# verses

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See! I will send you what My Father promised. But you are to stay in Jerusalem until you have received power from above."


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Jesus led them out as far as Bethany. Then He lifted up His hands and prayed that good would come to them.


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And while He was praying that good would come to them, He went from them <n>(*and was taken up to heaven and


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He gave the right and the power to become children of God to those who received Him. He gave this to those who put their trust in His name.


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These children of God were not born of blood and of flesh and of man's desires, but they were born of God.


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Christ became human flesh and lived among us. We saw His shining-greatness. This greatness is given only to a much-loved Son from His Father. He was full of loving-favor and truth.


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John told about Christ and said, "I have been telling you about this One. I said, 'He is coming after me. He is more important than I because He lived before me.' "


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The much-loved Son is beside the Father. No man has ever seen God. But Christ has made God known to us.


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The Jews sent their religious leaders and men from the family group of Levi to ask John, "Who are you?"


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They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not!" Then they asked, "Are you the special One Who was to come to speak for God?" John said, "No."


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John said, "I am the voice of one crying in the desert. 'Make the road straight for the Lord,' as the early preacher Isaiah said." <n>Isaiah 40:3</n>


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They asked John again, "Then why do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or that special One Who was to come to speak for God?"


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He is the One Who is coming after me. I am not good enough to get down and help Him take off His shoes."


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All this happened when John was baptizing in the town of Bethany. He was on the other side of the Jordan River.


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The next day John the Baptist saw Jesus coming to him. He said, "See! The Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!


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I have been talking about Him. I said, 'One is coming after me Who is more important than I, because He lived before I was born.'


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Then John said, "I saw the Holy Spirit come down on Jesus as a dove from heaven. The Holy Spirit stayed on Him.


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I did not know Him then. But God sent me to baptize with water. God said to me, 'The Holy Spirit will come down and stay on Him. He is the One Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'


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Jesus turned around and saw them following. He said to them, "What are you looking for?" They answered, "Teacher, where are you staying?"


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He said to them, "Come and see." They followed Him and saw where He lived. They stayed with Him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon.


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Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who had heard John's words and had followed Jesus.


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Andrew took Simon to Jesus. When Jesus saw Simon, He said, "You are Simon, the son of John. Your name will be Cephas." The name Cephas means Peter, or a rock.


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The next day Jesus wanted to go to the country of Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me."


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Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law. He is the One the early preachers wrote about. He is Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph."


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Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him and said, "See! There is a true Jew. There is nothing false in him."


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Nathanael said to Jesus, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip talked to you, I saw you under the fig tree."


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


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For sure, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God coming and going upon the Son of Man."


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Three days later there was a wedding in the town of Cana in the country of Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there.


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Six stone water jars were there. Each one held about one-half barrel of water. These water jars were used in the Jewish worship of washing.


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Then He said, "Take some out and give it to the head man who is caring for the people." They took some to him.


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The head man tasted the water that had become wine. He did not know where it came from but the helpers who took it to him knew. He called the man who had just been married.


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The head man said to him, "Everyone puts out his best wine first. After people have had much to drink, he puts out the wine that is not so good. You have kept the good wine until now!"


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This was the first powerful work Jesus did. It was done in Cana of Galilee where He showed His power. His followers put their trust in Him.


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After this He went down to the city of Capernaum. His mother and brothers and followers went with Him. They stayed there a few days.


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It was time for the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt. Jesus went up to Jerusalem.


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He went into the house of God and found cattle and sheep and doves being sold. Men were sitting there changing money.


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Jesus made a whip of small ropes. He used it to make them all leave the house of God along with the sheep and cattle. He pushed their money off the tables and turned the tables over.


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He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things out of here! You must not make My Father's house a place for buying and selling!"


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Then His followers remembered that it was written in the Holy Writings, "I am jealous for the honor of Your house." <n>Psalm 69:9</n>


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Then the Jews asked Him, "What can You do to show us You have the right and the power to do these things?"


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Then the Jews said, "It took fortysix years to build this house of God. Will You build it up in three days?"


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After Jesus had been raised from the dead, His followers remembered He said this. They believed the Holy Writings and what He had said.


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Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt. Many people put their trust in Him when they saw the powerful works He did.


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He came to Jesus at night and said, "Teacher, we know You have come from God to teach us. No one can do these powerful works You do unless God is with Him."


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Jesus said to him, "For sure, I tell you, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the holy nation of God."


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Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? How can he get into his mother's body and be born the second time?"


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Jesus answered, "For sure, I tell you, unless a man is born of water and of the Spirit of God, he cannot get into the holy nation of God.


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The wind blows where it wants to and you hear its sound. You do not know where it comes from or where it goes. It is the same with everyone who is born of the Spirit of God."


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For sure, I tell you, We are talking about things We know. We tell of what We have seen. Yet you do not take Our words to be true.


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I tell you about things of the earth and you do not believe them. How will you believe if I tell you things about heaven?


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"No one has gone up into heaven except the One Who came down from heaven. That One is the Son of Man *Who is in heaven.


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For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Whoever puts his trust in God's Son will not be lost but will have life that lasts forever.


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For God did not send His Son into the world to say it is guilty. He sent His Son so the world might be saved from the punishment of sin by Him.


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Whoever puts his trust in His Son is not guilty. Whoever does not put his trust in Him is guilty already. It is because he does not put his trust in the name of the only Son of God.


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"The Light has come into the world. And the light is the test by which men are guilty or not. People love darkness more than the light because the things they do are sinful.


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The man who does what is right comes to the Light. What he does will be seen because he has done what God wanted him to do."


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After this, Jesus and His followers came into the country of Judea. He stayed with them there and baptized people.


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John was baptizing in the town of Aenon near Salim. There was much water there and people were coming to be baptized.


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Then some of the followers of John and a Jew started to argue about the religious washing of the Jewish worship.


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They came to John and said to him, "Teacher, the One with you on the other side of the Jordan River is baptizing also. He is the One you told of. Everyone is going to Him."


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The man who has just been married has the bride. The friend of the man just married stands at his side and listens to him. He has joy when he hears the voice of the man just married. I am full of this joy.


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"He Who comes from above is above all. He who comes from the earth is of the earth and speaks of the earth. He Who comes from heaven is above all.


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He who puts his trust in the Son has life that lasts forever. He who does not put his trust in the Son will not have life, but the anger of God is on him."


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Jesus knew the proud religious law-keepers had heard He was making and baptizing more followers than John.


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So He came to a town in Samaria called Sycar. It was near the piece of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.


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Jacob's well was there. Jesus was tired from traveling so He sat down just as He was by the well. It was about noon.


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The woman of Samaria said to Him, "You are a Jew. I am of Samaria. Why do You ask me for a drink when the Jews have nothing to do with the people of Samaria?"


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Jesus said to her, "You do not know what God has to give. You do not know Who said to you, 'Give Me a drink.' If you knew, you would have asked Him. He would have given you living water."


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The woman said to Him, "Sir, the well is deep. You have nothing to get water with. Where will You get the living water?


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Are You greater than our early father Jacob? He gave us the well. He and his children and his cattle drank from it."


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Whoever drinks the water that I will give him will never be thirsty. The water that I will give him will become in him a well of life that lasts forever."


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The woman said, "Sir, give me this water so I will never be thirsty. Then I will not have to come all this way for water."


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The woman said, "I have no husband." Jesus said, "You told the truth when you said, 'I have no husband.'


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Our early fathers worshiped on this mountain. You Jews say Jerusalem is the place where men should worship."


