# verses

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Faith enabled the people to cross the Red Sea, as if it had been dry land, while the Egyptians, when they attempted to do so, were drowned.


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Faith saved Rahab, the prostitute, from perishing with the unbelievers, after she had entertained the spies with friendliness.


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Need I add anything more? Time would fail me if I attempted to relate the stories of Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, and those of David, Samuel, and the prophets.


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By their faith they subdued kingdoms, ruled righteously, gained the fulfilment of God's promises, “shut the mouths of lions,”


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quelled the fury of the flames, escaped the edge of the sword, found strength in the hour of weakness, displayed their prowess in war, and routed hostile armies.


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Women received back their dead raised to life. Some were tortured on the wheel, and refused release in order that they might rise to a better life.


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They were stoned to death, they were tortured, they were swan asunder, they were put to the sword; they wandered about clothed in the skins of sheep or goats, destitute, persecuted, ill-used —


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people of whom the world was not worthy — roaming in lonely places, and on the mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.


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Yet, though they all won renown by their faith, they did not obtain the final fulfilment of God's promise;


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since God had in view some better thing for us, so that they would only reach perfection together with us.


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Seeing, therefore, that there is on every side of us such a throng of witnesses, let us also lay aside everything that hinders us, and the sin that clings about us, and run with patient endurance the race that lies before us,


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our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfect example of our faith, who, for the joy that lay before him, endured the cross, heedless of its shame, and now “has taken his seat at the right hand” of the throne of God.


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Weigh well the example of him who had to endure such opposition from “people who were sinning against themselves,” so that you should not grow weary or faint-hearted.


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and you have forgotten the encouraging words which are addressed to you as God's children —<br/> “My child, think not lightly of the Lord's discipline,<br/> Do not despond when he rebukes you;


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For it is him whom he loves that he disciplines,<br/> And he chastises every child whom he acknowledges.”


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It is for your discipline that you have to endure all this. God is dealing with you as his children. For where is there a child whom his father does not discipline?


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If you are left without that discipline, in which all children share, it shows that you are bastards, and not true children.


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Further, when our earthly fathers disciplined us, we respected them. Should we not, then, much rather yield submission to the Father of souls, and live?


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Our fathers disciplined us for only a short time and as seemed best to them; but God disciplines us for our true good, to enable us to share his holiness.


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No discipline is pleasant at the time; on the contrary, it is painful. But afterwards its fruit is seen in the peacefulness of a righteous life which is the lot of those who have been trained under it.


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make straight paths for your feet,” so that the lame limb may not be put out of joint, but rather be cured.


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Try earnestly to live at peace with everyone, and to attain to that purity without which no one will see the Lord.


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


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Take care that no one becomes immoral, or irreligious like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.


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For you know that even afterwards, when he wished to claim his father's blessing, he was rejected — for he never found an opportunity to repair his error — though he begged for the blessing with tears.


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It is not to tangible “flaming fire” that you have drawn near, nor to “gloom, and darkness, and storm,


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and the blast of a trumpet, and an audible voice.” Those who heard that voice entreated that they might hear no more,


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for they could not bear to think of the command — “If even an animal touches the mountain, it is to be stoned to death;”


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No, but it is to Mount Zion that you have drawn near, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to countless hosts of angels,


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to the festal gathering and assemblage of God's firstborn whose names are enrolled in heaven, to God the judge of all people, to the spirits of the righteous who have attained perfection,


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to Jesus, the intermediary of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that tells of better things than the blood of Abel.


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Beware how you refuse to hear him who is speaking. For, if the Israelites did not escape punishment, when they refused to listen to him who taught them on earth the divine will, far worse will it be for us, if we turn away from him who is teaching us from heaven.


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Then his voice shook the earth, but now his declaration is —<br/> “Still once more I will cause not only the earth to tremble, but also the heavens.”


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And those words “still once more” indicate the passing away of all that is shaken — that is, of all created things — in order that only what is unshaken may remain.


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Therefore, let us, who have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken, be thankful, and so offer acceptable worship to God, with awe and the deepest respect.


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Do not neglect to show hospitality; for, through being hospitable, people have all unawares entertained angels.


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Remember the prisoners, as if you were their fellow prisoners, and the oppressed, not forgetting that you also are still in the body.


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Let marriage be honoured by all and the married life be pure; for God will judge those who are immoral and those who commit adultery.


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Do not let your conduct be ruled by the love of money. Be content with what you have, for God himself has said —<br/> “I will never forsake you, nor will I ever abandon you.”


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Therefore we may say with confidence —<br/> “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.<br/> What can mere people do to me?”


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Do not forget your leaders, who told you God's message. Recall the close of their lives, and imitate their faith.


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Do not let yourselves be carried away by the various novel forms of teaching. It is better to rely for spiritual strength on the divine help, than on regulations regarding food; for those whose lives are guided by such regulations have not found them of service.


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We are not without an altar; but it is one at which those who still worship in the tent have no right to eat.


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The bodies of those animals whose blood is brought by the high priest into the sanctuary, as an offering for sin, are burnt outside the camp.


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Through him let us offer, as our sacrifice, continual praise to God — an offering from lips that glorify his name.


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Never forget to do kindly acts and to share what you have with others, for such sacrifices are acceptable to God.


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Obey your leaders, and submit to their control, for they are watching over your souls, since they will have to render an account, so that they may do it with joy, and not in sorrow. That would not be to your advantage.


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Pray for us, for we are sure that our consciences are clear, since our wish is to be occupied with what is good.


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May God, the source of all peace, who brought back from the dead him who, “by virtue of the blood that rendered valid the unchangeable covenant, is the great shepherd of God's Sheep,” Jesus, our Lord —


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may God make you perfect in everything that is good, so that you may be able to do his will. May he bring out in us all that is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be all glory for ever and ever. Amen.


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I beg you, friends, to bear with these words of advice. For I have written only very briefly to you.


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You will be glad to hear that our friend, Timothy, has been set free. If he comes here soon, we will visit you together.


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Give our greeting to all your leaders, and to all Christ's people. Our friends from Italy send their greetings to you.


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James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, greets the twelve tribes that are living abroad.


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My friends, whatever trials you may face from time to time, always regard them as a reason for rejoicing,


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And let endurance do its work perfectly, so that you may be altogether perfect, and in no respect lacking.


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If any one of you lacks wisdom, they should ask wisdom from the God who gives freely to everyone without reproach, and it will be given to them.


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But they should ask with confidence, never doubting; for the person who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven here and there at the mercy of the wind —


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but a rich follower of their humiliation; for the rich will pass away “like the flower of the grass.”


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As the sun rises, and the hot wind blows, “the grass withers, its flower fades,” and all its beauty is gone. So is it with the rich. In the midst of their pursuits they will wither away.


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Blessed is the person who remains firm under temptation, for, when they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him.


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Let no one say, when they are tempted, ‘It is God who is tempting me!’ For God, who cannot be tempted to do wrong, does not himself tempt anyone.


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Every good thing given us, and every perfect gift, is from above, and comes down to us from the Father of the lights in the heavens, who is himself never subject to change or to eclipse.


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Because he so willed, he gave us life, through the message of the truth, so that we should be, as it were, a kind of first fruits of his creation.


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Therefore, get rid of all filthiness and whatever wickedness still remains, and in a humble spirit receive that message which has been planted in your hearts and is able to save your souls.


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For, when anyone listens to it and does not practice it, they are like a person looking at their own face in a mirror.


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but the person who looks carefully into the perfect Law, the Law of freedom, and continues to do so, not listening to it and then forgetting it, but putting it into practice — that person will be blessed in what they do.


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When a person appears to be religious, yet does not bridle their tongue, but imposes on their own conscience, that person's religious observances are valueless.


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That religious observance which is pure and spotless in the eyes of God our Father is this — to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the world.


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My friends, are you really trying to combine faith in Jesus Christ, our glorified Lord, with discrimination?


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Suppose a visitor should enter your synagogue, with gold rings and in grand clothes, and suppose a poor man should come in also, in shabby clothes,


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and you show more respect to the visitor who is wearing grand clothes, and say — ‘There is a good seat for you here,’ but to the poor man — ‘You must stand; or sit down there by my footstool,’


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Listen, my dear friends. Has not God chosen those who are poor in the things of this world to be rich through their faith, and to possess the kingdom which he has promised to those who love him?


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But you — you insult the poor man! Isn't it the rich who oppress you? Isn't it they who drag you into law courts?


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If you keep the royal law which runs — “You must love your neighbour as you love yourself,” you are doing right;


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but, if you discriminate, you commit a sin, and stand convicted by that same law of being offenders against it.


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For a person who has laid the Law, as a whole, to heart, but has failed in one particular, is accountable for breaking all its provisions.


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He who said “You must not commit adultery” also said “You must not murder.” If, then, you commit murder but not adultery, you are still an offender against the Law.


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For there will be justice without mercy for the person who has not acted mercifully. Mercy triumphs over Justice.


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My friends, what good is it if someone claims that they have faith, but they do not prove it by actions? Can such faith save them?


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and one of you says to them — ‘Go, and peace be with you; keep warm and eat well!’ and yet you do not actually give them the necessities of life, what good would it be to them?


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Someone, indeed, may say — ‘You are a man of faith, and I am a man of action.’<br/> ‘Then show me your faith,’ I reply, ‘apart from any actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions.’


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It is a part of your faith, is it not, that there is one God? Good; yet even the demons have that faith, and tremble at the thought.


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Look at our ancestor, Abraham. Was he not justified by his actions after he had offered his son, Isaac, on the altar?


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You see how, in his case, faith and actions went together; that his faith was perfected as the result of his actions;


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and that in this way the words of scripture came true — ‘Abraham believed God, and that was regarded by God as righteousness,’ and ‘He was called the friend of God.’


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Wasn't it the same with the prostitute, Rahab? Was she not justified by her actions, after she had welcomed the messengers and helped them escape by another road?


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Not many of you should become teachers, my friends, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly than others.


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We often make mistakes, every one of us. Anyone who does not make mistakes when speaking is indeed a perfect person, able to bridle their whole body as well.


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When we put bits into horses' mouths to make them obey us, we change their course the rest of their bodies.


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Again, think of ships. Large as they are, and even when driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder and steered in whatever direction the man at the helm may determine.


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So is it with the tongue. Small as it is, it is a great boaster. Think how a tiny spark may set the largest forest ablaze!


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And the tongue is like a spark. It is a world of unrighteousness among the parts of our body. It contaminates the whole body; it sets the whole course of our existence on fire, and is itself set on fire by the flames of Gehenna.


