned you during my second visit. I now say it again while I'm away. When I return, I won't spare those who sinned earlier. I won't spare any of the others either.


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You are asking me to prove that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you. He is powerful among you.


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It is true that Christ was nailed to the cross because he was weak. But he lives by God's power. In the same way, I share his weakness. But by God's power I will live with him to serve you.


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Take a good look at yourselves to see if you are really believers. Test yourselves. Don't you realize that Christ Jesus is in you? Unless, of course, you fail the test!


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I pray to God that you won't do anything wrong. I don't pray so that people will see that I have passed the test. Instead, I pray so that you will do what is right, even if it seems I have failed.


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That's why I write these things before I come to you. Then when I do come, I won't have to be hard on you when I use my authority. The Lord gave me the authority to build you up. He didn't give it to me to tear you down.


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Finally, brothers and sisters, good-by. Try to be perfect. Pay attention to what I'm saying. Agree with one another. Live in peace. And the God who gives love and peace will be with you.


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May the grace shown by the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love that God has given us, and the sharing of life brought about by the Holy Spirit be with you all.


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I, Paul, am writing this letter. I am an apostle. People have not sent me. No human authority has sent me. I have been sent by Jesus Christ and by God the Father. God raised Jesus from the dead.


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All the brothers who are with me join me in writing. We are sending this letter to you, the members of the churches in Galatia.


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Jesus gave his life for our sins. He set us free from this evil world. That was what our God and Father wanted.


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I am amazed. You are so quickly deserting the One who chose you because of the grace that Christ has provided. You are turning to a different "good news."


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What you are accepting is really not the good news at all. It seems that some people have gotten you all mixed up. They are trying to twist the good news about Christ.


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But suppose even we should preach a different "good news." Suppose even an angel from heaven should preach it. I'm talking about a different one than the good news we gave you. Let anyone who does that be judged by God forever.


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I have already said it. Now I will say it again. Anyone who preaches a "good news" that is different from the one you accepted should be judged by God forever.


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Am I now trying to get people to think well of me? Or do I want God to think well of me? Am I trying to please people? If I were, I would not be serving Christ.


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Brothers and sisters, here is what I want you to know. The good news I preached is not something a human being made up.


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No one gave it to me. No one taught it to me. Instead, I received it from Jesus Christ. He showed it to me.


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You have heard of my earlier way of life as a Jew. With all my strength I attacked the church of God. I tried to destroy it.


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I was moving ahead in my Jewish way of life. I went beyond many Jews who were my own age. I held firmly to the teachings passed down by my people.


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But God set me apart from the time I was born. He showed me his grace by appointing me. He was pleased


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to show his Son in my life. He wanted me to preach about Jesus among those who aren't Jews. When God appointed me, I didn't talk to anyone.


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I didn't go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went at once into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.


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Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem. I went there to get to know Peter. I stayed with him for 15 days.


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They only heard others say, "The man who used to attack us has changed. He is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy."


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Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem. This time I went with Barnabas. I took Titus along also.


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I went because God showed me what he wanted me to do. I told the people there the good news that I preach among those who aren't Jews. But I spoke in private to those who seemed to be leaders. I was afraid that I was running or had run my race for nothing.


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That matter came up because some who pretended to be believers had slipped in among us. They wanted to find out about the freedom we have because we belong to Christ Jesus. They wanted to make us slaves again.


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Some people in Jerusalem seemed to be important. It makes no difference to me what they were. God does not judge by what he sees on the outside. Those people added nothing to my message.


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In fact, it was just the opposite. They saw that I had been trusted with the task of preaching the good news just as Peter had been. My task was to preach to the non-Jews. Peter's task was to preach to the Jews.


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God was working through Peter as an apostle to the Jews. He was also working through me as an apostle to the non-Jews.


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James, Peter and John are considered to be pillars in the church. They recognized the special grace that was given to me. So they shook my hand and the hand of Barnabas. They wanted to show they accepted us. They agreed that we should go to the non-Jews. They would go to the Jews.