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Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me. The time is coming when you will not worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.


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You people do not know what you worship. We Jews know what we worship. It is through the Jews that men are saved from the punishment of their sins.


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The time is coming, yes, it is here now, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father wants that kind of worshipers.


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The woman said to Him, "I know the Jews are looking for One Who is coming. He is called the Christ. When He comes, He will tell us everything."


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Right then the followers came back and were surprised and wondered about finding Him talking with a woman. But no one said, "What do You want?" or, "Why are You talking with her?"


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Do you not say, 'It is four months yet until the time to gather grain'? Listen! I say to you, open your eyes and look at the fields. They are white now and waiting for the grain to be gathered in.


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The one who gathers gets his pay. He gathers fruit that lasts forever. The one who plants and the one who gathers will have joy together.


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I sent you to gather where you have not planted. Others have planted and you have come along to gather in their fruit."


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Many people in that town of Samaria believed in Jesus because of what the woman said about Him. She said, "He told me everything I ever did."


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So the people of Samaria came to Him. They asked Him to stay with them. Jesus stayed there two days.


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They said to the woman, "Now we believe! It is no longer because of what you said about Jesus but we have heard Him ourselves. We know, for sure, that He is the Christ, the One Who saves men of this world from the punishment of their sins."


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When He came to Galilee, the people there were glad. They had seen all the things He did in Jerusalem. It was at the time of the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt. They had been there also.


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Jesus came again to the town of Cana of Galilee where He had made water into wine. A man who worked with the king had a son who was sick in the city of Capernaum.


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This man went to Jesus. He had heard that Jesus had come from the country of Judea to Galilee. The man asked Jesus if He would go to Capernaum and heal his son who was dying.


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Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you see special things and powerful works done, you will not believe."


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Jesus said to him, "Go your way. Your son will live." The man put his trust in what Jesus said and left.


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He asked them what time his boy began to get well. They said to him, "Yesterday at one o'clock the sickness left."


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The father knew it was the time Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." He and everyone in his house put their trust in Jesus.


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This was the second powerful work that Jesus did after He came from the country of Judea to the country of Galilee.


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Inside these porches lay many sick people. Some were blind. Some could not walk. Some could not move their bodies.


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<n>(*An angel of the Lord came at certain times and made the water move. All of them were waiting for it to move. Whoever got in the water first after it was moving was healed of whatever sickness he had.)</n>


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Jesus saw him lying there and knew the man had been sick a long time. Jesus said to him, "Would you like to be healed?"


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The sick man said, "Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is moving. While I am coming, another one gets in first."


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The Jews said to the man who had been healed, "This is the Day of Rest. It is against the Law for you to carry your bed."


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The man who had been healed did not know Who He was. Jesus had gone away while many people were there.


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Later Jesus found the man who had been healed in the house of God. He said to him, "Listen! You have been healed. Stop sinning or something worse will come to you."


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The Jews tried all the more to kill Him, not only because He had worked on the Day of Rest, but because He had also called God His Own Father. This made Him the same as God.


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Then Jesus said to them, "For sure, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself. He does what He sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son does also.


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The Father loves the Son and shows the Son everything He does. The Father will show Him greater works than these. They will surprise you.


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He does this so that all people will honor the Son as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father Who sent Him.


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"For sure, I tell you, anyone who hears My Word and puts his trust in Him Who sent Me has life that lasts forever. He will not be guilty. He has already passed from death into life.


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"For sure, I tell you, the time is coming. Yes, the time is here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. Those who hear will live.


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God has given Him the right and the power to say if people are guilty, because He is the Son of Man.


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Do not be surprised at this. The time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice.


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They will come out. Those who have done good will be raised again and will have new life. Those who have been sinful will be raised again and will be told they are guilty and will be punished.


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"I can do nothing by Myself. I say who is guilty only as My Father tells Me. That way, what I say is right, because I am not trying to do what I want to do. I am doing what the Father, Who sent Me, wants Me to do.


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I do not need words from men to say I am right. I say this that you might be saved from the punishment of sin.


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John the Baptist was a burning and shining light. You were willing for awhile to be glad in his light.


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I have something greater than John which tells of Me. I am doing works the Father has given Me to do and they are proving that the Father has sent Me.


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You do not have His word living in your hearts because you do not put your trust in the One He sent.


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"You do read the Holy Writings. You think you have life that lasts forever just because you read them. They do tell of Me.


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I have come in the name of My Father. You do not receive Me. If another person comes in his own name, you will receive him.


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How can you believe when you are always wanting honor from each other? And yet you do not look for the honor that comes from the only God.


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"Do not think that I will tell the Father you are guilty. The one who says you are guilty is Moses. You trust him.


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After this Jesus went over to the other side of the sea of Galilee. It is sometimes called Tiberias.


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Jesus looked up and saw many people coming to Him. He said to Philip, "Where can we buy bread to feed these people?"


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"There is a boy here who has five loaves of barley bread and two small fish. What is that for so many people?"


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Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was much grass in that place. About five thousand men sat down.


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Jesus took the loaves and gave thanks. Then He gave the bread to those who were sitting down. The fish were given out the same way. The people had as much as they wanted.


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When they were filled, Jesus said to His followers, "Gather up the pieces that are left. None will be wasted."


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The followers gathered the pieces together. Twelve baskets were filled with pieces of barley bread. These were left after all the people had eaten.


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The people saw the powerful work Jesus had done. They said, "It is true! This is the One Who speaks for God Who is to come into the world."


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Jesus knew they were about to come and take Him to make Him king, so He went to the mountain by Himself.


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They got into a boat and started to cross the lake to go to the city of Capernaum. By this time it was dark. Jesus had not come back to them yet.


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They were about half way across the lake when they saw Jesus walking on the water. As He got near the boat, they were afraid.


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They were glad to take Him into the boat. At once they got to the other side where they wanted to go.


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The next day the people on the other side of the lake saw no other boat there but the one His followers had been in. The people knew Jesus had not gone with His followers in the boat because they had gone alone.


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There were other boats from Tiberias that had come near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.


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The people saw that Jesus and His followers were not there. They got into boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.


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The people found Him on the other side of the lake. They said to Him, "Teacher, when did You come here?"


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Jesus said to them, "For sure, I tell you, you are not looking for Me because of the powerful works. You are looking for Me because you ate bread and were filled.


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Do not work for food that does not last. Work for food that lasts forever. The Son of Man will give you that kind of food. God the Father has shown He will do this."


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They said to Him, "Can You show us some powerful work? Then we can see it and believe You. What will You do?


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Our early fathers ate bread that came from heaven in the desert. This happened as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' " <n>Exodus 16:15</n>


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Then Jesus said to the people, "For sure, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven. My Father gives you the true Bread from heaven.


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Jesus said to them, "I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry. He who puts his trust in Me will never be thirsty.


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I came down from heaven. I did not come to do what I wanted to do. I came to do what My Father wanted Me to do. He is the One Who sent Me.


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"The Father sent Me. He did not want Me to lose any of all those He gave Me. He wants Me to raise them to life on the last day.


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He wants everyone who sees the Son to put his trust in Him and have life that lasts forever. I will raise that one up on the last day."


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The Jews talked among themselves against Him. They did not like it because He said, "I am the Bread that came down from heaven."


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They asked each other, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know His father and mother. How can He say, 'I came down from heaven'?"


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The Father sent Me. No man can come to Me unless the Father gives him the desire to come to Me. Then I will raise him to life on the last day.