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For while all kinds of animals, birds and reptiles and sea creatures can be tamed and have been tamed by humans,


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From the very same mouth come blessings and curses! My friends, it is not right that this should be so.


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Can a fig tree, my friends, bear olives? Or a vine bear figs? No, nor can a brackish well give good water.


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Who among you claims to be wise and intelligent? They should show that their actions are the outcome of a good life lived in the humility of true wisdom.


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But if you harbour bitter envy and a spirit of rivalry in your hearts, do not boast or deny the truth.


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For where envy and rivalry exist, there you will also find disorder and all kinds of bad, worthless actions.


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But the wisdom from above is, before everything else, pure; then peace-loving, gentle, open to conviction, rich in compassion and good deeds, and free from partiality and insincerity.


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What is the cause of the fighting and quarrelling that goes on among you? Isn't it to be found in the desires which are always at war within you?


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You crave, yet do not have, so you commit murder, so You covet, yet cannot gain your end. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.


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You ask, yet do not receive, because you ask for a wrong purpose — to spend what you get on your pleasures.


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Unfaithful people! Don't you know that to be friends with the world means to be at enmity with God? Therefore whoever chooses to be friends with the world makes himself an enemy to God.


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Do you suppose scripture means nothing when it says, “Envy results from the longings of the spirit which God has implanted within you?”


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But he gives us greater grace; and that is why it says, —<br/> “God opposes the haughty,<br/> but gives grace to the humble.”


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Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Make your hands clean, you sinners; and your hearts pure, you vacillators!


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Do not disparage one another, friends. The person who disparages others, or passes judgment on them, disparages the Law and passes judgment on the Law. But, if you pass judgment on the Law, you are not obeying it, but judging it.


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There is only one lawgiver and judge — he who has the power both to save and to destroy. So then who who are you to pass judgment on your neighbour?


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Listen to me, you who say “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money,”


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yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow! For you are but a a puff of smoke that appears for a little while and then vanishes.


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Your gold and silver are rusted; and the rust on them will be evidence against you, and will eat into your flesh. It was fire, so to speak, that you stored up for yourselves in these last days.


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Listen! The wages you have held back from the labourers who mowed your fields are crying out against you, and the outcries of your harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts!


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You have lived on earth a life of extravagance and luxury; you have indulged your fancies in a time of bloodshed.


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Be patient, then, friends, until the coming of the Lord. Even the farmer has to wait for the precious fruit of the earth, watching over it patiently, until it has had the spring and summer rains.


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Do not make complaints against one another, friends, or judgment will be passed on you. The judge is already standing at the door!


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Friends, as an example of the patient endurance of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.


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We count those who displayed such endurance blessed! You have heard, too, of Job's endurance, and have seen what the Lord's purpose was, for “the Lord is full of pity and compassion.”


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Above all things, my friends, never take an oath, either by heaven, or by earth, or by anything else. Let your “Yes” suffice for yes, and “No” for no, so that you may escape condemnation.


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If anyone of you is ill, they should send for the church elders, and let them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.


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The prayer offered in faith will save the person who is sick, and the Lord will raise them from their bed; and if they have committed sins, they will be forgiven.


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Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be cured. Great is the power of a good person's fervent prayer.


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Elijah was only human like ourselves, but, when he prayed fervently that it might not rain, no rain fell on the land for three and a half years.


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be sure that the person who brings a sinner back from their mistaken ways will save that person's soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.


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To the people of God who are living abroad, dispersed throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Roman Asia, and Bithynia,


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


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Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has, in his great mercy, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,


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given us the new life of undying hope, that promises an inheritance, imperishable, stainless, unfading, which has been reserved for you in heaven —


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for you who, through faith, are being guarded by the power of God, awaiting a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last days.


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At the thought of this you are full of exultation, though (if it has been necessary) you have suffered for the moment somewhat from various trials;


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that the genuineness of your faith — a thing far more precious than gold, which is perishable, yet has to be tested by fire — may win praise and glory and honour at the appearing of Jesus Christ.


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Though you have never seen him, yet you love him; though you do not even now see him, yet you believe in him, and exalt with a triumphant happiness too great for words,


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It was this salvation that the prophets, who spoke long ago of the blessing intended for you, sought, and strove to comprehend;


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as they strove to discern what that time could be, to which the Spirit of Christ within them was pointing, when foretelling the sufferings that Christ would have to endure, and the glories that would follow.


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


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Therefore concentrate your minds, with the strictest self-control, and fix your hopes on the blessing that is coming for you at the appearing of Jesus Christ.


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Be like obedient children; do not let your lives be shaped by the passions which once swayed you in the days of your ignorance,


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but in your whole life show yourselves to be holy, after the pattern of the Holy One from whom you received your call.


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And since you call on him as “Father,” who judges everyone impartially by what he has done, let respectful awe be the spirit of your lives during the time of your stay on earth.


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For you know that it was not by perishable things, such as silver and gold, that you were ransomed from the aimless way of living which was handed down to you from your ancestors,


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Destined for this before the beginning of the world, he has been revealed in these last days for your sakes,


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who, through him, are faithful to God who raised him from the dead and gave him honour, so that your faith and hope are now in God.


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Now that, by your obedience to the truth, you have purified your lives, so that there is growing up among you a genuine affection, love one another earnestly with all your hearts;


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since your new life has come, not from perishable, but imperishable, seed, through the message of the Everliving God.


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For —<br/> “All earthly life is but as grass,<br/> and all its splendour as the flower of grass.<br/> The grass fades,<br/> its flower falls,<br/>


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but the teaching of the Lord remains for ever.”<br/> And that is the teaching of the good news which has been told to you.


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Now that you have done with all malice, all deceitfulness, insincerity, jealous feelings, and all backbiting,


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like newly born infants, crave pure spiritual milk, so that you may be enabled by it to grow until you attain salvation —


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Come to him, then, as to a living stone, rejected, indeed, by men, but in God's eyes choice and precious;


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and, as living stones, form yourselves into a spiritual house, to be a consecrated priesthood, for the offering of spiritual sacrifices that will be acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.


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For there is a passage of scripture that runs — <br/> “See, I am placing in Zion a choice and precious corner-stone;<br/> And those who believe in him will have no cause for shame.”


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It is to you, then, who believe in him that he is precious, but to those who do not believe he is “a stone which, though rejected by the builders, has now itself become the corner-stone,”


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and “a stumbling-block, and a rock which will prove a hindrance.” They stumble because they do not accept the message. This was the fate destined for them.


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But you are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, God's own people,” entrusted with the proclamation of the goodness of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.


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Once you were “not a people,” but now you are “God's people”; once you “had not found mercy,” but now you “have found mercy.”


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Dear friends, I beg you, as pilgrims and strangers on earth, to refrain from indulging the cravings of your earthly nature, for they make war on the soul.


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Let your daily life among the Gentiles be so upright, that, whenever they malign you as evil-doers, they may learn, as they watch, from the uprightness of your conduct, to praise God “at the time when he will visit them.”


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Submit to all human institutions for the Lord's sake, alike to the emperor as the supreme authority,


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For God's will is this — that you should silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing what is right.


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Act as free people, yet not using your freedom as those do who make it a cloak for wickedness, but as Servants of God.


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Those of you who are domestic servants should always be submissive and respectful to their masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are arbitrary.


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For this wins God's approval when, because conscious of God's presence, a person who is suffering unjustly bears their troubles patiently.


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What credit can you claim when, after doing wrong, you take your punishment for it patiently? But, on the other hand, if, after doing right, you take your sufferings patiently, that does win the approval of God.


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For it was to this that you were called! For Christ, too, suffered — on your behalf — and left you an example, that you should follow in his steps.


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He was abused, but he did not answer with abuse; he suffered, but he did not threaten; he entrusted himself to him whose judgments are just.


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And he “himself carried our sins” in his own body to the cross, so that we might die to our sins, and live for righteousness. “His bruising was your healing.”


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Once you were straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.


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Again, you married women should submit to your husbands, so that if any of them reject the message, they may, apart from the message, be won over, by the conduct of their wives,


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Yours should be, not the external adornment of the arrangement of the hair, the wearing of jewellery, or the putting on of dresses,


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but the inner life with the imperishable beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit; for this is very precious in God's sight.


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It was by this that the holy women of old, who rested their hopes on God, adorned themselves; submitting to their husbands,


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as Sarah did, who obeyed Abraham, and called him master. And you are her true children, as long as you live good lives, and let nothing terrify you.


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Again, those of you who are married men should live considerately with their wives, showing due regard to their sex, as physically weaker than their own, and not forgetting that they share with you in the gift of life. Then you will be able to pray without hindrance.


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Lastly, you should all be united, sympathetic, full of love for each other, kind-hearted, humble-minded;


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never returning evil for evil, or abuse for abuse, but, on the contrary, blessing. It was to this that you were called — to obtain a blessing!


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“The person who wants to enjoy life<br/> And see happy days —<br/> They should keep their tongue from evil<br/> And their lips from deceitful words,


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For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,<br/> And his ears are attentive to their prayers,<br/> But the face of the Lord is set against those who do wrong.”


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Even if you should suffer for righteousness, count yourselves blessed! “Do not let people terrify you, or allow yourselves to be dismayed.”


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Revere the Christ as Lord in your hearts; always ready to give an answer to anyone who asks your reason for the hope that you cherish, but giving it with courtesy and respect,


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and keeping your consciences clear, so that, whenever you are maligned, those who vilify your good and Christian conduct may be put to shame.


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It is better that you should suffer, if that should be God's will, for doing right, than for doing wrong.


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For Christ himself died to atone for sins once for all — the good on behalf of the bad — that he might bring you to God; his body being put to death, but his spirit entering on new life.


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who once were disobedient, at the time when God patiently waited, in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared; in which some few lives, eight in all, were saved by means of water.


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And baptism, which this foreshadowed, now saves you — not the mere cleansing of the body, but the search of a clear conscience after God — through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,


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who has gone into heaven, and is at God's right hand, where angels and archangels and the powers of heaven now yield submission to him.


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Since, then, Christ suffered in body, arm yourselves with the same resolve as he; for he who has suffered in body has ceased to sin,


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and so will live the rest of his earthly life guided, not by human passions, but by the will of God.


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Surely in the past you have spent time enough living as the Gentiles delight to live. For your path has lain among scenes of debauchery, licentiousness, drunkenness, revelry, hard-drinking, and profane idolatry.


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And, because you do not run to the same extremes of profligacy as others, they are astonished, and malign you.


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But they will have to answer for their conduct to him who is ready to judge both the living and the dead.