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They asked only one thing. They wanted us to continue to remember poor people. That was what I really wanted to do anyway.


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When Peter came to Antioch, I told him to his face that I was against what he was doing. He was clearly wrong.


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He used to eat with those who weren't Jews. But certain men came from the group that was led by James. When they arrived, Peter began to draw back. He separated himself from the non-Jews. He was afraid of the circumcision group.


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Peter's actions were not honest. The other Jews joined him. Even Barnabas was led down the wrong path.


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I saw what they were doing. It was not in line with the truth of the good news. So I spoke to Peter in front of them all. "You are a Jew," I said. "But you live like one who is not. So why do you force non-Jews to follow Jewish ways?"


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We know that no one is made right with God by obeying the law. It is by believing in Jesus Christ. So we too have put our faith in Christ Jesus. That is so we can be made right with God by believing in Christ, not by obeying the law. No one can be made right with God by obeying the law.


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We are trying to be made right with God through Christ. But it is clear that we are sinners. So does that mean that Christ causes us to sin? Certainly not!


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I have been crucified with Christ. I don't live any longer. Christ lives in me. My faith in the Son of God helps me to live my life in my body. He loved me. He gave himself for me.


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I do not get rid of the grace of God. What if a person could become right with God by obeying the law? Then Christ died for nothing!


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You foolish people of Galatia! Who has put you under an evil spell? When I preached, I clearly showed you that Jesus Christ had been nailed to the cross.


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I would like to learn just one thing from you. Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law? Or did you receive the Spirit by believing what you heard?


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Are you so foolish? You began with the Holy Spirit. Are you now trying to complete God's work in you by your own strength?


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Why does God give you his Spirit? Why does he work miracles among you? Is it because you do what the law says? Or is it because you believe what you have heard?


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Think about Abraham. Scripture says, "Abraham believed God. God accepted Abraham because he believed. So his faith made him right with God."--(Genesis 15:6)


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Long ago, Scripture knew that God would make non-Jews right with himself by believing in him. He announced the good news ahead of time to Abraham. He said, "All nations will be blessed because of you."--(Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18)


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All who depend on obeying the law are under a curse. It is written, "May everyone who doesn't continue to do everything that is written in the Book of the Law be under God's curse."--(Deuteronomy 27:26)


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We know that no one is made right with God by keeping the law. Scripture says, "Those who are right with God will live by faith."--(Habakkuk 2:4)


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The law is not based on faith. In fact, it is just the opposite. It teaches that "the one who does those things will live by them."--(Leviticus 18:5)


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Christ set us free from the curse of the law. He did it by becoming a curse for us. It is written, "Everyone who is hung on a pole is under God's curse."--(Deuteronomy 21:23)


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Christ Jesus set us free so that the blessing given to Abraham would come to non-Jews through Christ. He did it so that we might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit by believing in Christ.


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Brothers and sisters, let me give you an example from everyday life. No one can get rid of an official agreement between people. No one can add to it. It can't be changed after it has been made. It is the same with God's covenant.


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The promises were given to Abraham. They were also given to his seed. Scripture does not say, "and to seeds." That means many people. It says, "and to your seed."--(Genesis 12:7; 13:15; 24:7) That means one person. And that one person is Christ.


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Here is what I mean. The law came 430 years after the promise. But the law does not get rid of God's covenant and promise. The covenant had already been made by God. So the law does not do away with the promise.


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The great gift that God has for us does not depend on the law. If it did, it would no longer depend on a promise. But God gave it to Abraham as a free gift through a promise.


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Then what was the purpose of the law? It was added because of human sin. And it was supposed to control us until the promised Seed had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a go-between.


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A go-between does not take sides. God didn't use a go-between when he made his promise to Abraham. But the same God was at work in both the law and the promise.


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So is the law opposed to God's promises? Certainly not! What if a law had been given that could give life? Then people could become right with God by obeying the law.


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But Scripture announces that the whole world is a prisoner because of sin. It does so in order that what was promised might be given to those who believe. The promise comes through faith in Jesus Christ.