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The early preachers wrote, 'They will all be taught of God.' <n>(Isaiah 54:13)</n> Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from Him comes to Me.


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I am the Living Bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats this Bread, he will live forever. The Bread which I will give is My flesh. I will give this for the life of the world."


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Jesus said to them, "For sure, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life in you.


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Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has life that lasts forever. I will raise him up on the last day.


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The living Father sent Me and I live because of Him. In the same way, the one who eats Me will live because of Me.


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I am this Bread that came down from heaven. It is not like the bread that your early fathers ate and they died. Whoever eats this Bread will live forever."


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Jesus said these things in the Jewish place of worship while He was teaching in the city of Capernaum.


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It is the Spirit that gives life. The flesh is of no help. The words I speak to you are spirit and life.


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But some of you do not believe." Jesus knew from the beginning who would not put their trust in Him. He knew who would hand Him over to the leaders of the country.


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From that time on, many of His followers turned back to their old ways of living. They would not go along with Him after that.


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Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, who else can we go to? You have words that give life that lasts forever.


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He was speaking of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who was one of the twelve followers. He was ready to hand Jesus over to the leaders of the country.


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Jesus did not stay in the country of Judea because the Jews were trying to kill Him. After this He went from place to place in the country of Galilee.


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The brothers of Jesus said to Him, "Leave here and go to the country of Judea. Let your followers there see the things You do.


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If a person wants others to know what he is doing, he does things to be seen. Since You are doing such things, show Yourself to the world."


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His brothers went to the religious gathering. He went later by Himself so He would not be seen there.


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There was much talk among the people about Him. Some said, "He is a good Man." Others said, "No, He leads the people in the wrong way."


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The Jews were surprised and wondered, saying, "How can this Man know so much when He has never been to school?"


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If anyone will do what God wants, he will know if My teaching is from God, or if I am speaking of Myself.


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The man who speaks of himself is looking for greatness for himself. But He Who is looking for the greatness of the One Who sent Him is true. There is nothing false in Him.


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Moses gave you the religious act of becoming a Jew. <n>(Yet it was not from Moses but from the early fathers.)</n> You do this religious act on a man on the Day of Rest.


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Do not say a person is guilty by what you see. Be sure you know when you say what is right or wrong."


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But see! This Man is speaking out in the open. They are saying nothing to Him. Do the leaders know this is the true Christ?


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Then Jesus spoke with a loud voice as He taught in the house of God. He said, "You know Me. You know where I came from. I have not come on My own. The One Who sent Me is true but you do not know Him.


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Many of the people believed in Him. They said, "When Christ comes, will He do more powerful works than this Man?"


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The proud religious law-keepers heard the people talking about Jesus. The religious leaders of the Jews and the proud religious law-keepers sent soldiers to take Him.


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The Jews said to themselves, "Where can He go that we will not find Him? Will He go to our people who live among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?


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What does He mean when He says, 'You will look for Me but you will not find Me, and where I go, you cannot come'?"


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It was the last and great day of the religious gathering. Jesus stood up and spoke with a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.


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The Holy Writings say that rivers of living water will flow from the heart of the one who puts his trust in Me."


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Jesus said this about the Holy Spirit Who would come to those who put their trust in Him. The Holy Spirit had not yet been given. Jesus had not yet been raised to the place of honor.


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Others said, "He is the Christ!" Some said, "The Christ would not come from the country of Galilee, would He?


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Do not the Holy Writings say that the Christ will come from the family of David? Will He not come from the town of Bethlehem where David lived?"


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The soldiers came back to the religious leaders of the Jews and to the proud religious law-keepers. They said to the soldiers, "Why did you not bring Him?"


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<n>(Nicodemus was one of the proud religious law-keepers. He had come to Jesus at another time.)</n> Nicodemus said to them,


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"Our Law does not say a man is guilty before he has been in court and before we know what he has done."


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They said to him, "Are you from Galilee also? Look into the Word of God yourself. You will see that no one who speaks for God comes from Galilee."


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Early in the morning He went back to the house of God and all the people came to Him. He sat down and taught them.


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The teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers came to Him. They brought a woman who had been caught doing a sex sin. They made her stand in front of them all.


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They were trying to set a trap to find something against Him. Jesus got down and began to write in the dust with His finger.


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They kept on asking Him. Then He stood up and said, "Anyone of you who is without sin can throw the first stone at her."


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When they heard what He said, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones until they were all gone. Then Jesus was left alone with the woman.


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Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are those who spoke against you? Has no man said you are guilty?"


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She said, "No one, Sir." Jesus said to her, "Neither do I say you are guilty. Go on your way and do not sin again.")</n>


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Jesus spoke to all the people, saying, "I am the Light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will not walk in darkness. He will have the Light of Life."


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The proud religious law-keepers said to Him, "You are talking about Yourself. What You say about Yourself is not true."


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Jesus said, "Even if I speak of Myself, what I am saying is true. I know where I came from and where I am going. You do not know where I came from or where I am going.


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It is written in your Law that when two men agree about something, it proves it is true. <n>Deuteronomy 19:15</n>


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The proud religious law-keepers asked Him, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus said, "You do not know Me or My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also."


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Jesus spoke these words near the money box while He taught in the house of God. No one put his hands on Jesus because His time had not yet come.


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Jesus spoke to the Jews again, saying, "I am going away. You will look for Me but you will die in your sins. Where I am going, you cannot come."


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He answered them, "You are from below. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world.


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That is why I said that you will die in your sins. If you do not believe that I am the Christ, you will die in your sins."


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Then they said to Him, "Who are You?" Jesus answered, "The answer is the same as I told you from the beginning.


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I have much to say about you. I must say if you are guilty. But He Who sent Me is true. I tell the world the things I have heard from Him."


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Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, you will know that I am the Christ. I do nothing of Myself. I say these things as My Father has taught Me.


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He said to the Jews who believed, "If you keep and obey My Word, then you are My followers for sure.


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They said to Jesus, "We are children of Abraham. We have never been servants to anyone. What do you mean when You say, 'You will be free'?"


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Jesus answered them, "For sure, I tell you, everyone who sins is the servant of sin because sin has a hold on him.


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"I know that you are the children of Abraham. But you want to kill Me because My Word is not in your hearts.


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They said to Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said, "If you were children of Abraham, you would do what he did.


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I am a Man Who has told you the truth as I heard it from God. Now you are trying to kill Me. Abraham never did anything like that.


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You are doing the works of your father." They said to Him, "We were born of parents who were faithful in marriage. We have one Father. He is God."


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Jesus said to them, "If God were your father, you would love Me. I came from God. I did not come on My own, but God sent Me.


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The devil is your father. You are from him. You want to do the sinful things your father, the devil, wants you to do. He has been a killer from the beginning. The devil has nothing to do with the truth. There is no truth in him. It is expected of the devil to lie, for he is a liar and the father of lies.


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Whoever is born of God listens to God's Word. You do not hear His Word because you are not born of God."


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The Jews said to Jesus, "Are we not right when we say You are from the country of Samaria, and You have a demon?"


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I am not looking for honor for Myself. There is One Who is looking for it. He says what is right from wrong.


text:
Then the Jews said to Him, "Now we know You have a demon. Abraham died. The early preachers died. You say, 'If anyone keeps My Word, that one will never die.'


text:
Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died and the early preachers died. Who do You think You are?"


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Jesus said, "If I honor Myself, My honor would be worth nothing. My Father honors Me. You say He is your God.