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For that was why the good news was told to the dead also — that, after they have been judged in the body, as people are judged, they might live in the spirit, as God lives.


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


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Above all things, let your love for one another be earnest, for “Love throws a veil over countless sins.”


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Whatever the gift that each has received, use it in the service of others, as good stewards of the varied bounty of God.


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When anyone speaks, they should speak as one who is delivering the oracles of God. When anyone is endeavouring to serve others, they should do so in reliance on the strength which God supplies; so that in everything God may be honoured through Jesus Christ — to whom be ascribed all honour and might for ever and ever. Amen.


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Dear friends, do not be astonished at the trial of fire that you are passing through, to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.


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No, the more you share the sufferings of the Christ, the more may you rejoice, that, when the time comes for the manifestation of his glory, you may rejoice and exult.


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If you are insulted for bearing the name of Christ, count yourselves blessed; because the divine glory and the Spirit of God are resting on you.


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I need hardly say that no one among you must suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a criminal, or for interfering in matters which do not concern Christians.


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But, if someone suffers as a Christian, they should not be ashamed of it; they should bring honour to God even though they bear that name.


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For the time has come for judgment to begin with the house of God; and, if it begins with us, what will be the end of those who reject God's good news?


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Therefore, I say, let those who suffer, because God wills it so, commit their lives into the hands of a faithful Creator, and persevere in doing right.


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As for the older ones among you, who are elders in the church, I, their fellow elder, and a witness to the sufferings of the Christ, who will also share in the glory that is to be revealed —


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I beg you to be true shepherds of the flock of God among you, not because you are compelled, but of your own free will; not from a base love of gain, but with a ready spirit;


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Again, you younger ones should show deference to the older. And all of you should put on the badge of humility in mutual service, for “God is opposed to the proud, but gives his help to the humble.”


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Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in his good time,


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


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Stand firm against him, strong in your faith; knowing, as you do, that the sufferings which you are undergoing are being endured to the full by the Lord's followers throughout the world.


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God, from whom all help comes, and who called you, by your union with Christ, into his eternal glory, will, when you have suffered for a little while, himself perfect, establish, strengthen you.


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I have been writing to you briefly by the hand of Silas, our true-hearted friend (for so I regard him), to encourage you, and to bear my testimony that in what I have written is to be found the true love of God. On that take your stand.


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To those to whom, through the justice of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ, there has been granted faith equally privileged with our own, from Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ.


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May blessing and peace be yours in ever increasing measure, as you advance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus, our Lord.


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For his divine power has given us everything that is needful for a life of piety, as we advance in the knowledge of him who called us by a glorious manifestation of his goodness.


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For it was through this that he gave us what we prize as the greatest of his promises, that through them you might participate in the divine nature, now that you have fled from the corruption in the world, resulting from human passions.


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For, when these virtues are yours, in increasing measure, they prevent your being indifferent to, or destitute of, a fuller knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.


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Surely the person who has not these virtues is shortsighted even to blindness, and has chosen to forget that they have been purified from their sins of the past!


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Therefore, friends, do your best to put God's call and selection of you beyond all doubt; for, if you do this, you will never fall.


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For in this way you will be given a triumphant admission into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.


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I will, therefore, always be ready to remind you of all this, even though you know it and are firmly established in the truth that you now hold.


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But I think it my duty, as long as I live in this “tent,” to rouse you by awakening memories of the past;


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for I know that the time for this “tent” of mine to be put away is soon coming, as our Lord Jesus Christ himself assured me.


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For we were not following cleverly devised stories when we told you of the coming in power of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eye-witnesses of his majesty.


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For he received honour and glory from God the Father, when from the glory of the Divine Majesty there were borne to his ears words such as these — “This is my dearly loved son, who brings me great joy.”


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These were the words that we heard, borne to our ears from heaven, when we were with him on that sacred mountain.


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And still stronger is the assurance that we have in the teaching of the prophets; to which you will do well to pay attention (as if it were a lamp shining in a gloomy place), until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.


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But first be assured of this: — There is no prophetic teaching found in scripture that can be interpreted by a person's unaided reason;


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for no prophetic teaching ever came in the old days at the mere wish of people, but people, moved by the Holy Spirit, spoke direct from God.


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But there were false prophets also in the nation, just as there will be false teachers among you, people who will secretly introduce ruinous divisions, disowning even the Lord who bought them, and bringing speedy ruin on themselves.


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There will be many, too, who will follow their licentious courses, and cause the way of the truth to be maligned.


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In their covetousness they will try to make you a source of profit by their fabrications; but for a long time past their sentence has not been standing idle, nor their ruin slumbering.


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Remember, God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them down to Tartarus, and consigned them to caverns of darkness, to be kept under guard for judgment.


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Nor did he spare the world of old; though he preserved Noah, the preacher of righteousness, and seven others, when he brought a flood on the godless world.


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He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and reduced them to ashes, holding them up as a warning to the godless of what was in store for them;


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for, seeing and hearing what he did, as he lived his righteous life among them, day after day, Lot's righteous soul was tortured by their wicked doings.


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The Lord, therefore, knows how to deliver the pious from temptation, and to keep the wicked, who are even now suffering punishment, in readiness for “the day of judgment” —


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especially those who, following the promptings of their lower nature, indulge their polluting passions and despise all control. Audacious and self-willed, they feel no awe of the celestial beings, maligning them,


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even where angels, though excelling them in strength and power, do not bring against them a malignant charge before the Lord.


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These people, however, like animals without reason, intended by nature to be caught and killed — these people, I say, malign those of whom they know nothing, and will assuredly perish through their own corruption,


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suffering themselves, as the penalty for the suffering that they have inflicted. They think that pleasure consists in the self-indulgence of the moment. They are a stain and a disgrace, indulging, as they do, in their wanton revelry, even while joining you at your feasts.


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They have eyes only for adulteresses, eyes never tired of sin; they entice weak souls; their minds are trained to covet; they live under a curse.


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Leaving the straight road, they have gone astray and followed in the steps of Balaam, the son of Beor, who set his heart on the reward for wrong-doing,


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but was rebuked for his offence. A dumb animal spoke with a human voice, and checked the prophet's madness.


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These people are like springs without water, or mists driven before a gale; and for them the blackest darkness has been reserved.


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With boastful and foolish talk, they appeal to the passions of people's lower nature, and, by their profligacy, entice those who are just escaping from the people who live such misguided lives.


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They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to corrupt habits; for a person is the slave of anything to which they give way.


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If, after having escaped the polluting influences of the world, through knowing our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, people are again entangled in them, and give way to them, their last state has become worse than their first.


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It would, indeed, have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn away from the holy command delivered to them.


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In their case is seen the truth of the proverb — “A dog returns to what it has vomited” and “A sow after washing to her wallowing-place in the mud.”


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This, dear friends, is my second letter to you. In both of them I have tried, by appealing to your remembrance, to arouse your better feelings.


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I want you to recall what was foretold by the holy prophets, as well as the command of our Lord and Saviour given to you through your apostles.


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will come and ask scoffingly — “Where is his promised coming? Ever since our ancestors passed to their rest, everything remains just as it was when the world was first created!”


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For they wilfully shut their eyes to the fact that long ago the heavens existed; and the earth, also — formed out of water and by the action of water, by the fiat of God;


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But the present heavens and earth, by the same fiat, have been reserved for fire, and are being kept for the day of the judgment and destruction of the godless.


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But you, dear friends, must never shut your eyes to the fact that, to the Lord, one day is the same as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.


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The Lord is not slow to fulfil his promise, as some count slowness; but he is forbearing with you, as it is not his will that any of you should perish, but that all should be brought to repentance.


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


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Now, since all these things are in the process of dissolution, think what you yourselves ought to be — what holy and pious lives you ought to lead,


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while you wait for the coming of the day of God and strive to make it come soon <n>Note: Or "and desire its coming"</n>. At its coming the heavens will be dissolved in fire, and the elements melted by heat,


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but we look for “new heavens and a new earth,” where righteousness will have its home, in fulfilment of the promise of God.


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Therefore, dear friends, in expectation of these things, make every effort to be found by him spotless, blameless, and at peace.


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Regard our Lord's forbearance as your one hope of salvation. This is what our dear friend Paul wrote to you, with the wisdom that God gave him.


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It is the same in all his letters, when he speaks in them about these subjects. There are some things in them difficult to understand, which untaught and weak people distort, just as they do all other writings, to their own ruin.


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


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and advance in the love and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. All glory be to him now and for ever.


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It is of what has been in existence from the beginning, of what we have heard, of what we have seen with our eyes, of what we watched reverently and touched with our hands — it is about the Word who is the life that we are now writing.


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That life was made visible, and we have seen it, and now bear our testimony to it, and tell you of that eternal life, which was with the Father and was made visible to us.


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It is of what we have seen and heard that we now tell you, so that you may have communion with us. And our communion is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.


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These, then, are the tidings that we have heard from him and now tell you — “God is light, and darkness has no place at all in him.”


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If we say that we have communion with him, and yet continue to live in the darkness, we lie, and are not living the truth.


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But, if our lives are lived in the light, as God himself is in the light, we have communion with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.


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If we confess our sins, God may be trusted, in his righteousness, to forgive us our sins and purify us from all wickedness.


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My children, I am writing to you to keep you from sinning; but if anyone should sin, we have one who can plead for us with the Father — Jesus Christ, the righteous —


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and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but for those of the whole world besides.


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The person who says “I know Jesus,” but does not lay his commands to heart, is a liar, and the truth has no place in them;


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but, whenever a person lays his message to heart, in that person the love of God has indeed reached its perfection. By this we know that we are in union with God —


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Dear friends, it is no new command that I am writing to you, but an old command, which you have had from the first. That old command is the message to which you listened.


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Yet, in a way, it is a new command that I am writing to you — manifest in Christ's life and in your own — for the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.


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The person who loves others is always in the light, and there is nothing within them to cause them to stumble;


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while the person who hates others is in the darkness, and is living in the darkness, and does not know where they are going, because the darkness prevents them seeing.


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I am writing, adults in the faith, to you, because you have learned to know him who has been from the beginning. I am writing, young ones in the faith, to you, because you have conquered the evil one. I write, children, to you, because you have learned to know the Father.


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I write, adults in the faith, to you, because you have learned to know him who has been from the beginning. I write, young ones in the faith, to you, because you are strong, and God's message is always in your hearts, and you have conquered the evil one.


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Do not love the world or what the world can offer. When anyone loves the world, there is no love for the Father in them;


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for all that the world can offer — the gratification of the earthly nature, the gratification of the eye, the pretentious life — belongs, not to the Father, but to the world.


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And the world, and all that it gratifies, is passing away, but they who do God's will remains for ever.