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Before faith in Christ came, we were held prisoners by the law. We were locked up until faith was made known.


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So the law was put in charge until Christ came. He came so that we might be made right with God by believing in Christ.


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There is no Jew or Greek. There is no slave or free person. There is no male or female. Because you belong to Christ Jesus, you are all one.


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Here is what I have been saying. As long as your own children are young, they are no different from slaves in your house. They are no different, even though they own all of the property.


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They are under the care of guardians and those who manage the property. They are under their care until the time when their fathers give them the property.


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It is the same with us. When we were children, we were slaves to the basic things the people of the world believe.


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But then the right time came. God sent his Son. A woman gave birth to him. He was born under the authority of the law.


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He came to set free those who were under the law. He wanted us to be adopted as children with all the rights children have.


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Because you are his children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. He is the Holy Spirit. By his power we call God "[Abba.]" Abba means Father.


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So you aren't slaves any longer. You are God's children. Because you are his children, he gives you what he promised to give his people.


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But now you know God. Even better, God knows you. So why are you turning back to those weak and worthless beliefs? Do you want to be slaves to them all over again?


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I make my appeal to you, brothers and sisters. I'm asking you to become like me. After all, I became like you. You didn't do anything wrong to me.


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My sickness was hard on you. But you didn't put me off. You didn't make fun of me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God. You welcomed me as if I were Christ Jesus himself.


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What has happened to all of your joy? If you could have torn out your own eyes and given them to me, you would have. I can give witness to that.


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Those people are trying hard to win you over. But it is not for your good. They want to take you away from us. They want you to commit yourselves to them.


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It is fine to be committed to something, if the purpose is good. And you shouldn't be committed only when I am with you. You should always be committed.


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My dear children, I am in pain for you. Once again I have pain like a woman giving birth. And my pain will continue until Christ makes you like himself.


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You who want to be under the authority of the law, tell me something. Don't you know what the law says?


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It is written that Abraham had two sons. The slave woman gave birth to one of them. The free woman gave birth to the other one.


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Abraham's son by the slave woman was born in the usual way. But his son by the free woman was born because of God's promise.


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Those things can be taken as examples. The two women stand for two covenants. One covenant comes from Mount Sinai. It gives birth to children who are going to be slaves. It is Hagar.


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Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia. She stands for the present city of Jerusalem. That's because she and her children are slaves.


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It is written, "Be glad, woman, you who have no children. Start shouting, you who have no labor pains. The woman who is all alone has more children than the woman who has a husband." --(Isaiah 54:1)


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At that time, the son born in the usual way tried to hurt the son born by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the same now.


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But what does Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman. Get rid of her son. The slave woman's son will never have a share of the family's property with the free woman's son."--(Genesis 21:10)


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Christ has set us free. He wants us to enjoy freedom. So stand firm. Don't let the chains of slavery hold you again.


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Here is what I, Paul, say to you. Don't let yourselves be circumcised. If you do, Christ won't be of any value to you.


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Some of you are trying to be made right with God by obeying the law. You have been separated from Christ. You have fallen away from God's grace.


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But we expect to be made completely holy because of our faith in Christ. Through the Holy Spirit we wait in hope.


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Circumcision and uncircumcision aren't worth anything to those who believe in Christ Jesus. The only thing that really counts is faith that shows itself through love.


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The Lord makes me certain that you will not think in any other way. The one who has gotten you all mixed up will pay the price. It doesn't matter who that may be.


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Brothers and sisters, I am not still preaching that people must be circumcised. If I were, why am I still being opposed? If that were what I preach, then the cross wouldn't upset anyone.


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So then, what about troublemakers who try to get others to be circumcised? I wish they would go the whole way! I wish they would cut off everything that marks them as men!


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My brothers and sisters, you were chosen to be free. But don't use your freedom as an excuse to live in sin. Instead, serve one another in love.


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The whole law can be found in a single command. "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."--(Leviticus 19:18)


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You must not keep on biting each other. You must not keep eating each other up. Watch out! You might destroy each other.