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You have never known Him, but I know Him. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know the Father and obey His Word.


text:
Jesus said to them, "For sure, I tell you, before Abraham was born, I was and am and always will be!"


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His followers asked Him, "Teacher, whose sin made this man to be born blind? Was it the sin of this man or the sin of his parents?"


text:
Jesus answered, "The sin of this man or the sin of his parents did not make him to be born blind. He was born blind so the work of God would be seen in him.


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We must keep on doing the work of Him Who sent Me while it is day. Night is coming when no man can work.


text:
After Jesus had said this, He spit on the ground. He mixed it with dust and put that mud on the eyes of the blind man.


text:
Then Jesus said to him, "Go and wash in the pool of Siloam." <n>(Siloam means Sent.)</n> The man went away and washed. When he came back, he could see.


text:
Some said, "This is the one." Others said, "No, but he looks like him." But the man who had been blind said, "I am the man."


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He answered, "A Man called Jesus made mud and put it on my eyes. Then He said to me, 'Go and wash in the pool of Siloam.' I went and washed and I can see."


text:
Again the proud religious lawkeepers asked the man who had been born blind how he had been made to see. He answered them, "Jesus put mud on my eyes. I washed and now I see!"


text:
Some of the proud religious law-keepers said, "The Man Who did this is not from God because He worked on the Day of Rest." Others said, "How can a sinful man do powerful works?" They could not agree about Jesus.


text:
They spoke again to the blind man, saying, "What do you say about Him since He opened your eyes?" He answered, "He is One Who speaks for God."


text:
But we do not know how it is that he can see now. We do not know who opened his eyes. He is old enough, ask him. He can tell you himself."


text:
His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. The Jews had talked among themselves. They had agreed that the person who said that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the Jewish place of worship.


text:
The proud religious law-keepers asked the man again, who had been blind, to come. They said to him, "Give thanks to God. We know this man is a sinner."


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The man who had been blind said to them, "I do not know if He is a sinner or not. One thing I know. I was blind, but now I can see."


text:
He answered, "I have told you already. You did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become His followers also?"


text:
The proud religious law-keepers became angry at him and said, "You are a follower of Jesus. We are followers of Moses.


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The man said to them, "This is strange! You do not know where He came from and yet He opened my eyes.


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We know that God does not listen to sinners. We know if anyone loves and worships God, and does what He wants, God listens to him.


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From the beginning of the world no one has ever heard of anyone opening the eyes of a man born blind.


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They said to him, "You were born in sin. Are you trying to teach us?" Then they put him out of the place of worship.


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Jesus heard that the proud religious law-keepers had put the man who had been healed out of the place of worship. He found the man and said to him, "Do you put your trust in the Son of God?"


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Jesus said, "I came into this world to say what is right from wrong. I came so those who do not see might see, and those who do see might be made blind."


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Some of the proud religious law-keepers who were with Him heard this. They said to Him, "Are we blind also?"


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Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin. But because you say, 'We see,' you still are guilty of your sin.


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"For sure, I tell you, the man who goes into the sheep-pen some other way than through the door is one who steals and robs.


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The one who watches the door opens it for him. The sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd. He calls his own sheep by name and he leads them out.


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They will not follow someone they do not know because they do not know his voice. They will run away from him."


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I am the Door. Anyone who goes in through Me will be saved from the punishment of sin. He will go in and out and find food.


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The robber comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I came so they might have life, a great full life.


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One who is hired to watch the sheep is not the shepherd. He does not own the sheep. He sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep. He runs away while the wolf gets the sheep and makes them run everywhere.


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I have other sheep which are not from this sheep-pen. I must bring them also. They will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock with one shepherd.


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No one takes my life from Me. I give it by Myself. I have the right and the power to take it back again. My Father has given Me this right and power."


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Others said, "A man who has a demon does not talk this way. Can a demon open the eyes of a blind man?"


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It was time for the religious gathering of remembering how the house of God was opened in Jerusalem.


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The Jews gathered around Him. They said, "How long are You going to keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us."


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I give them life that lasts forever. They will never be punished. No one is able to take them out of My hand.


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My Father Who gave them to Me is greater than all. No one is able to take them out of My Father's hand.


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Jesus said to them, "Many good things have I shown you from My Father. For which of these things are you going to throw stones at Me?"


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They said, "We are not going to throw stones at You for any good work. It is because of the way You talk against God. It is because You make Yourself to be God when You are only a man."


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The Holy Writings were given to them and God called them gods. <n>(The Word of God cannot be put aside.)</n>


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But God has set Me apart for Himself. He sent Me into the world. Then how can you say that I am speaking against God because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?


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But if I do them, even if you do not believe Me, believe the works that I do. Then you will know the Father is in Me and I am in Him."


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Jesus went away to the other side of the Jordan River to the place where John was baptizing people. Jesus stayed there.


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Many people came to Him and said, "John did no powerful work, but what John said about this Man is true."


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This was the Mary who put perfume on the Lord and dried His feet with her hair. It was her brother Lazarus who was sick.


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When Jesus heard this, He said, "This sickness will not end in death. It has happened so that it will bring honor to God. And the Son of God will be honored by it also."


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The followers said to Him, "Teacher, the Jews tried to throw stones at You to kill You not long ago. Are You going there again?"


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Jesus said, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walks during the day, he will not fall. He sees the light of this world.


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After Jesus had said this, He spoke again and said, "Our friend Lazarus is sleeping. I will go and wake him up."


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Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to the other followers, "Let us go also so we may die with Jesus."


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Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again when the dead are raised from the grave on the last day."


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Jesus said to her, "I am the One Who raises the dead and gives them life. Anyone who puts his trust in Me will live again, even if he dies.


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She answered, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God. You are the One Who was to come into the world."


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After Martha said this, she went and called her sister Mary. She said without anyone else hearing, "The Teacher is here and has sent for you."


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The Jews had been in the house comforting Mary. They saw her get up and hurry out. They followed her and said, "She is going to the grave to cry there."


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Mary went to the place where Jesus was. When she saw Him, she got down at His feet. She said to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."


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Jesus saw her crying. The Jews who came with her were crying also. His heart was very sad and He was troubled.


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Some of them said, "This Man opened the eyes of the blind man. Could He not have kept this man from dying?"


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Jesus went to the grave with a sad heart. The grave was a cave in the side of a hill. A stone covered the door.


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Jesus said, "Take the stone away." The dead man's sister, Martha, said to Him, "Lord, by now his body has a bad smell. He has been dead four days."


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Jesus said to her, "Did I not say that if you would believe, you would see the shining-greatness of God?"


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I know You always hear Me. But I have said this for the people standing here, so they may believe You have sent Me."


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The man who had been dead came out. His hands and feet were tied in grave clothes. A white cloth was tied around his face. Jesus said to the people, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go!"


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Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what Jesus had done put their trust in Him.


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The religious leaders of the Jews and the proud religious law-keepers gathered a court together. They said, "What will we do? This Man is doing many powerful works.


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If we let Him keep doing these things, all men will put their trust in Him. The Romans will come and take away the house of God and our nation."


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Do you not see it is better for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed?"


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Caiaphas did not think of these words himself. He spoke what God had said would happen. He was telling before it happened that Jesus must die for the nation.


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He must die not only for the nation, but also to bring together into one group the children of God who were living in many places.


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For this reason Jesus did not walk out in the open among the Jews. He went to a town called Ephraim. It was near a desert. He stayed there with His followers.