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My children, these are the last days. You were told that an antichrist was coming; and many antichrists have already arisen. By that we know that these are the last days.


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


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You all know — But I am not writing to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because nothing false can come from the truth.


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Who is a liar, if not the person who rejects the truth that Jesus is the Christ? That person is the antichrist — the person who rejects the Father and the Son.


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No one who rejects the Son has found the Father; the person who acknowledges the Son has found the Father also.


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As for you, let what you were told at the first be always in your thoughts. If, then, what you were told at the first is always in your thoughts, you yourselves will maintain your union both with the Son and with the Father.


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But you — you still retain in your hearts that consecration which you received from the Christ, and are not in need of anyone to teach you; but, since his consecration of you teaches you about everything, and since it is a real consecration, and no lie, then, as it has taught you, maintain your union with him.


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Yes, my children, maintain your union with Christ, so that, whenever he appears, our confidence may not fail us, and we may not be ashamed to meet him at his coming.


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Knowing him to be righteous, you realise that everyone who lives righteously has received the new life from him.


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Think what love the Father has shown us in allowing us to be called “children of God”; as indeed we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it has not learned to know him.


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Dear friends, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is that, when it is revealed, we will be like Christ; because we will see him as he is.


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And everyone who has this hope with regard to Christ tries to make themselves pure — as Christ is pure.


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No one who maintains union with him lives in sin; no one who lives in sin has ever really seen him or learned to know him.


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My children, do not let anyone mislead you. The person who lives righteously is righteous — as Christ is righteous.


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The person who lives sinfully belongs to the devil, for the devil has sinned from the first. It was for this that the Son of God appeared, that he might undo the devil's work.


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No one who has received the new life from God lives sinfully, because the nature of God dwells within them; and they cannot live in sin, because they have received the new life from God.


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By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil — No one who lives unrighteously comes from God, and especially the person who does not love others.


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We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? It was because his life was bad while his brother's was good.


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We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love each other. The person who does not love remains in a state of death.


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The person who hates another is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life within them.


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We have learned to know what love is from this — that Christ laid down his life on our behalf. Therefore we also ought to lay down our lives for each other.


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But, if anyone has worldly possessions, and yet looks on while one of our own is in need, and steels their heart against that person, how can it be said that the love of God is within them?


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My children, do not let our love be mere words, or end in talk; let it be true and show itself in acts.


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By that we will know that we are on the side of the truth; and we will satisfy ourselves in God's sight,


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and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we are laying his commands to heart, and are doing what is pleasing in his sight.


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His command is this — that we should put our trust in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, in accordance with the command that he gave us.


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And the person who lays his commands to heart maintains union with Christ, and Christ with them. And by this we know that Christ maintains union with us — by our possession of the Spirit which he gave us.


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


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This is the way by which to know the inspiration of God — All inspiration that acknowledges Jesus Christ as come in our human nature is from God;


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while all inspiration that does not acknowledge Jesus is not inspiration from God. It is the inspiration of the Antichrist; you have heard that it was to come, and it is now already in the world.


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You, my children, come from God, and you have successfully resisted such people as these, because he who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.


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Those people belong to the world; and therefore they speak as the world speaks, and the world listens to them.


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We come from God. He who knows God listens to us; the person who does not come from God does not listen to us. By that we may know the true inspiration from the false.


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Dear friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God; and everyone who loves has received the new life from God and knows God.


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The love of God was revealed to us by his sending his only Son into the world, so that we might find life through him.


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His love is seen in this — not in our having loved God, but in his loving us and sending his Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins.


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No human eyes have ever seen God, yet, if we love one another, God remains in union with us, and his love attains its perfection in us.


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We know that we remain in union with him, and he with us, by this — by his having given us some measure of his Spirit.


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Moreover, our eyes have seen — and we are testifying to the fact — that the Father has sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.


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Whoever acknowledges that Jesus Christ is the Son of God — God remains in union with that man, and he with God.


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And, moreover, we have learned to know, and have accepted as a fact, the love which God has for us.<br/> God is love; and whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.


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It is through this that love has attained its perfection in us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment, because what Christ is that we also are in this world.


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There is no fear in love. No! Love, when perfect, drives out fear, because fear implies punishment, and the person who feels fear has not attained to perfect love.


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If someone says “I love God,” and yet hates another person, they are a liar; for the person who does not love their fellow, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.


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Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has received the new life from God; and everyone who loves him who gave that life loves him who has received it.


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because all that has received the new life from God conquers the world. And this is the power that has conquered the world — our faith!


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He it is whose coming was by water and blood — Jesus Christ himself; not by water only, but by water and by blood. And there is the Spirit also to bear testimony, and the Spirit is truth itself.


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We accept the testimony of people, but God's testimony is still stronger; and there is the testimony of God — the fact that he has already borne testimony about his Son.


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The person who believes in the Son of God has that testimony within them. The person who does not believe God has made God a liar, by refusing to believe in that testimony which he has borne about his Son.


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The person who finds the Son finds life; the person who does not find the Son of God does not find life.


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I write this to you so that you may realise that you have found eternal life — you who believe in the name of the Son of God.


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And this is the confidence with which we approach him, that whenever we ask anything that is in accordance with his will, he listens to us.


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And if we realise that he listens to us — whatever we ask — we realise that we have what we have asked from him.


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If anyone sees one of our people committing some sin that is not a deadly sin, they will ask, and so be the means of giving life to them — to any whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin; about that I do not say that a person should pray.


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We know that no one who has received the new life from God lives in sin. No, the person who has received the new life from God keeps the thought of God in their heart, and then the evil one does not touch them.


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We realise, too, that the Son of God has come among us, and has given us the discernment to know the true God; and we are in union with the true God by our union with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and he is eternal life.


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To an eminent Christian Lady, and to her children, from the church elder. I sincerely love you all, and not I only, but also all those who have learned to know the truth.


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We love you for the sake of that truth which is always in our hearts; yes, and it will be ours for ever.


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Blessing, mercy, and peace will be ours — the gift of God, the Father, and of Jesus Christ, the Father's Son — in a life of truth and love.


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It was a great joy to me to find the lives of some of your children guided by the truth, in obedience to the command that we received from the Father.


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And now, I pray you, Lady — not as though I were writing a new command for you; no, it is the command which we had from the first — Let us love one another.


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And this is love — to live in obedience to the Father's commands. This is the command as you learned from the first, to live in a spirit of love.


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I say this because many impostors have left us to go into the world — people who do not acknowledge Jesus as Christ come in our human nature. It is that which marks someone as an impostor and an antichrist.


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Everyone who goes beyond the limits of the teaching of the Christ has failed to find God; the person who keeps to that teaching — they have found both the Father and the Son.


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If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive them into your house or welcome them;


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Though I have a great deal to say to you, I would rather not trust it to paper and ink, but I am hoping to come and see you, and to speak with you face to face, so that your joy may be complete.


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Dear friend, I pray that all may be well with you and that you may have good health — I know that all is well with your soul.


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For it was a great joy to me, when some followers of the Lord came and testified to your fidelity to the truth — I know that your own life is guided by the truth.


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Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to hear from time to time that the lives of my children are guided by the truth.


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Dear friend, whatever you do for other followers is done in a Christian spirit — even when they are strangers to you.


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They themselves have testified before the church to your love; and you will do well to help them on their way in a manner worthy of the service of God.


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For it was on behalf of the name that they left their homes, and refused to take anything from the Gentiles.


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We, therefore, ought to give such people a hearty welcome, and so take our share in their work for the truth.


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I wrote a few lines to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, declines to recognise us.


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Therefore, when I come, I will not forget his conduct in ridiculing us with his wicked tongue. Not content with that, he not only declines to recognise our friends who are followers himself, but actually prevents those who would, and expels them from the church.


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Dear friend, take what is good for your example, not what is bad. The person who does what is good is from God; the person who does what is bad has never seen God.


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Everyone has always had a good word for Demetrius, and the truth itself speaks for him. Yes, and we also add our good word, and you know that what we say about him is true.


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I hope, however, it will not be long before I see you, and then we will speak face to face. Peace be with you. Our friends here send you their greetings. Greet each one of our friends.


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To those who, having received the call, have been loved by God the Father and protected by Jesus Christ, From Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and the brother of James.


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Dear friends, while I was making every effort to write to you about our common salvation, I felt that I must write to you at once to encourage you to fight in defence of the faith that has once for all been entrusted to the keeping of Christ's people.


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For there have crept in among you certain godless people, whose sentence has long since been pronounced, and who make the mercy of God an excuse for profligacy, and disown our only lord and master, Jesus Christ.


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Now I want to remind you — but you already know it all — that, though the Lord delivered the people from Egypt, yet he afterwards destroyed those who refused to believe in him;


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and that even those angels, who did not keep to their appointed spheres, but left their proper homes, have been kept by him for the judgment of the great day in everlasting chains and black darkness.


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Like Sodom and Gomorrah and the towns near them, which gave themselves up to fornication, and fell into unnatural vice, these angels now stand out as a warning, undergoing, as they are, punishment in eternal fire.


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Yet in the same way these people, too, cherishing vain dreams, pollute our human nature, reject control, and malign the celestial beings.


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Yet even Michael, the archangel, when, in his dispute with the devil, he was arguing about the body of Moses, did not venture to charge him with maligning, but said merely “The Lord rebuke you!”


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But these people malign whatever they do not understand; while they use such things as they know by instinct (like the animals that have no reason) for their own corruption.


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Alas for them! They walk in the steps of Cain; led astray by Balaam's love of gain, they plunge into sin, and meet their ruin through rebellion like Korah.


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These are the people who are blots on your “love-feasts,” when they feast together and provide without scruple for themselves alone. They are clouds without rain, driven before the winds; they are leafless trees without a vestige of fruit, dead through and through, torn up by the roots;


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they are wild sea waves, foaming with their own shame; they are “wandering stars,” for which the blackest darkness has been reserved for ever.


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To these people, as to others, Enoch, the seventh in descent from Adam, declared — “See! The Lord has come with his hosts of holy ones around him,


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to execute judgment on all people, and to convict all godless people of all their godless acts, which in their ungodliness they have committed, and of all the harsh words which they have spoken against him, godless sinners that they are!”


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These people are always murmuring, and complaining of their lot; they follow where their passions lead them; they have arrogant words on their lips; and they flatter others for the sake of what they can get from them.


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how they used to say to you — “As time draws to an end, there will be scoffers, who will be led by their godless passions.”


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But you must, dear friends, build up your characters on the foundation of your most holy faith, pray under the guidance of the Holy Spirit,


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and keep within the love of God, while waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to bring you to eternal life.