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So I say, live by the Holy Spirit's power. Then you will not do what your sinful nature wants you to do.


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The sinful nature does not want what the Spirit delights in. And the Spirit does not want what the sinful nature delights in. The two are at war with each other. That's what makes you do what you don't want to do.


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It worships statues of gods. It also worships evil powers. It is full of hatred and fighting. It is full of jealousy and fits of anger. It is interested only in getting ahead. It stirs up trouble. It separates people into their own little groups.


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It wants what others have. It gets drunk and takes part in wild parties. It does many things of that kind. I warn you now as I did before. People who live like that will not receive God's kingdom.


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But the fruit the Holy Spirit produces is love, joy and peace. It is being patient, kind and good. It is being faithful


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Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed their sinful nature to his cross. They don't want what their sinful nature loves and longs for.


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Brothers and sisters, what if someone is caught in a sin? Then you who are guided by the Spirit should correct that person. Do it in a gentle way. But be careful. You could be tempted too.


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Each of you should put your own actions to the test. Then you can take pride in yourself. You won't be comparing yourself to somebody else.


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Some people plant to please their sinful nature. From that nature they will harvest death. Others plant to please the Holy Spirit. From the Spirit they will harvest eternal life.


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So when we can do good to everyone, let us do it. Let us make a special point of doing good to those who belong to the family of believers.


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Some people want others to think well of them. They are trying to force you to be circumcised. They do it for only one reason. They don't want to suffer by being connected with the cross of Christ.


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Even those who are circumcised don't obey the law. But they want you to be circumcised. Then they can brag about what has been done to your body.


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I never want to brag about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through that cross the ways of the world have been crucified as far as I am concerned. And I have been crucified as far as the ways of the world are concerned.


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Circumcision and uncircumcision don't mean anything. What really counts is the creation of a new nature.


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May peace and mercy be given to all who follow this rule. May peace and mercy be given to the Israel that belongs to God.


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I, Paul, am writing this letter. I am an apostle of Christ Jesus just as God planned. I am sending this letter to you, God's people in Ephesus. Because you belong to Christ Jesus, you are faithful.


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Give praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. Those blessings come from the heavenly world. They belong to us because we belong to Christ.


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God chose us to belong to Christ before the world was created. He chose us to be holy and without blame in his eyes. He loved us.


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So he decided long ago to adopt us as his children. He did it because of what Jesus Christ has done. It pleased God to do it.


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All those things bring praise to his glorious grace. God freely gave us his grace because of the One he loves.


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We have been set free because of what Christ has done. Through his blood our sins have been forgiven. We have been set free because God's grace is so rich.


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He showed us the mystery of his plan. It was in keeping with what he wanted to do. It was what he had planned through Christ.


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It will all come about when history has been completed. God will then bring together all things in heaven and on earth under one ruler. The ruler is Christ.


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We were also chosen to belong to him. God decided to choose us long ago in keeping with his plan. He works out everything to fit his plan and purpose.


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You also became believers in Christ. That happened when you heard the message of truth. It was the good news about how you could be saved. When you believed, he marked you with a seal. The seal is the Holy Spirit that he promised.


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The Spirit marks us as God's own. We can now be sure that someday we will receive all that God has promised. That will happen after God sets all of his people completely free. All of those things will bring praise to his glory.


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I have heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus. I have also heard about your love for all of God's people. That is why


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I pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is the glorious Father. I keep asking him to give you the wisdom and understanding that come from the Holy Spirit. I want you to know God better.


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I also pray that your mind might see more clearly. Then you will know the hope God has chosen you to receive. You will know that the things God's people will receive are rich and glorious.


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And you will know his great power. It can't be compared with anything else. It is at work for us who believe. It is like the mighty strength


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God showed when he raised Christ from the dead. He seated him at his right hand in his heavenly kingdom.


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There Christ sits far above all who rule and have authority. He also sits far above all powers and kings. He is above every title that can be given in this world and in the world to come.


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God placed all things under Christ's rule. He appointed him to be ruler over everything for the church.