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The special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt was soon. Many people from around the country came up to Jerusalem to go through the religious washing before the special supper.


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They looked for Jesus. They stood together in the house of God and asked each other, "What do you think? Will He come to the special supper?"


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The religious leaders of the Jews and the proud religious law-keepers had said that if any man knew where Jesus was, he should tell them. They wanted to take Him.


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It was six days before the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt. Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus lived. Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead.


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Mary took a jar of special perfume that cost much money and poured it on the feet of Jesus. She dried His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the smell of the special perfume.


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Judas Iscariot was one of the followers. He was about to hand Jesus over to the leaders of the country. He said,


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He did not say this because he cared for poor people. He said this because he was a robber. He carried the bag of money and would steal some of it for himself.


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Many Jews came to the place because they knew Jesus was there. They came not only to see Jesus, but to see Lazarus also. Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead.


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Because of Lazarus, many Jews were leaving their own religion. They were putting their trust in Jesus.


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The next day many people were in Jerusalem for the religious gathering. They heard Jesus was coming.


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They took branches of trees and went to meet Him. They spoke with a loud voice, "Greatest One! Great and honored is He Who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of the Jews!"


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"Do not be afraid, people of Jerusalem. See! Your King comes sitting on a young donkey!" <n>Zechariah 9:9</n>


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His followers did not understand what this meant at first. When Jesus had gone back to heaven to receive great honor, they remembered these things were written about Him. They remembered they had done this to Him.


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The people who had been with Jesus when He had called Lazarus from the grave kept telling of this powerful work to others. They had seen Lazarus raised from the dead.


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The proud religious law-keepers said among themselves, "Look, we are losing followers. Everyone is following Jesus!"


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Some Greek people had come to worship at the religious gathering. They were among the others who had come to worship.


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These Greek people came to Philip. He was from the city of Bethsaida in the country of Galilee. They said to him, "Sir, we want to see Jesus!"


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Jesus said to them, "The hour is near for the Son of Man to be taken to heaven to receive great honor.


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For sure, I tell you, unless a seed falls into the ground and dies, it will only be a seed. If it dies, it will give much grain.


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Anyone who loves his life will lose it. Anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it forever.


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If anyone wants to serve Me, he must follow Me. So where I am, the one who wants to serve Me will be there also. If anyone serves Me, My Father will honor him.


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"Now My soul is troubled. Should I say, 'Father, save Me from this time of trouble and pain'? No, this is why I came to this time.


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Father, honor Your name!" Then a voice from heaven came, saying, "I have already honored My name. I will honor it again!"


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The people heard the voice. Some who stood there said, "It was thunder." Others said, "An angel spoke to Him."


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The people said to Him, "The Law of Moses says that the Christ is to live forever. Why do you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?"


text:
Jesus said to them, "The Light will be with you for a little while yet. Go on your way while you have the Light so you will not be in the dark. When a man is walking in the dark, he does not know where he is going.


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While you have the Light, put your trust in the Light. Then you will be the sons of the Light." Jesus said these things and then went away. He hid Himself from them.


text:
This happened as the words of the early preacher Isaiah said it would happen. He had said, "Lord, has anyone believed our preaching? Has the Lord shown His power to anyone?"


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It says, "He has blinded their eyes and made their hearts hard. Then they would not see with their eyes. They would not understand with their heart. They would not turn to Me. I could not heal them." <n>(Isaiah 6:9-10)</n>


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Even among the leaders of the people there were many who believed in Jesus. But because of the proud religious law-keepers, they did not tell about it. If they had, they would have been put out of the Jewish place of worship.


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Then Jesus spoke with a loud voice, "Anyone who puts his trust in Me, puts his trust not only in Me, but in Him Who sent Me.


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If anyone hears My Words but does not believe them, I do not say he is guilty. I did not come to say the world is guilty. I came to save the world from the punishment of sin.


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Anyone who does not receive Me and does not receive My teaching has One Who will say he is guilty. The Word that I have spoken will say he is guilty on the last day.


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I know that His Word is life that lasts forever. I speak the things the Father has told Me to speak."


text:
It was before the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt. Jesus knew the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. He had loved His own who were in the world. He loved them to the end.


text:
He and His followers were having supper. Satan had put the thought into the heart of Judas Iscariot of handing Jesus over to the leaders of the country.


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Jesus knew the Father had put everything into His hands. He knew He had come from God and was going back to God.


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Then He put water into a wash pan and began to wash the feet of His followers. He dried their feet with the cloth He had put around Himself.


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Peter said to Him, "I will never let You wash my feet." Jesus said, "Unless I wash you, you will not be a part of Me."


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Jesus said to him, "Anyone who has washed his body needs only to wash his feet. Then he is clean all over. You are all clean except one."


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Jesus knew who was going to hand Him over to the leaders. That is why He said, "You are all clean except one."


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Jesus washed their feet and put on His coat. Then He sat down again and said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you?


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For sure, I tell you, a workman who is owned by someone is not greater than his owner. One who is sent is not greater than the one who sent him.


text:
"I am not speaking about all of you. I know the ones I have chosen. What is written in the Holy Writings must happen. It says, 'The man who eats bread with Me has turned against Me.' <n>Psalm 41:9</n>


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I tell you this now before it happens. After it happens, you will believe that I am Who I say I am, the Christ.


text:
For sure, I tell you, he who receives the one I send out, receives Me. He who receives Me receives Him who sent Me."


text:
When Jesus had said this, He was troubled in heart. He told them in very plain words, saying, "For sure, I tell you, one of you is going to hand Me over to the leaders of the country."


text:
Simon Peter got this follower to look his way. He wanted him to ask Jesus which one He was speaking of.


text:
Jesus answered, "It is the one I give this piece of bread to after I have put it in the dish." Then He put the bread in the dish and gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.


text:
After Judas had eaten the piece of bread, Satan went into him. Jesus said to Judas, "What you are going to do, do in a hurry."


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They thought it was because Judas carried the bag of money, and Jesus had said that Judas should buy what they needed for the religious gathering. Or they thought Judas should give something to poor people.


text:
Little children, I will be with you only a little while. You will look for Me. I say to you what I said to the Jews, 'Where I am going, you cannot come!'


text:
Simon Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered, "You cannot follow Me now where I am going. Later you will follow Me."


text:
Jesus answered Peter, "Will you die for Me? For sure, I tell you, before a rooster crows, you will have said three times that you do not know Me."


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There are many rooms in My Father's house. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going away to make a place for you.


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After I go and make a place for you, I will come back and take you with Me. Then you may be where I am.


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Thomas said to Jesus, "Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way to get there?"


text:
Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you all this time and you do not know Me yet? Whoever has seen Me, has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?


text:
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in Me? What I say to you, I do not say by My own power. The Father Who lives in Me does His work through Me.


text:
"Believe Me that I am in the Father and that the Father is in Me. Or else believe Me because of the things I do.


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For sure, I tell you, whoever puts his trust in Me can do the things I am doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father.


text:
Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it so the shining-greatness of the Father may be seen in the Son.


text:
He is the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot receive Him. It does not see Him or know Him. You know Him because He lives with you and will be in you.


text:
In a little while the world will see Me no more. You will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.


text:
When that day comes, you will know that I am in My Father. You will know that you are in Me. You will know that I am in you.