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To him who is able to guard you from falling, and to bring you into his glorious presence, blameless and rejoicing —


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to the one God, our Saviour, be ascribed, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, glory, majesty, power, and dominion, as it was before time began, is now, and will be for all time to come. Amen.


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


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who testified to the message of God and to the testimony to Jesus Christ, omitting nothing of what he had seen.


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


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From John, to the seven churches which are in Roman Asia. Blessing and peace be yours from him who is, and who was, and who will be, and from the seven spirits that are before his throne,


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and from Jesus Christ, “the faithful witness, the first-born from the dead, and the Ruler of all the kings of the earth.” To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his own blood —


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and he made us “a kingdom of priests in the service of God,” his Father! — to Him be ascribed glory and dominion for ever. Amen.


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“He is coming among the clouds!” Every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; “and all the nations of the earth will mourn over him.” So will it be. Amen.


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<J>“I am the Alpha and the Omega,”</J> says the Lord, <J>the God who is, and who was, and who will be, the Almighty.</J>


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


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I fell into a trance on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like the blast of a trumpet.


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It said — <J>“Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamus, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicaea.”</J>


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and in the midst of the lamps one “like a man, in a robe reaching to his feet,” and with a golden sash across his breast.


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and his feet were like brass” as when molten in a furnace; “his voice was like the sound of many streams,”


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in his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like “the sun in the fulness of its power.”


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And, when I saw him, I fell at his feet like one dead. He laid his hand on me and said — <J>“Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,</J>


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<J>the Everliving. I died, and I am alive for ever and ever. And I hold the keys of the Grave and of the place of the dead.</J>


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<J>Therefore write of what you have seen and of what is happening now and of what is about to take place —</J>


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<J>the mystic meaning of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lamps. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lamps are the seven churches.</J>


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<J>To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: — ‘These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, and walks among the seven golden lamps: —</J>


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<J>I know your life, your toil and endurance, and I know that you cannot tolerate evil-doers. I know, too, how you tested those who declare that they are apostles, though they are not, and how you proved them false.</J>


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<J>Therefore remember from what you have fallen, and repent, and live the life that you lived before; or else, I will come and remove your Lamp from its place, unless you repent.</J>


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<J>Anyone with ears should hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To him who conquers — to him I will give the right “to eat the fruit of the Tree of life, which stands in the Paradise of God.” ‘</J>


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<J>To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: — ‘These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died, but is restored to life: —</J>


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<J>I know your persecution and your poverty — yet you are rich! I know, too, the slander that comes from those who declare that they are God's people <n>Note: God's people: Literally “Jews.” These people claimed to be God's people because they were Jews.</n>, though they are not, but are a congregation of Satan.</J>


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<J>Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tempted, and may undergo persecution for ten days. Be faithful even to death, and I will give you the Crown of life.</J>


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<J>Let those who have ears hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Those who conquer will suffer no hurt from the Second Death.’</J>


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<J>To the angel of the church in Pergamus write: — ‘These are the words of him who holds the sharp two-edged sword: —</J>


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<J>I know where you live, where the throne of Satan stands. And yet you hold to my name, and you did not disown my faith even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death among you where Satan dwells.</J>


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<J>Yet I have a few things against you — You have among you those who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put temptations in the way of the Israelites, so that they should eat idol-offerings and commit licentious acts.</J>


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<J>Therefore repent, or else, I will come quickly and contend with such people with words that will cut like a sword.</J>


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<J>Let those who have ears hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To those who conquer — to them I will give a share of the mystic manna, and I will give them a white stone; and on the stone will be inscribed a new name, which no one knows except the person who receives it.’</J>


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<J>To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: — ‘These are the words of the Son of God, “whose eyes are like flaming fire, and whose feet are like brass”: —</J>


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<J>I know your life, your love, faith, service, and endurance; and I know that your life of late has been better than it was at first.</J>


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<J>Yet I have this against you — You tolerate the woman Jezebel, who declares that she is a prophet, and misleads my servants by her teaching, until they commit licentious acts and eat idol-offerings.</J>


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<J>Therefore I am laying her on a bed of sickness, and bringing great suffering on those who are unfaithful with her, unless they repent and turn from a life like hers.</J>


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<J>I will also put her children to death; and all the churches will learn that I am he who “looks into people's hearts and souls”; and I will give to each one of you what their life deserves.</J>


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<J>But I say to the rest of you at Thyatira — all who do not accept such teaching, whose who did not learn “the secrets of Satan,” as people call them — I am not laying on you any further burden;</J>


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<J>To those who conquer and are careful to live my life to the end — to them I will give authority over the nations,</J>


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<J>and “they will rule them with an iron rod, as when earthen vessels are broken in pieces” (as I myself have received from my Father)</J>


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<J>To the angel of the church in Sardis write: — ‘These are the words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars; — I know your life, and that people say of you that you are living, though you are dead.</J>


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<J>Be on the watch, and strengthen what still survives, though once it was all but dead; for I have not found your life perfect in the eyes of my God.</J>


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<J>Therefore remember what you have received and heard, and lay it to heart and repent. Unless you are on the watch, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I am coming to you.</J>


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<J>Yet there are some few among you at Sardis who did not soil their robes; they will walk with me, robed in white, for they are worthy.</J>


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<J>Those who conquer will be clothed in these white robes, and I will not “strike their name out of the book of life”; but I will own them before my Father, and before his angels.</J>


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<J>To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: — ‘These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds “the Key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and shuts and no one opens”: —</J>


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<J>I know your life (see, I have set a door open before you which no one is able to shut), I know that, though you have but little strength, you kept my teaching in mind, and did not disown my name.</J>


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<J>Listen, I give some of the congregation of Satan, the people who declare that they are God's people <n>Note: God's people: Literally “Jews.” These people claimed to be God's people because they were Jews.</n>, though they are not, but are lying — I will make them “come and bow down at your feet,” and they will learn that I loved you.</J>


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


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<J>Those who conquer — I will make them a pillar in the Temple of my God; and never more will they leave it; and I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God, and I will write on them my new name.</J>


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<J>To the angel of the church in Laodicaea write: — ‘These are the words of the Unchanging One, “the witness faithful and true, the beginning of the Creation of God”: —</J>


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<J>I know your life; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. If only you were either cold or hot!</J>


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<J>But now, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.</J>


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<J>You say “I am rich and have grown rich, and I want for nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, naked!</J>


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<J>Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold which has been refined by fire so that you may grow rich; and white robes, so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness be hidden; and ointment to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.</J>


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<J>I am standing at the door and knocking! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in, and will feast with them, and they will feast with me.</J>


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<J>To those who conquer — to them I will give the right to sit beside me on my throne, as I, when I conquered, took my seat beside my Father on his throne.</J>


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After this, in my vision, I saw an open door in the heavens, and the first voice that I heard was like the blast of a trumpet speaking to me. It said — “Come up here and I will show you what must take place.”


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Immediately after this I fell into a trance. There stood a throne in heaven, and on the throne was One seated.


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He who was seated on it was in appearance like a jasper and a sardius; and “round the throne there was a rainbow” of the colour of an emerald.


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And round the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and on these I saw twenty-four elders sitting clothed in white robes; and on their heads they had crowns of gold.


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Out from the throne “come flashes of lightning, cries, and peals of thunder”! There are seven torches burning in front of the throne, which are the seven spirits of God;


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and in front of the throne is what seemed to be a sea of glass, “resembling crystal, while within the space before the throne and round the throne are four creatures full of eyes” in front and behind.


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The first creature is like a lion, the second creature like a calf, the third creature has a face like a man's, and the fourth creature is like an eagle on the wing.


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These four creatures have each of them six wings, and all round, and within, they are full of eyes; and day and night they never cease to say —<br/> “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord, our God, the Almighty, who was, and who is, and who will be.”


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And, whenever these creatures give praise and honour and thanks to him who is “seated on the throne, to him who lives for ever and ever,”


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the twenty-four elders prostrate themselves before him who is seated on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever, and throw down their crowns before the throne, saying —


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“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive all praise, and honour, and power, for you did create all things, and at your bidding they came into being and were created.”


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Then I saw at the right hand of him who was “seated on the throne a book, with writing inside and out, and sealed” with seven seals;


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and I saw a mighty angel who was proclaiming in a loud voice — “Who is worthy to open the book and break its seals?”


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But no one either in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the book or look within it.


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At this I wept long, because no one could be found who was worthy to open the book or look within it.


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But one of the elders said to me — “Do not weep. The Lion conquered — the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Scion of David — and can therefore open the book with its seven seals.”


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Then, within the space between the throne and the four creatures, and in the midst of the elders, I saw, standing, a Lamb, which seemed to have been sacrificed. It had seven horns and seven eyes. (These eyes are the seven spirits of God, and they are sent into all the world.)


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The Lamb came forward; and he has taken the book from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.


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And, when he had taken the book, the four creatures and the twenty-four elders prostrated themselves before the Lamb, each of them holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense. (These are the prayers of Christ's people.)


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And they are singing a new song —<br/> “You are worthy to take the book and break its seals, for you were sacrificed, and with your blood you did buy for God people of every tribe, and language, and people, and nation,


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and did make them a kingdom of priests in the service of our God, and they are reigning on the earth.”


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Then, in my vision, I heard the voices of many angels round the throne, and of the creatures, and of the elders. In number they were “ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands,”


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and they cried in a loud voice —<br/> “Worthy is the Lamb that was sacrificed to receive all power, and wealth, and wisdom, and might, and honour, and praise, and blessing.”


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And I heard every created thing in the air, and on the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all that is in them crying —<br/> “To him who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb be ascribed all blessing, and honour, and praise, and dominion for ever and ever.”


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Then I saw the Lamb break one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four creatures crying with a voice like thunder — “Come.”


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And in my vision I saw “a white horse.” Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he went out conquering and to conquer.


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


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When the Lamb broke the third seal, I heard the third creature crying — “Come.” And in my vision I saw “a black horse.” Its rider held scales in his hand.


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And I heard what seemed to be a voice, coming from among the four creatures, crying — “A quart of wheat for a silver coin, and three quarts of barley for a silver coin! But do not harm the oil and the wine.”


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And in my vision I saw a grey horse. His rider's name was Death, and the Lord of the place of Death rode behind him; and power was given them over the fourth part of the earth, so that they might “destroy with sword and famine and death, and by means of the wild beasts of the earth.”


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When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the sake of God's message and for the testimony which they had borne.


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They cried in a loud voice — “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, before you will give judgment and avenge our blood on all who are living on the earth?”