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You used to live as sinners when you followed the ways of this world. You served the one who rules over the spiritual forces of evil. He is the spirit who is now at work in those who don't obey God.


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At one time we all lived among them. We tried to satisfy what our sinful nature wanted to do. We followed its longings and thoughts. God was angry with us and everyone else because of the kind of people we were.


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So he gave us new life because of what Christ has done. He gave us life even when we were dead in sin. God's grace has saved you.


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God raised us up with Christ. He has seated us with him in his heavenly kingdom because we belong to Christ Jesus.


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He has done it to show the riches of his grace for all time to come. His grace can't be compared with anything else. He has shown it by being kind to us because of what Christ Jesus has done.


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God's grace has saved you because of your faith in Christ. Your salvation doesn't come from anything you do. It is God's gift.


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God made us. He created us to belong to Christ Jesus. Now we can do good things. Long ago God prepared them for us to do.


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You who are not Jews by birth, here is what I want you to remember. You are called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "circumcised." But they have only been circumcised in their bodies by human hands.


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Before you believed in Christ, you were separated from him. You were not considered to be citizens of Israel. You were not included in what the covenants promised. You were without hope and without God in the world.


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At one time you were far away from God. But now you belong to Christ Jesus. He spilled his blood for you. That has brought you near to God.


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Christ himself is our peace. He has made Jews and non-Jews into one group of people. He has destroyed the hatred that was like a wall between us.


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Through his body on the cross, Christ put an end to the law with all its commands and rules. He wanted to create one new group of people out of the two. He wanted to make peace between them.


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He planned to bring both of them as one body back to God because of the cross. Christ put their hatred to death on that cross.


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So you are no longer strangers and outsiders. You are citizens together with God's people. You are members of God's family.


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You are a building that is built on the apostles and prophets. They are the foundation. Christ Jesus himself is the most important stone in the building.


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The whole building is held together by him. It rises to become a holy temple because it belongs to the Lord.


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And because you belong to him, you too are being built together. You are being made into a house where God lives through his Spirit.


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I, Paul, am a prisoner because of Christ Jesus. I am in prison because of my work among you who are not Jews.


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The mystery was not made known to people of other times. But now the Holy Spirit has made it known to God's holy apostles and prophets.


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Here is the mystery. Because of the good news, God's promises are for non-Jews as well as for Jews. Both groups are parts of one body. They share in the promise. It belongs to them because they belong to Christ Jesus.


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I am by far the least important of all of God's people. But he gave me the grace to preach to the non-Jews about the wonderful riches that Christ gives.


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God told me to make clear to everyone how the mystery came about. In times past it was kept hidden in the mind of God, who created all things.


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He wanted the rulers and authorities in the heavenly world to come to know his great wisdom. The church would make it known to them.


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Through him and through faith in him we can approach God. We can come to him freely. We can come without fear.


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So here is what I'm asking you to do. Don't lose hope because I am suffering for you. It will lead to the time when God will give you his glory.


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I pray that he will use his glorious riches to make you strong. May his Holy Spirit give you his power deep down inside you.


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Then Christ will live in your hearts because you believe in him. And I pray that your love will have deep roots. I pray that it will have a strong foundation.


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May you have power with all God's people to understand Christ's love. May you know how wide and long and high and deep it is.


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And may you know his love, even though it can't be known completely. Then you will be filled with everything God has for you.


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God is able to do far more than we could ever ask for or imagine. He does everything by his power that is working in us.


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Give him glory in the church and in Christ Jesus. Give him glory through all time and for ever and ever. Amen.


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I am a prisoner because of the Lord. So I am asking you to live a life worthy of what God chose you for.


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The Holy Spirit makes you one in every way. So try your best to remain as one. Let peace keep you together.


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There is one God and Father of all. He is over everything. He is through everything. He is in everything.


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That is why Scripture says, "When he went up to his place on high, he led a line of prisoners. He gave gifts to people." --(Psalm 68:18)


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The One who came down is the same as the One who went up higher than all the heavens. He did it in order to fill all of creation.