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The one who loves Me is the one who has My teaching and obeys it. My Father will love whoever loves Me. I will love him and will show Myself to him."


text:
The other Judas <n>(not Iscariot)</n> said to Him, "Why is it You are going to show Yourself to us followers and not to the world?"


text:
Jesus said, "The one who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love him. We will come to him and live with him.


text:
The one who does not love Me does not obey My teaching. The teaching you are now hearing is not My teaching but it is from My Father Who sent Me.


text:
The Helper is the Holy Spirit. The Father will send Him in My place. He will teach you everything and help you remember everything I have told you.


text:
"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give peace to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.


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You heard Me say that I am going away. But I am coming back to you. If you love Me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father. The Father is greater than I.


text:
I am doing what the Father told Me to do so the world may know I love the Father. Come, let us be on our way.


text:
He takes away any branch in Me that does not give fruit. Any branch that gives fruit, He cuts it back so it will give more fruit.


text:
Get your life from Me and I will live in you. No branch can give fruit by itself. It has to get life from the vine. You are able to give fruit only when you have life from Me.


text:
I am the Vine and you are the branches. Get your life from Me. Then I will live in you and you will give much fruit. You can do nothing without Me.


text:
"If anyone does not get his life from Me, he is cut off like a branch and dries up. Such branches are gathered and thrown into the fire and they are burned.


text:
If you get your life from Me and My Words live in you, ask whatever you want. It will be done for you.


text:
If you obey My teaching, you will live in My love. In this way, I have obeyed My Father's teaching and live in His love.


text:
I do not call you servants that I own anymore. A servant does not know what his owner is doing. I call you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from My Father.


text:
You have not chosen Me, I have chosen you. I have set you apart for the work of bringing in fruit. Your fruit should last. And whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give it to you.


text:
If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. You do not belong to the world. I have chosen you out of the world and the world hates you.


text:
Remember I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his owner.' If they made it very hard for Me, they will make it very hard for you also. If they obeyed My teachings, they will obey your teachings also.


text:
They will do all these things to you because you belong to Me. They do not know My Father Who sent Me.


text:
"I have come and have spoken to them so they are guilty of sin. But now they have no reason to give for keeping their sin any longer.


text:
I have done things among them which no one else has done so they are guilty of sin. But now they have seen these things and have hated Me and My Father.


text:
"The Helper <n>(Holy Spirit)</n> will tell about Me when He comes. I will send Him to you from the Father. He is the Spirit of Truth and comes from the Father.


text:
They will put you out of the places of worship. The time will come when anyone who kills you will think he is helping God.


text:
"When these things happen, you will remember I told you they would happen. That is why I am telling you about these things now. I did not tell you these things before, because I was with you.


text:
I tell you the truth. It is better for you that I go away. If I do not go, the Helper will not come to you. If I go, I will send Him to you.


text:
When the Helper comes, He will show the world the truth about sin. He will show the world about being right with God. And He will show the world what it is to be guilty.


text:
He will show the world about being right with God, because I go to My Father and you will see Me no more.


text:
He will show the world what it is to be guilty because the leader of this world <n>(Satan)</n> is guilty.


text:
The Holy Spirit is coming. He will lead you into all truth. He will not speak His Own words. He will speak what He hears. He will tell you of things to come.


text:
Everything the Father has is Mine. That is why I said to you, 'He will receive what is Mine and will tell it to you.'


text:
Some of His followers said to each other, "What is He trying to tell us when He says, 'In a little while you will not see Me, and in a little while you will see Me again,' and 'Because I go to My Father'?"


text:
So they said, "What is He trying to tell us by saying, 'A little while'? We do not know what He is talking about."


text:
Jesus knew they wanted to ask Him something. He said to them, "Are you asking each other why I said, 'In a little while you will not see Me, and in a little while you will see Me again'?


text:
For sure, I tell you, you will cry and have sorrow, but the world will have joy. You will have sorrow, but your sorrow will turn into joy.


text:
When a woman gives birth to a child, she has sorrow because her time has come. After the child is born, she forgets her pain. She is full of joy because a child has been born into the world.


text:
You are sad now. I will see you again and then your hearts will be full of joy. No one can take your joy from you.


text:
"When the time comes that you see Me again, you will ask Me no question. For sure, I tell you, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My name.


text:
Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive. Then your joy will be full.


text:
"I have told you these things in picture-stories. The time is coming when I will not use picture-stories. I will talk about My Father in plain words.


text:
because the Father loves you. He loves you because you love Me and believe that I came from the Father.


text:
"I came from the Father and have come into the world. I am leaving the world and going to the Father."


text:
Now we are sure You know everything. You do not need anyone to tell You anything. Because of this we believe that You came from God."


text:
The time is coming, yes, it is already here when you will be going your own way. Everyone will go to his own house and leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with Me.


text:
I have told you these things so you may have peace in Me. In the world you will have much trouble. But take hope! I have power over the world!"


text:
When Jesus had said these things, He looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the time has come! Honor Your Son so Your Son may honor You.


text:
You have given Him power over all men. He is to give life that lasts forever to all You have given to Him.


text:
This is life that lasts forever. It is to know You, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ Whom You have sent.


text:
"I have made Your name known to the people You have given Me from the world. They were Yours but You gave them to Me. They have obeyed Your Word.


text:
I gave them the Word which You gave Me. They received it. They know I came from You and they believe You sent Me.


text:
I am no longer in the world. I am coming to You. But these are still in the world. Holy Father, keep those You have given to Me in the power of Your name. Then they will be one, even as We are One.


text:
While I have been with them in the world, I have kept them in the power of Your name. I have kept watch over those You gave Me. Not one of them has been lost except the one who is going to be destroyed, which is the son of death. The Holy Writings said it would happen. <n>(Psalm 41:9; John 6:70)</n>


text:
But now I come to You, Father. I say these things while I am in the world. In this way, My followers may have My joy in their hearts.


text:
"I have given Your Word to My followers. The world hated them because they do not belong to the world, even as I do not belong to the world.


text:
"I do not pray for these followers only. I pray for those who will put their trust in Me through the teaching they have heard.


text:
May they all be as one, Father, as You are in Me and I am in You. May they belong to Us. Then the world will believe that You sent Me.


text:
I am in them and You are in Me so they may be one and be made perfect. Then the world may know that You sent Me and that You love them as You love Me.


text:
"Father, I want My followers You gave Me to be with Me where I am. Then they may see My shining-greatness which You gave Me because You loved Me before the world was made.


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I have made Your name known to them and will make it known. So then the love You have for Me may be in them and I may be in them."


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When Jesus had said these things, He went with His followers across the small river Kidron. He and His followers went to a garden there.


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Judas, who was handing Him over to the leaders, knew the place also. Jesus and His followers had met there many times.


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Judas led some soldiers and some men who had been sent by the head religious leaders of the Jews and the proud religious law-keepers to the garden. They carried lamps and sticks that were burning and swords.


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The soldiers answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said, "I am Jesus." Judas, who was handing Him over, was with them also.


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Simon Peter had a sword. He took it and hit a servant who was owned by the head religious leader and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.


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Then Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back where it belongs. Am I not to go through what My Father has given Me to go through?"


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Then the soldiers and their captain and the men sent by the Jewish religious leaders took Jesus and tied Him.


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They took Him to Annas first. He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was the head religious leader that year.


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Caiaphas had talked to the Jews. He told them it would be a good thing if one man should die for the people.


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Simon Peter and another follower came behind Jesus. This other follower was known to the head religious leader. He went with Jesus to the head religious leader's house.


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Peter stood outside at the gate. The other follower, who was known by the head religious leader, went out and talked to the servant-girl who watched the gate. Then he took Peter inside.