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Then to each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to rest yet a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and of their friends in Christ's service who were about to be put to death, as they had been, should be complete.


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And I saw the Lamb break the sixth seal, and then there was a great earthquake. The sun became black, like sackcloth, and the moon, which was at its full, like blood.


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“The stars of the heavens fell” to the earth, as when a fig-tree, shaken by a strong wind, drops its unripe fruit.


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The heavens disappeared like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place.


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Then all the kings of the earth, and the princes, and the generals, and the rich, and the powerful, and every slave and free person, “hid themselves in the caves and under the rocks” of the mountains;


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and they are crying to the mountains and the rocks — “Fall on us, and hide us from the eyes of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,


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After this, I saw four angels standing “on the four corners of the earth,” restraining the four winds of the earth, so that no wind should blow over the earth, or over the sea, or against any tree.


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And, in the east, I saw another angel, ascending, holding the seal of the living God; and he cried in a loud voice to the four angels, to whom there had been given power to harm the earth and the sea —


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“Do not harm the earth, or the sea, or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”


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I heard, too, the number of those who had been sealed. It was one hundred and forty-four thousand; and they were from every tribe of the Israelites.


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From the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed,<br/> from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand,<br/> from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,


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from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand,<br/> from the tribe of Napthali twelve thousand,<br/> from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,


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from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand,<br/> from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand,<br/> from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,


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from the tribe of Zebulon twelve thousand,<br/> from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand,<br/> from the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.


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After this, in my vision, I saw a vast throng which no one could number, of people from every nation and of all tribes, and peoples, and languages. They stood in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, robed in white, holding palm branches in their hands.


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And they are crying in a loud voice —<br/> “Salvation be ascribed to our God who is seated on his throne and to the Lamb.”


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And all the angels were standing round the throne and the elders and the four creatures, and they prostrated themselves on their faces in front of the throne and worshiped God,


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saying —<br/> “Amen. Blessing and praise, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might be ascribed to our God for ever and ever. Amen.”


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Then one of the elders turned to me and said “Who are these who are robed in white? And where did they come from?”


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“My Lord,” I answered, “it is you who know.”<br/> “These,” he said, “are they who come through the Great Persecution; they washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb.


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And therefore it is that they are before the throne of God, and are serving him day and night in his Temple; and he who is seated on the throne will shelter them.


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Never again will they be hungry, never again will they be thirsty, nor will the sun smite them, nor any scorching heat;


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for the Lamb that stands in the space before the throne will be their shepherd, and will lead them to life-giving springs of water; and God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.”


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As soon as the Lamb had broken the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for, it might be, half an hour.


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Next, another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer in his hand; and a great quantity of incense was given to him, to mingle with the prayers of all Christ's people on the golden altar before the throne.


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The smoke of the incense ascended, with the prayers of Christ's people, from the hand of the angel before God.


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Then the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it down on the earth; and there followed “peals of thunder, cries, flashes of lightning,” and an earthquake.


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The first blew; and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it fell on the earth. A third part of the earth was burnt up, and a third of the trees, and every blade of grass.


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Then the second angel blew; and what appeared to be a great mountain, burning, was hurled into the sea. A third of the sea became blood,


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and a third part of all created things that are in the sea — that is, of all living things — died, and a third of the ships was destroyed.


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Then the third angel blew; and there fell from the heavens a great star, burning like a torch. It fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs.


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(The star is called “Wormwood.”) A third of the water became bitter as wormwood, and so bitter was the water that many died from drinking it.


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Then the fourth angel blew; and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were blasted, so that a third of them was eclipsed, and for a third part of the day there was no light, and at night it was the same.


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And, in my vision, I heard an eagle flying in mid-heaven and crying in a loud voice — “Woe, woe, woe for all who live on the earth, at the other trumpet-blasts of the three angels who have yet to blow.”


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Then the fifth angel blew; and I saw a star that had fallen on the earth from the heavens, and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.


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He opened the bottomless pit, and from the pit rose a smoke like the smoke of a great furnace. The sun and the air grew dark because of the smoke from the pit.


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Out of the smoke locusts descended on the earth, and they received the same power as that possessed by scorpions.


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They were told not to harm the grass, or any plant, or any tree, but only those who have not “the seal of God on their foreheads.”


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Yet they were not allowed to kill them, but it was ordered that those men should be tortured for five months. Their torture was like the torture caused by a scorpion when it stings a person.


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In those days people “will seek Death and will not find it”; They will long to die, but Death flees from them.


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In appearance the locusts were like horses equipped for battle. On their heads there were what appeared to be crowns that shone like gold, their faces resembled human faces,


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and they had what seemed to be iron breastplates, while the noise of their wings was like the noise of chariots drawn by many horses, galloping into battle.


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They have tails like scorpions, and stings, and in their tails lies their power to harm people for five months.


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They have as their king the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name, in Hebrew, is “Abaddon,” while, in Greek, his name is “Apollyon” (the Destroyer).


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Then the sixth angel blew; and I heard a voice proceeding from the corners of the golden altar that stood before God.


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It spoke to the sixth angel — the angel with the trumpet — and said “Let loose the four angels that are in chains at the great river Euphrates.”


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Then the four angels, that were held in readiness for that hour and day and month and year, were let loose, to destroy a third of mankind.


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The number of the hosts of cavalry was ten thousand times ten thousand, twice told; I heard their number.


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And this is what the horses and their riders appeared to be like in my vision: — They had breastplates of fire, blood-red and sulphurous, and the heads of the horses were like lions' heads, while out of their mouths issue fire, and smoke, and sulphur.


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Through these three curses a third of humanity perished — because of the fire, and the smoke, and the sulphur that issued from their mouths;


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for the power of the horses lies in their mouths and in their tails. For their tails are like snakes, with heads, and it is with them that they do harm.


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But those who were left of humanity, who had not perished through these curses, did not repent and turn away from what their own hands had made; they would not abandon the worship of “demons, and of idols made of gold or silver or brass or stone or wood, which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk”;


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and they did not repent of their murders, or their sorceries, or their licentiousness, or their thefts.


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Then I saw another mighty angel, descending from heaven. His robe was a cloud; over his head was the rainbow; his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire;


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and he cried in a loud voice like the roaring of a lion. At his cry the seven peals of thunder spoke, each with its own voice.


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And, when they spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say — “Keep secret what the seven peals of thunder said, and do not write it down.”


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Then the angel, whom I had seen standing on the sea and on the land, “raised his right hand to the heavens,


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and swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, and the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it,” that time should cease to be.


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Moreover at the time when the seventh angel will speak, when he is ready to blow his blast, then the hidden purposes of God, of which he told the good news to his servants, the prophets, are at once fulfilled.


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Then came the voice which I had heard from heaven. It spoke to me again, and said — “Go and take the book that is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.”


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So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little book. And he said “Take it, and eat it. It will be bitter to your stomach, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.”


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I took the little book out of the angel's hand “and ate it, and, while in my mouth, it was like the sweetest honey”; but, when I had eaten it, it was bitter to my stomach.


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And I was told — “You must prophesy again about men of many peoples, and nations, and languages, and about many kings.”


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Then I was given a measure like a rod, and a voice said to me — “Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the worshiper there.


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


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Then I will give permission to my Two Witnesses, and for those twelve hundred and sixty days they will continue teaching, clothed in sackcloth.”


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These men are represented by “the two olive trees and the two lamps that stand before the Lord of the earth.”


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When anyone wishes to harm them, “fire comes from their mouths and consumes their enemies”; and whoever wishes to harm them will, in this way, inevitably perish.


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These men have the power to close the heavens, so that “no rain may fall” during the time that they are teaching; and they have power “to turn the streams into blood, and to smite the land with any curse,” whenever they will.


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As soon as they have completed their testimony, “the wild Beast that ascends from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer” and kill them.


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Their dead bodies will lie in the streets of the great city, which is mystically spoken of as “Sodom” and “Egypt,” where their Master was crucified.


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People of all nations, and tribes, and languages, and races look at their dead bodies for three days and a half, and do not allow them to be laid in a grave.


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Those who live on the earth rejoice over them and are merry, and they will send presents to one another, because these two prophets brought torments on those who live on the earth.


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After three days and a half “the life-giving breath of God entered these men, and they stood up on their feet,” and a great terror took possession of those who were watching them.


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The two men heard a loud voice from heaven which said to them — “Come up here,” and they went up to heaven in the cloud, while their enemies watched them.


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At that very time a great earthquake occurred. A tenth part of the city fell, and seven thousand people perished in the earthquake. Those who escaped were much terrified, and praised the God of heaven.


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Then the seventh angel blew; and loud voices were heard in heaven saying —<br/> “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”


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At this the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, prostrated themselves on their faces and worshiped Him,


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saying —<br/> “We thank you, Lord, our God, the Almighty, who is and who was, that you have assumed your great power and reigned.


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The nations were enraged, and your wrath fell on them; the time came for the dead to be judged, and for you to give the reward to your servants the prophets, and to the people of Christ, and to those who honour your name — the high and the low alike — and to destroy those who are destroying the earth.”


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Then the Temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark containing his covenant was seen in his Temple; and there followed “flashes of lightning, cries, peals of thunder,” an earthquake, and “a great storm of hail.”


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Then a great portent was seen in the heavens — a woman whose robe was the sun, and who had the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.


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Another portent also was seen in the heavens There was a great red Dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.


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His tail draws after it a third of the stars in the heavens, and it hurled them down on the earth. The Dragon is standing in front of the woman who is about to give birth to the child, so that he may devour it as soon as it is born.


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The woman gave birth to a son, a male child, who is destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod; and her child was at once caught up to God on his throne.


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But the woman fled into the wilderness, where there is a place prepared for her by God, to be tended there for twelve hundred and sixty days.


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Then a battle took place in the heavens. Michael and his angels fought with the Dragon. But though the Dragon, with his angels, fought,


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Then the great Dragon, the primeval snake, known as the “devil” and “Satan,” who deceives all the world, was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him.


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And I heard a loud voice in heaven which said —<br/> “Now has begun the day of the salvation, and Power, and Dominion of our God, and the Rule of his Christ; for the Accuser of our people has been hurled down, he who has been accusing them before our God day and night.


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Their victory was due to the blood of the Lamb, and to the message to which they bore their testimony. In their love of life they shrank not from death.


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Therefore, be glad, heaven, and all who live in heaven! Alas for the earth and for the sea, for the devil has gone down to you in great fury, knowing that he has but little time.”


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when the Dragon saw that he was hurled down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.


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But to the woman were given the two wings of the great eagle, so that she might fly to her place in the wilderness, where she is being tended for “one year, and for two years, and for half a year” in safety from the snake.