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He is the One who gave some the gift to be apostles. He gave some the gift to be prophets. He gave some the gift of preaching the good news. And he gave some the gift to be pastors and teachers.


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He did it so that they might prepare God's people to serve. If they do, the body of Christ will be built up.


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That will continue until we all become one in the faith and in the knowledge of God's Son. Then we will be grown up in the faith. We will receive everything that Christ has for us.


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We will no longer be babies in the faith. We won't be like ships tossed around by the waves. We won't be blown here and there by every new teaching. We won't be blown around by the cleverness and tricks of people who try to hide their evil plans.


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He makes the whole body grow and build itself up in love. Under the control of Christ, each part of the body does its work. It supports the other parts. In that way, the body is joined and held together.


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Here is what I'm telling you. I am speaking for the Lord as I warn you. You must no longer live like those who aren't Jews. Their thoughts don't have any purpose.


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They can't understand the truth. They are separated from the life of God. That is because they don't know him. And they don't know him because their hearts are stubborn.


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They have lost all feeling for what is right. They have given themselves over to the evil pleasures of their bodies. They take part in every kind of unclean act. And they always long for more.


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I'm sure you heard of him. I'm sure you were taught by him. What you learned was the truth about Jesus.


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You were taught not to live the way you used to. You must get rid of your old way of life. That's because it is polluted by longing for things that lead you down the wrong path.


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You were taught to start living a new life. It is created to be truly good and holy, just as God is.


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So each of you must get rid of your lying. Speak the truth to your neighbor. We are all parts of one body.


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Scripture says, "When you are angry, do not sin."--(Psalm 4:4) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.


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Those who have been stealing must never steal again. Instead, they must work. They must do something useful with their own hands. Then they will have something to give to people in need.


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Don't let any evil talk come out of your mouths. Say only what will help to build others up and meet their needs. Then what you say will help those who listen.


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Do not make God's Holy Spirit sad. He marked you with a seal for the day when God will set you completely free.


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Get rid of all hard feelings, anger and rage. Stop all fighting and lying. Put away every form of hatred.


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Be kind and tender to one another. Forgive each other, just as God forgave you because of what Christ has done.


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Lead a life of love, just as Christ did. He loved us. He gave himself up for us. He was a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.


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There should not be even a hint of sexual sin among you. Don't do anything unclean. And do not always want more and more. Things like that are not what God's holy people should do.


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There must not be any unclean speech or foolish talk or dirty jokes. All of them are out of place. Instead, you should give thanks.


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Here is what you can be sure of. Those who give themselves over to sexual sins are lost. So are people whose lives are not pure. The same is true of those who always want more and more. People who do those things might as well worship statues of gods. No one who does them will receive a share in the kingdom of Christ and of God.


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Don't let anyone fool you with words that don't mean anything. Because of things like that, God is angry with those who don't obey.


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At one time you were in the dark. But now you are in the light because of what the Lord has done. Live like children of the light.


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Have nothing to do with the acts of darkness. They don't produce anything good. Show what they are really like.


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Light makes everything clear. That is why it is said, "Wake up, sleeper. Rise from the dead. Then Christ will shine on you."


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So be very careful how you live. Do not live like people who aren't wise. Live like people who are wise.


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Don't fill yourself up with wine. Getting drunk will lead to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.


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Speak to each other with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.


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Always give thanks to God the Father for everything. Give thanks to him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.


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The husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church. The church is Christ's body. He is its Savior.


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The church follows the lead of Christ. In the same way, wives should follow the lead of their husbands in everything.


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He did it to bring her to himself as a brightly shining church. He wants a church that has no stain or wrinkle or any other flaw. He wants a church that is holy and without blame.


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In the same way, husbands should love their wives. They should love them as they love their own bodies. Any man who loves his wife loves himself.


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After all, people have never hated their own bodies. Instead, they feed and care for their bodies. And that is what Christ does for the church.


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Scripture says, "That's why a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. The two will become one."--(Genesis 2:24)


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A husband also must love his wife. He must love her just as he loves himself. And a wife must respect her husband.