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The servant-girl who watched the door said to Peter, "Are you not a follower of this Man?" He said, "I am not!"


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The servants who were owned by someone and the soldiers had made a fire because it was cold. They were getting warm by the fire. Peter was standing with them getting warm.


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The head religious leader of the Jews asked Jesus about His followers. He asked Jesus about His teaching.


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Jesus said, "I have spoken very plain words to the world. I have always taught in the Jewish place of worship and in the house of God. It is where the Jews go all the time. My words have not been said in secret.


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Then one of the soldiers standing there hit Jesus with his hand. He said, "Is that how You talk to the head religious leaders?"


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Jesus said, "If I said anything wrong, tell Me what was wrong. If I said what was right, why did you hit Me?"


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Simon Peter was standing there and getting warm. They said to him, "Are you not one of His followers also?" He lied and said he did not know Jesus and answered, "I am not!"


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A servant who was owned by the head religious leader was there. He was of the family of the man whose ear Peter cut off. The man said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Him?"


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They led Jesus from Caiaphas into the court room. It was early in the morning. They did not go inside because their Law said if they did they would become dirty with sin. Then they would not be able to eat the religious supper to remember how the Jews left Egypt.


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Then Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves and give Him a trial by your Law." The Jews said to him, "It is against our Law to put anyone to death."


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Then Pilate went back into the court room. He called for Jesus and said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"


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Pilate said, "Do you think I am a Jew? Your own people and religious leaders have handed You over to me. What have You done?"


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Jesus said, "My holy nation does not belong to this world. If My holy nation were of this world, My helpers would fight so I would not be handed over to the Jews. My holy nation is not of this world."


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Pilate said to Him, "So You are a King?" Jesus said, "You are right when you say that I am a King. I was born for this reason. I came into the world for this reason. I came to speak about the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."


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Pilate said to Jesus, "What is truth?" After Pilate said this, he went out again to the Jews. He said, "I do not find Him guilty.


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But every year a man who is in prison is allowed to go free at the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt. Do you want the King of the Jews to go free?"


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Pilate went out again and said to the people, "See, I bring Him out to you so you will know I do not find Him guilty."


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Jesus came out. He had on the crown of thorns and a purple coat. Pilate said to the people, "See! This is the Man!"


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The religious leaders and the soldiers saw Him. They spoke with loud voices, "Nail Him to a cross! Nail Him to a cross!" Pilate said, "Take Him yourselves and nail Him to a cross. As for me, I do not find Him guilty."


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The Jews said to Pilate, "We have a Law that says He should die because He has said He is the Son of God."


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He went into the court room again. He said to Jesus, "Where do You come from?" Jesus did not say a word.


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Pilate said, "Will You not speak to me? Do You not know that I have the right and the power to nail You to a cross? I have the right and the power to let You go free also."


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Jesus said, "You would not have any right or power over Me if it were not given you from above. For this reason the one who handed Me over to you has the worse sin."


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When Pilate heard this, he wanted to let Jesus go free. But the Jews kept saying, "If you let this Man go free, you are not a friend of Caesar! Whoever makes himself as a king is working against Caesar."


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When Pilate heard this, he had Jesus brought in front of him. Pilate sat down at the place where men stand in front of him if they are thought to be guilty. The place is called the Stone Floor.


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It was the day to get ready for the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt. It was about noon. Pilate said to the Jews, "See, your King!"


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They spoke with a loud voice, "Take Him away! Nail Him to a cross!" Pilate said to them, "Do you want me to nail your King to a cross?" The head religious leaders said, "We have no king but Caesar!"


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This was read by many of the Jews. The place where Jesus was nailed to the cross was near the city. The writing was written in the Hebrew and the Latin and the Greek languages.


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Then the head religious leaders of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews'! Write, 'He said, I am the King of the Jews.' "


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The soldiers who nailed Jesus to the cross took His clothes and divided them in four parts, each soldier getting one part. But His coat which was not sewed was made in one piece.


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They said to each other, "Let us not cut it up. Let us draw names to see whose it should be." This happened as the Holy Writings said it would happen, "They divided My clothes among them and they drew names for My coat." <n>(Psalm 22:18)</n> This is what the soldiers did.


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The mother of Jesus and her sister Mary, the wife of Cleophas, were standing near the cross. Mary Magdalene was there also.


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Jesus saw His mother and the follower whom He loved standing near. He said to His mother, "Woman, look at your son."


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Then Jesus said to the follower, "Look at your mother." From that time the follower took her to his own house.


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Jesus knew that everything was now finished. Everything happened as the Holy Writings said it would happen. He said, "I am thirsty." <n>Psalm 69:21</n>


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There was a jar full of sour wine near. They filled a sponge and put it on a stick and put it to His mouth.


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Jesus took the sour wine and said, "It is finished." He put His head down and gave up His spirit and died.


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This was the day before the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt. The next day was the Day of Rest and the great day of the religious gathering. The Jews went to Pilate and asked to have the legs of the men broken. They wanted their bodies taken away so they would not be hanging on the crosses on the Day of Rest.


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Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other one who had been nailed to crosses beside Jesus.


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The one who saw it is writing this and what he says is true. He knows he is telling the truth so you may believe.


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These things happened as the Holy Writings said they would happen, "Not one of His bones will be broken." <n>Exodus 12:46</n>


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And in another place the Holy Writings say, "They will look at Him Whose side they cut." <n>Zechariah 12:10</n>


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Joseph was from the town of Arimathea. He was a follower of Jesus but was afraid of the Jews. So he worshiped without anyone knowing it. He asked Pilate if he could take away the body of Jesus. Pilate said he could. Then Joseph came and took it away.


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Nicodemus came also. The first time he had come to Jesus had been at night. He brought with him a large box of spices.


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Then they took the body of Jesus with the spices and put it in linen cloths. This was the way the Jews made a body ready for the grave.


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There was a garden near the place where He had been nailed to the cross. In the garden there was a new grave in the side of the hill. No one had ever been laid there.


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This place was near by. Because it was the day the Jews got ready for the special religious gathering, they laid Jesus in it.


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It was the first day of the week. Mary Magdalene came to the grave early in the morning while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been pushed away from the grave.


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She ran to Simon Peter and the other follower whom Jesus loved. She said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the grave. We do not know where they have put Him."


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The white cloth that had been around the head of Jesus was not lying with the other linen cloths. It was rolled up and lying apart by itself.


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They still did not understand what the Holy Writings meant when they said that He must rise again from the dead.


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She saw two angels dressed in white clothes. They were sitting where the body of Jesus had lain. One angel was where His head had lain and one angel was where His feet had lain.


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They said to her, "Woman, why are you crying?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord. I do not know where they have put Him."


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After saying this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not know that it was Jesus.


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He said to her, "Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" She thought He was the man who cared for the garden. She said to Him, "Sir, if you have taken Jesus from here, tell me where you have put Him. I will take Him away."


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Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to Me. I have not yet gone up to My Father. But go to My brothers. Tell them that I will go up to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God!"


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Mary Magdalene went and told the followers that she had seen the Lord. She told them the things He had said to her.


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It was evening of the first day of the week. The followers had gathered together with the doors locked because they were afraid of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said, "May you have peace."


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When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. When the followers saw the Lord, they were filled with joy.


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Then Jesus said to them again, "May you have peace. As the Father has sent Me, I also am sending you."


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If you say that people are free of sins, they are free of them. If you say that people are not free of sins, they still have them."