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Then the snake poured water from its mouth after the woman, like a river, so that it might sweep her away.


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But Earth came to her help, and opened her mouth and drank up the river which the Dragon had poured out of its mouth.


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The Dragon was enraged at the woman, and went to fight with the rest of her offspring — those who lay to heart the commands of God and bear their testimony to Jesus; and he took his stand on the sea-shore.


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Then I saw, “rising out of the sea, a wild Beast with ten horns” and seven heads. On its horns were ten diadems, and on its heads were blasphemous names.


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The Beast that I saw was like a leopard; but its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth like the mouth of a lion. The Dragon gave it his power and his throne, and wide dominion.


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One of its heads seemed to me to have been mortally wounded, but its deadly wound had been healed. The whole earth followed the Beast, wondering;


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and men worshiped the Dragon, because he had given his dominion to the Beast; while, as they worshiped the Beast, they said — “Who can compare with the Beast? And who can fight with it?”


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The Beast was given “a mouth that spoke proudly” and blasphemously, and it was empowered to work its will for forty-two months.


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It opened its mouth only to blaspheme God, to blaspheme his name and his tent — those who live in his tent in heaven.


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It had been permitted to fight with Christ's people and to conquer them, and it had received power over men of every tribe, and people, and language, and nation.


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


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“Whoever is destined for captivity goes into captivity.” Whoever will kill with the sword must inevitably be killed with the sword. (Here there is need for endurance and faith on the part of Christ's people.)


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Then I saw, rising out of the earth, another wild Beast. It had two horns like those of a lamb, and its voice was like a dragon's.


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It exercises all the authority of the first Beast under its eyes; and it makes the earth and all who are living on it worship that first Beast, whose mortal wound was healed.


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It performs great marvels, even causing fire to fall from the heavens to the earth, before people's eyes;


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and in consequence of the marvels which it was allowed to perform under the eyes of the Beast, it is able to deceive all who are living on the earth. It tells those who live on the earth to make a statue in honour of the Beast, who, despite the wound from the sword, yet lived.


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It was permitted to breathe life into the image of the Beast, so that the image of the Beast might speak; and it was also permitted to cause all who refused to worship the image of the Beast to be put to death.


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High and low, rich and poor, free and enslaved — it causes a brand to be put on the right hand or on the forehead of every one of them,


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so that no one is able to buy or sell, except those that bear this brand — either the name of the Beast or the number indicated by the letters of his name.


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(Here there is need for discernment.) The person with ability can compute the number of the Beast; for the number indicates a person's name. Its number is six hundred and sixty-six.


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Then, in my vision, I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion. With him were a hundred and forty-four thousand, with his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads.


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And I heard a sound from heaven, “like the sound of many waters,” and like the sound of a loud peal of thunder; the sound that I heard was like the music of harpers playing on their harps.


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They are singing what seems to be a new song, before the throne, and before the four creatures and the elders; and no one was able to learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from earth.


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These are the men who never defiled themselves in their intercourse with women; they are as pure as virgins. These are the men who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were redeemed as the first-fruits of mankind for God and for the Lamb.


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


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and he cried in a loud voice — “Reverence God, and give him praise (for the hour of his judgment has come) and worship him who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all springs of water.”


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Then a second angel followed, crying — “She has fallen! She has fallen — Babylon the Great, who has made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her licentiousness!”


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Then a third angel followed them, crying in a loud voice — “Whoever worships the Beast and its image, and receives its brand on his forehead or on his hand,


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that person will drink the maddening wine of God that has been poured unmixed into the cup of his wrath, and they will be tortured with fire and sulphur before the eyes of the holy angels and before the eyes of the Lamb.


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The smoke from their torture rises for ever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night — those who worship the Beast and its image, and all who are branded with its name.”


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(Here there is need for endurance on the part of Christ's people — those who lay to heart the commands of God and the faith of Jesus.)


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Then I heard a voice from heaven saying “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who from this hour die in union with the Lord.’”<br/> ‘Yes,’ answers the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their toil. Their good deeds go with them.’


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Then, in my vision, I saw a white cloud, and on the cloud there was sitting one “like a man.” On his head he had a crown of gold, and in his hand a sharp sickle.


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Then another angel came out from the Temple, crying in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud — “Take your sickle and reap, for the time to reap has come; the Harvest of Earth is ready.”


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He who was sitting on the cloud brought his sickle down on the earth, and the Harvest of Earth was reaped.


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Then another angel came out of the altar; he had power over fire, and he called in a loud voice to the angel that had the sharp sickle — “Take your sharp sickle, and gather the bunches from the vine of Earth, for its grapes are ripe.”


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The angel brought his sickle down on the earth and gathered the fruit of the vine of Earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.


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The “grapes were trodden in the press” outside the city; and blood came out of the press, rising as high as the bridles of the horses for a distance of two hundred miles.


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Then I saw another portent in the heavens — a great and marvellous portent — seven angels with the seven last curses; because with them the wrath of God is ended.


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Then I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mixed with fire; and, standing by this sea of glass, holding the harps of God, I saw those who had come victorious out of the conflict with the Beast and its image and the number that formed its name.


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They are singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb —<br/> “Great and marvellous are your deeds, Lord, our God, the Almighty. Righteous and true are your ways, eternal King.


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Who will not honour and praise your name, Lord? You alone are holy! All nations will come and worship before you, for your judgments have become manifest.”


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and out of it came the seven angels with the seven curses. They were adorned with precious stones, pure and bright, and had golden girdles round their breasts.


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One of the four creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls, filled with the wrath of God who lives for ever and ever.


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“The Temple was filled with smoke from the glory” and Majesty of God; and no one could enter the Temple, until the seven curses inflicted by the seven angels were at an end.


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Then I heard a loud voice, which came from the Temple, saying to the seven angels — “Go and empty the seven bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.”


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The first angel went and emptied his bowl on the earth; and it turned to loathsome and painful sores on all who bore the brand of the Beast and who worshiped its image.


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Then the second angel emptied his bowl on the sea; and it turned to blood like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died — everything in the sea.


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And I heard the angel of the Waters saying — “Righteous are you, you who is and who is, the Holy One, in inflicting this judgment;


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for men shed the blood of Christ's people and of the prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve.”


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And I heard the response from the altar — “Yes, Lord, our God, the Almighty, true and righteous are they judgments.”


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and men were scorched by the intense heat. They blasphemed the name of God who controlled these curses, yet they did not repent and give him praise.


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Then the fifth angel emptied his bowl on the throne of the Beast; and darkness fell on its kingdom. Men gnawed their tongues for pain,


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and blasphemed the God of heaven, because of their pains and because of their sores; yet they did not repent of what they had done.


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Then the sixth angel emptied his bowl on the great river Euphrates; and the water in the river was dried up, so that the road for the kings of the East might be made ready.


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And I saw three foul spirits, like frogs, come from the mouth of the Dragon and from the mouth of the Beast and from the mouth of the false prophet.


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They are the spirits of demons, and perform marvels; they go to kings all over the world, to collect them for the battle on the great day of Almighty God.


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


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Then the seventh angel emptied his bowl on the air. (A loud voice came from the throne in the Temple; it said “All is over.”)


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There followed “flashes of lightning, cries, and peals of thunder”; and there was a great earthquake, such as had not occurred since man began to be on the earth — none so great;


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and the great city was torn in three, and the cities of the nation fell, and God remembered Babylon the Great, and gave her the maddening wine-cup of his wrath;


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Great hailstones, a pound in weight, are falling on men from the heavens. And men blasphemed God because of the curse of the hail, for it was a very terrible curse.


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Then one of the seven angels who held the seven bowls came and spoke to me. “Come here,” he said, “and I will show you the sentence passed on that Great Harlot who is seated at the meeting of many waters,


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and with whom all the kings of the earth have had licentious intercourse; while all who live on the earth have been make drunk by the wine of her licentiousness.”


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And he bore me away in a trance to a lonely place, and I saw a woman seated on a scarlet Beast, which was covered with blasphemous names; it had seven heads and ten horns.


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The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls. In her hand she held a gold cup, full of idolatrous abominations, and the unclean fruits of her licentiousness;


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while on her forehead there was written this mystic name — “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF ALL IDOLATROUS ABOMINATIONS ON EARTH.”


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And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of Christ's people and with the blood of the martyrs for Jesus. When I saw her, I was amazed beyond measure;


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but the angel said to me — “Why were you amazed? I will tell you the mystic meaning of the vision of this woman, and of the Beast, with the seven heads and ten horns, that carries her.


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


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(Here there is need for the discerning mind.) The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated.


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They are also seven kings; of whom five have fallen and one remains, while one is not yet come. When he comes, he must stay for a little while.


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So must the Beast that was, but is not. He counts as an eighth king, although he is one of the seven, and is on his way to destruction.


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The ten horns that you saw are ten kings, who have not yet received their kingdoms, but for an hour they receive the authority of kings, together with the Beast.


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They will fight with the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings; so, too, will those with him who have received the call and are chosen and faithful.


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And the angel said to me — “The waters that you saw, where the Harlot is seated, are throngs of people and men of all nations and languages.


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The ten horns that you saw, and the Beast — they will hate the Harlot, and cause her to become deserted and strip her bare; they will eat her flesh and utterly consume her with fire.


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For God has put it into their minds to carry out his purpose, in carrying out their common purpose and surrendering their kingdoms to the Beast, until God's decrees will be executed.


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As for the woman whom you saw, she is the great city that holds sway over all the kings of the earth.”


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After this I saw another angel, descending from heaven, invested with great authority; and the earth was illuminated by his splendour.


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With a mighty voice he cried — “She has fallen! She has fallen — Babylon the Great! She has become an abode of demons, a stronghold of every wicked spirit, a stronghold of every foul and hateful bird.


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For, after drinking the maddening wine of her licentiousness, all the nations have fallen; while all the kings of the earth have had licentious intercourse with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich through the excess of her luxury.”


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Then I heard another voice from heaven saying — “Come out of her, my people, so that you may not participate in her sins, and that you may not suffer from the curses inflicted on her.


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Pay her back the treatment with which she has treated you; yes, repay twice over what her actions deserve; in the cup which she mixed for you, mix for her as much again;


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for her self-glorification and her luxury, give her now an equal measure of torture and misery. In her heart she says “I sit here a queen; no widow am I; I will never know misery.”


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Therefore in one day will these curses strike her — death, misery, and famine, and she will be utterly consumed by fire; for mighty is the Lord God who condemned her.