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Fathers, don't make your children angry. Instead, train them and teach them the ways of the Lord as you raise them.


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Slaves, obey your masters here on earth. Respect them and honor them with a heart that is true. Obey them just as you would obey Christ.


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Don't obey them only to please them when they are watching. Do it because you are slaves of Christ. Be sure your heart does what God wants.


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You know that the Lord will give you a reward. He will give to each of you in keeping with the good you do. It doesn't matter whether you are slaves or free.


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Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. When you warn them, don't be too hard on them. You know that the One who is their Master and yours is in heaven. And he treats everyone the same.


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Our fight is not against human beings. It is against the rulers, the authorities and the powers of this dark world. It is against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly world.


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So put on all of God's armor. Evil days will come. But you will be able to stand up to anything. And after you have done everything you can, you will still be standing.


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Also, pick up the shield of faith. With it you can put out all of the flaming arrows of the evil one.


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At all times, pray by the power of the Spirit. Pray all kinds of prayers. Be watchful, so that you can pray. Always keep on praying for all of God's people.


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Pray also for me. Pray that when I open my mouth, the right words will be given to me. Then I can be bold as I tell the mystery of the good news.


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Because of the good news, I am being held by chains as the Lord's messenger. So pray that I will be bold as I preach the good news. That's what I should do.


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Tychicus is a dear brother. He is faithful in serving the Lord. He will tell you everything about me. Then you will know how I am and what I am doing.


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May God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give peace to the brothers and sisters. May they also give them love and faith.


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We, Paul and Timothy, are writing this letter. We serve Christ Jesus. We are sending this letter to you, all of God's people in Philippi. You belong to Christ Jesus. We are also sending this letter to your leaders and deacons.


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I am happy because you have joined me in spreading the good news. You have done so from the first day until now.


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I am sure that the One who began a good work in you will carry it on until it is completed. That will be on the day Christ Jesus returns.


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It is right for me to feel this way about all of you. I love you with all my heart. I may be held by chains, or I may be standing up for the truth of the good news. Either way, all of you share in God's grace together with me.


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Then you will be able to know what is best. You will be pure and without blame until the day Christ returns.


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You will be filled with the fruit of right living produced by Jesus Christ. All of those things bring glory and praise to God.


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Brothers and sisters, here is what I want you to know. What has happened to me has really helped to spread the good news.


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One thing has become clear. I am being held by chains because of my stand for Christ. All of the palace guards and everyone else know it.


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Because I am being held by chains, most of the believers in the Lord have become bolder. They now speak God's word more boldly and without fear.


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It's true that some preach about Christ because they are jealous. But others preach about Christ to help me in my work.


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But the others preach about Christ only to get ahead. They are not honest and true. They think they can stir up trouble for me while I am being held by chains.


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But what does it matter? Here is the important thing. Whether for reasons that are right or wrong, Christ is being preached about. That makes me very glad. And I will continue to be glad.


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I know that you are praying for me. I also know that the Spirit of Jesus Christ will help me. So no matter what happens, I'm sure I will still be saved.


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I completely expect and hope that I won't be ashamed in any way. I'm sure I will be brave enough. Now as always Christ will be lifted high through my body. He will be lifted up whether I live or die.


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Suppose I go on living in my body. Then I will be able to carry on my work. It will bear a lot of fruit. But what should I choose? I don't know.


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I can't decide between the two. I long to leave this world and be with Christ. That is better by far.


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I'm sure of that. So I know I will remain with you. And I will continue with all of you to help you grow and be joyful in what you have been taught.


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I'm sure I will be with you again. Then your joy in Christ Jesus will be greater than ever because of me.


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No matter what happens, live in a way that brings honor to the good news about Christ. Then I will know that you stand firm with one purpose. I may come and see you or only hear about you. But I will know that you work together as one person. And I will know that you work to spread the teachings of the good news.


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So don't be afraid in any way of those who oppose you. That will show them that they will be destroyed and that you will be saved. That's what God will do.