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All the kings of the earth who had licentious intercourse with her and shared her luxury will weep and lament over her, when they see the smoke from the burning city,


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while they stand at a distance, horrified at her torture, and cry — “Alas! Alas! Great city! Mighty city of Babylon! In a single hour your judgment fell.


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And the merchants of the earth weep and wail over her, because no longer does anyone buy their cargoes —


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their cargoes of gold, or silver, or precious stones, or pearls, or fine linen, or purple robes, or silk, or scarlet cloth; nor their many scented woods; nor their many articles of ivory; nor their many articles of choicest wood, or brass, or iron, or marble;


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nor their cinnamon, or spice, or incense, or perfumes, or frankincense, or wine, or oil, or fine flour, or wheat, or cattle, or sheep; nor their horses, or chariots, or slaves; nor the bodies and souls of people.


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The fruit that your soul craved is no longer within your reach, and all dainties and luxuries are lost to you, never to be found again.”


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The merchants who sold these things, and grew rich by her, will stand at a distance weeping and wailing, horrified at her torture, and crying —


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“Alas! Alas! Great city! City clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet cloth! City adorned with gold ornaments, and precious stones, and pearls!


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In a single hour your vast wealth vanished.” Every ship's captain and all who sail to any port, and sailors, and all who get their living from the sea, stood at a distance,


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They threw dust on their heads, and, as they wept and wailed, they cried — “Alas! Alas! Great city! All who have ships on the sea grew rich through her magnificence. In a single hour it has vanished.”


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Rejoice over her, heaven, and people of Christ, and apostles, and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!


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Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and threw it into the sea, crying — “So will Babylon, the great city, be violently overthrown, never more to be seen.


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No more will the music of harpers, or minstrels, or flute players, or trumpeters be heard in you, no more will any worker, skilled in any art, be found in you; no more will the sound of a mill be heard in you;


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no more will the light of a lamp shine in you; no more will the voices of groom and bride be heard in you. Your merchants were the great men of the earth, for all the nations were deceived by your magical charms.


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Yes, and in her was to be found the blood of the prophets and of Christ's people, and of all who have been put to death on the earth.”


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After this, I heard what seemed to be a great shout from a vast throng in heaven, crying —<br/> “Hallelujah! To our God belong salvation, and glory, and Power,


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for true and righteous are his judgments. For he has passed judgment on the Great Harlot who was corrupting the earth by her licentiousness, and he has taken vengeance on her for the blood of his servants.”


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Then the twenty-four elders and the Four creatures prostrated themselves and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, crying — “Amen, Hallelujah!”;


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and from the throne there came a voice which said —<br/> “Praise our God all you who serve him, You who worship him, both high and low.”


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Then I heard “what seemed to be the shout of a vast throng, like the sound of many waters,” and like the sound of loud peals of thunder, crying —<br/> “Hallelujah! For the Lord is king, our God, the Almighty.


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Let us rejoice and exalt; and we will pay him honour, for the hour for the Marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready.


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And to her it has been granted to robe herself in fine linen, white and pure, for that linen is the good deeds of the people of Christ.”


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Then a voice said to me “Write — ‘Blessed are those who have been summoned to the marriage feast of the Lamb.’” And the voice said — “These words of God are true.”


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I prostrated myself at the feet of him who spoke to worship him, but he said to me — “No! I am your fellow servant, and the fellow servant of your brothers and sisters who bear their testimony to Jesus. Worship God. For to bear testimony to Jesus needs the inspiration of the prophets.”


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Then I saw that heaven lay open. There appears a white horse; its rider is called “Faithful” and “True”; righteously does he judge and make war.


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His eyes are flaming fires; on his head there are many diadems, and he bears a name, written, which no one knows but himself;


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he has been clothed in a garment sprinkled with blood; and the name by which he is called is “The Word of God.”


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The armies of heaven followed him, mounted on white horses and clothed in fine linen, white and pure.


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From his mouth comes a sharp sword, with which “to smite the nations; and he will rule them with an iron rod.” He “treads the grapes in the press” of the maddening wine of the wrath of Almighty God;


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Then I saw an angel standing on the sun. He cried in a loud voice to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven — “Gather and come to the great feast of God,


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to eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of commanders, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all free and enslaved, and of high and low.”


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Then I saw the Beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered together to fight with him who sat on the horse and with his army.


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The Beast was captured, and with him was taken the false prophet, who performed the marvels before the eyes of the Beast, with which he deceived those who had received the brand of the Beast and those who worshiped his image. Alive, they were thrown, both of them, into the lake of fire - of burning sulphur.


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The rest were killed by the sword which came out of the mouth of him who rode on the horse; and all the birds fed on their flesh.


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Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, with the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.


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He seized the Dragon, the primeval snake (who is the “devil” or “Satan”), and bound him in chains for a thousand years.


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He flung him into the bottomless pit and locked it, and set his seal on it; that he should not deceive the nations any more, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be let loose for a while.


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Then I saw thrones, and to those who took their seats on them authority was given to act as judges. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony to Jesus and because of the message of God, for they had refused to worship the Beast or its image, and had not received the brand on their foreheads and on their hands. They were restored to life, and they reigned with the Christ for a thousand years.


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(The rest of the dead were not restored to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.


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Blessed and holy will he be who shares in that first resurrection. The second Death has no power over them; but they will be priests of God, and the Christ, and they will reign with him for the thousand years.


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and he will come out to deceive the nations that live in “the four corners of the earth — Gog and Magog.” He will come to gather them together for battle; and their number will be as great as the sand on the sea-shore.


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They went up over the breadth of the whole earth, and surrounded the camp of Christ's people and the city that he loves. Then fire fell from the heavens and consumed them;


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and the devil, their deceiver, was hurled into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the Beast and the false prophet already were, and they will be tortured day and night for ever and ever.


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


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And I saw the dead, high and low, standing before the throne; and books were opened. Then another book was opened, the book of life; and the dead were judged, according to their actions, by what was written in the books.


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The sea gave up its dead, and Death and the Lord of the place of Death gave up their dead; and they were judged, one by one, each according to his actions.


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Then Death and the Lord of the place of Death were hurled into the lake of fire. This is the Second Death — the lake of fire;


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Then I saw new heavens and a new earth. The former heavens and the former earth had passed away; and the sea has ceased to be.


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And I saw the Holy City, Jerusalem, descending new out of heaven from God, like a bride adorned in readiness for her husband.


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And I heard a loud voice from the throne, which said — “See! The tent of God is set up among people. God will live among them, and they will be his Peoples, and God himself will be among them,


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and he will wipe away all tears from their eyes. There will be no more death, nor will there be any more grief or crying or pain. The old order has passed away.”


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And he who was seated on the throne said — “See, I make all things new!” And he said — “Write this, for these words may be trusted and are true.”


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And he said to me — “They are fulfilled. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the End. To those who thirst I will give of the spring of the water of life, freely.


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Those who conquer will enter into possession of these things, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.


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But as for cowards, unbelievers, the degraded, murderers, the impure, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars — their place will be in the burning lake of fire and sulphur. That is the Second Death.”


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Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, and were laden with the seven last curses, came and spoke to me. “Come here,” he said, “and I will show you the Bride, the Wife of the Lamb.”


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He carried me away in a trance to a great high mountain, and showed me Jerusalem, the Holy City, descending out of heaven from God, filled with the glory of God.


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It had a great high wall, in which were twelve gates; and at these gates there were twelve angels, and there were names inscribed on the gates, the names of the twelve tribes of the Israelites.


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“There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.”


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The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, on which were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.


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And the angel who was speaking to me had as a measure a gold rod, with which to measure the city and its gates and its wall.


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The city is square; the length and the breadth are the same. The angel measured with his rod; it was twelve hundred miles; its length, and breadth, and height are equal.


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Then he measured the wall; it was two hundred and eighty-eight feet, as people measure, that is as the angel measured.


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The material of the wall of the city was jasper, and the city was built of pure gold, which shone like clear glass.


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The foundations of the wall of the city were ornamented with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was a jasper; the second a sapphire; the third a chalcedony; the fourth an emerald;


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the fifth a sardonyx; the sixth a carnelian; the seventh a chrysolite; the eighth a beryl; the ninth a topaz; the tenth a chrysoprase; the eleventh a hyacinth; and the twelfth an amethyst.


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The twelve gates were made of twelve pearls, each gate of one pearl. The street of the city was of pure gold, transparent as glass.


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The city has no need of “the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God illuminated it,” and its Lamp was the Lamb.


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“Never will any unhallowed thing enter it,” nor they whose life is shameful and false, but only “those whose names have been written in the Lamb's book of life.”


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And the angel showed me “a river of the water of life,” as clear as crystal, issuing from the throne of God and of the Lamb,


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in the middle of the street of the city. On each side of the river was a Tree of life which bore twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.


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“Every thing that is accursed will cease to be.” The throne of God and of the Lamb will be within it, and his servants will worship him;


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Night will cease to be. They have no need of the light of a lamp, nor have they the light of the sun; for the “Lord God will be their light, and they will reign for ever and ever.”


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Then the angel said to me — “These words may be trusted and are true. The Lord, the God that inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants what must quickly take place;


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and they said <J>‘I will come quickly.’</J> Blessed will he be who lays to heart the words of the prophecy contained in this book.”


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It was I, John, who heard and saw these things; and, when I heard and saw them, I prostrated myself in worship at the feet of the angel that showed them to me.


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But he said to me — “Forbear; I am your fellow servant, and the fellow servant of your fellow prophets, and of all who lay to heart the words in this book. Worship God.”


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Then the angel said to me — “Do not keep secret the words of the prophecy contained in this book; for the time is near.


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Let the wrong-doer continue to do wrong; the filthy-minded continue to be filthy; the righteous continue to act righteously; and the holy-minded continue to be holy.”


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<J>(“I will come quickly. I bring my rewards with me, to give to each what their actions deserve.</J>


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Blessed will they be who wash their robes, that they may have the right to approach the Tree of life, and may enter the city by the gates.


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Outside will be the filthy, the sorcerers, the impure, the murderers, the idolaters, and all who love the false and live it.”


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<J>“I, Jesus, sent my angel to bear testimony to you about these things before the churches. I am the Scion and the Offspring of David, the bright star of the Morning.”</J>


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“Come,” say the Spirit and the Bride; and all who hear, say “Come.” All who thirst, come; anyone who wants, take the water of life freely.


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I declare to all who hear the words of the prophecy contained in this book — “If anyone adds to it, God will add to his troubles the curses described in this book;


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and if anyone takes away any of the words in the book containing this prophecy, God will take away his share in the Tree of life, and in the Holy City — as described in this book.”