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Here is what he has given you to do for Christ. You must not only believe in him. You must also suffer for him.


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You are going through the same struggle you saw me go through. As you have heard, I am still struggling.


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Are you cheerful because you belong to Christ? Does his love comfort you? Is the Holy Spirit your companion? Has Christ been gentle and loving toward you?


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Then make my joy complete by agreeing with each other. Have the same love. Be one in spirit and purpose.


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Don't do anything only to get ahead. Don't do it because you are proud. Instead, be free of pride. Think of others as better than yourselves.


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None of you should look out just for your own good. You should also look out for the good of others.


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In his very nature he was God. But he did not think that being equal with God was something he should hold on to.


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Instead, he made himself nothing. He took on the very nature of a servant. He was made in human form.


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He appeared as a man. He came down to the lowest level. He obeyed God completely, even though it led to his death. In fact, he died on a cross.


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When the name of Jesus is spoken, everyone's knee will bow to worship him. Every knee in heaven and on earth and under the earth will bow to worship him.


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My dear friends, you have always obeyed God. You obeyed while I was with you. And you have obeyed even more while I am not with you. So continue to work out your own salvation. Do it with fear and trembling.


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Then you will be pure and without blame. You will be children of God without fault in a sinful and evil world. Among the people of the world you shine like stars in the heavens.


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You shine as you hold out to them the word of life. So I can brag about you on the day Christ returns. I can be happy that I didn't run or work for nothing.


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But my life might even be poured out like a drink offering on your sacrifices. I'm talking about the way you serve because you believe. Even so, I am glad. I am joyful with all of you.


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I hope to send Timothy to you soon if the Lord Jesus allows it. Then I will be cheered up when I receive news about you.


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All the others are looking out for their own interests. They are not looking out for the interests of Jesus Christ.


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But you know that Timothy has proved himself. He has served with me like a son with his father in spreading the good news.


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But I think it's necessary to send Epaphroditus back to you. He is my brother in the Lord. He is a worker and a soldier of Christ together with me. He is also your messenger. You sent him to take care of my needs.


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He was very sick. In fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him. He also had mercy on me. God spared me sadness after sadness.


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So I want even more to send him to you. Then when you see him again, you will be glad. And I won't worry so much.


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He almost died for the work of Christ. He put his life in danger to make up for the help you couldn't give me.


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Finally, my brothers and sisters, be joyful because you belong to the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write about some important matters to you again. If you know about them, you will have a safe path to follow.


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Watch out for those dogs. They do evil things. When they circumcise, it is nothing more than a useless cutting of the body.


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But we have been truly circumcised. We worship God by the power of his Spirit. We brag about what Christ Jesus has done. We don't put our trust in our weak human nature.


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I have many reasons to trust in my human nature. Others may think they have reasons to trust in theirs. But I have even more.


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I was circumcised on the eighth day. I am part of the people of Israel. I am from the tribe of Benjamin. I am a pure Hebrew. As far as the law is concerned, I am a Pharisee.


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As far as being committed is concerned, I opposed and attacked the church. As far as keeping the Law is concerned, I kept it perfectly.


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I thought things like that were for my benefit. But now I consider them to be nothing because of Christ.


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Even more, I consider everything to be nothing compared to knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. To know him is the best thing of all. Because of him I have lost everything. But I consider all of it to be garbage so I can get to know Christ.


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I want to be joined to him. For me, being right with God does not come from the law. It comes because I believe in Christ. It comes from God. It is received by faith.


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I want to know Christ better. I want to know the power that raised him from the dead. I want to share in his sufferings. I want to become like him by sharing in his death.


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I have not yet received all of those things. I have not yet been made perfect. But I move on to take hold of what Christ Jesus took hold of me for.


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Brothers and sisters, I don't consider that I have taken hold of it yet. But here is the one thing I do. I forget what is behind me. I push hard toward what is ahead of me.


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I move on toward the goal to win the prize. God has appointed me to win it. The heavenly prize is Christ Jesus himself.