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Thomas was not with them when Jesus came. He was one of the twelve followers and was called the Twin.


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The other followers told him, "We have seen the Lord!" He said to them, "I will not believe until I see the marks made by the nails in His hands. I will not believe until I put my finger into the marks of the nails. I will not believe until I put my hand into His side."


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Eight days later the followers were again inside a house. Thomas was with them. The doors were locked. Jesus came and stood among them. He said, "May you have peace!"


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He said to Thomas, "Put your finger into My hands. Put your hand into My side. Do not doubt, believe!"


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Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you believe. Those are happy who have never seen Me and yet believe!"


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But these are written so you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. When you put your trust in Him, you will have life that lasts forever through His name.


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After this, Jesus again showed Himself to His followers at the lake of Tiberias. It happened like this:


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Simon Peter and Thomas who was called the Twin and Nathanael from the town of Cana in the country of Galilee and the sons of Zebedee and two other followers were all together.


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Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." The others said, "We will go with you." They went out and got into a boat. That night they caught no fish.


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He said to them, "Put your net over the right side of the boat. Then you will catch some fish." They put out the net. They were not able to pull it in because it was so full of fish.


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Then the follower whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Peter heard it was the Lord, he put on his fisherman's coat. <n>(He had taken it off.)</n> Then he jumped into the water.


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The other followers came in the boat. They were pulling the net with the fish. They were not far from land, only a little way out.


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Simon Peter went out and pulled the net to land. There were 153 big fish. The net was not broken even with so many.


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Jesus said to them, "Come and eat." Not one of the followers would ask, "Who are You?" They knew it was the Lord.


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When they were finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" Peter answered Jesus, "Yes, Lord, You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My lambs."


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Jesus said to Peter the second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He answered Jesus, "Yes, Lord, You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Take care of My sheep."


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Jesus said to Peter the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter felt bad because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love Me?" He answered Jesus, "Lord, You know everything. You know I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.


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For sure, I tell you, when you were young, you put on your belt and went wherever you wanted to go. When you get old, you will put out your hands and someone else will put on your belt and take you away where you do not want to go."


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He said this to tell Peter what kind of death he would die to honor God. After Jesus said this, He said to Peter, "Follow Me."


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Peter turned around. He saw the follower whom Jesus loved, following. This one had been beside Jesus at the supper. This is the one who had asked Jesus, "Lord, who will hand You over?"


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So the news spread among the followers that this follower would not die. But Jesus did not say to him that he would not die. He said, "If I want him to wait until I come, what is that to you?"


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This is the follower who is telling of these things and who has written them. We know that his word is true.


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There are many other things which Jesus did also. If they were all written down, I do not think the world itself could hold the books that would be written.


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Dear Theophilus, in my first writings I wrote about all the things Jesus did and taught from the beginning


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until the day He went to Heaven. He spoke to the missionaries through the Holy Spirit. He told those whom He had chosen what they should do.


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After He had suffered much and then died, He showed Himself alive in many sure ways for forty days. He told them many things about the holy nation of God.


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As they were gathered together with Him, He told them, "Do not leave Jerusalem. Wait for what the Father has promised. You heard Me speak of this.


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For John the Baptist baptized with water but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."


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Those who were with Him asked, "Lord, is this the time for You to give the nation back to the Jews?"


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He said, "It is not for you to know the special days or the special times which the Father has put in His own power.


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"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes into your life. You will tell about Me in the city of Jerusalem and over all the countries of Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth."


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When Jesus had said this and while they were still looking at Him, He was taken up. A cloud carried Him away so they could not see Him.


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They were still looking up to heaven, watching Him go. All at once two men dressed in white stood beside them.


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They said, "You men of the country of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus Who was taken from you into heaven will return in the same way you saw Him go up into heaven."


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When they came into the city, they went up to a room on the second floor where they stayed. The followers were Peter and John, James and Andrews, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Canaanite, and Judas the brother of James.


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These all agreed as they prayed together. The women and Mary the mother of Jesus and His brothers were there.


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On one of those days Peter for up in front of the followers. <n>(There were about 120 people there.)</n> He said,


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"Men and brothers, it happened as the Holy Writings said it would happen which the Holy Spirit spoke through David. They told about Judas who would hand Jesus over to those who wanted to take Him.


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This man bought a field with the money he received for his sin. And falling down head first, his body broke open and his insides ran out.


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For it is written in the Book of Psalms, 'Let his place of living be empty and let no one live there,' and, 'Let another person take over his work.' <n>(Psalm 69:25; 109:8)</n>


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"The man to take the place of Judas should be one of these men who walked along with us when the Lord Jesus was with us.


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He must have been with Jesus from the day He was baptized by John to the day He was taken up from us. So one of these should be added to our group who will tell others that he saw Jesus raised from the dead."


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They brought two men in front of them. They were Joseph, also called Barsabbas Justus, and Matthias.


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Then the followers prayed, saying, "Lord, You know the hearts of all men. Show us which of these two men You have chosen.


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He us to take the place of Judas in this work and be a missionary. Judas lost his place and went where he belonged because of sin.


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Then they drew names and the name of Matthias was chosen. He became one with the eleven missionaries.


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The followers of Jesus were all together in one place fifty days after the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt.


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All at once there was a sound from heaven like a powerful wind. It filled the house where they were sitting.


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Then they saw tongues which were divided that looked like fire. These came down on each one of them.


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They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they began to speak in other languages which the Holy Spirit made them able to speak.


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When they heard this strange sound, they gathered together. They all listened! It was hard for them to believe they were hearing words in their own language.


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They were surprised and wondered about it. They said to each other, "Are not these Galileans who are speaking?


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We are Parthians and Medes, Elamites and from the countries of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and in the countries of Asia,


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Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene. Some have come from the city of Rome. Some are Jews by birth and others have become Jews.


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Some are also men of the countries of Crete and Arabia. They are speaking of the powerful works of God to all of us in our own language!"


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Then Peter stood up with the eleven missionaries and spoke with a loud voice, "Men of the country of Judea and all of you who are living in Jerusalem, I want you to know what is happening. So listen to what I am going to say.


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God says, 'In the last days I will send My Spirit on all men. Then your sons and daughters will speak God's Word. Your young men will see what God has given them to see. Your old men will dream dreams.


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Yes, on those I own, both men and women, I will send My Spirit in those days. They will speak God's Word.


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I will show powerful works in the sky above. There will be things to see in the earth below like blood and fire and clouds of smoke.


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The sun will turn dark and the moon will turn to blood before the day of the Lord. His coming will be a great and special day.


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It will be that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved from the punishment of sin.' <n>(Joel 2:28-32)</n>


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"Jewish men, listen to what I have to say! You knew Jesus of the town of Nazareth by the powerful works He did. God worked through Jesus while He was with you. You all know this.


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Jesus was handed over to sinful men. God knew this and planned for it to happen. You had sinful men take Him and nail Him to a cross.


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But God raised Him up. He allowed Him to be set free from the pain of death. Death could not hold its power over Him.


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"David said this about Him, 'I can see the Lord before me all the time. He is at my right side so that I do not need to be troubled.


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"Brothers, I can tell you in plain words that our early father David not only died but was buried. We know where his grave is today.


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He was one who spoke for God. He knew God had made a promise to him. From his family Christ would come and take His place as King.


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He knew this before and spoke of Christ being raised from the dead. Christ's soul would not be left in hell. His body would not be destroyed.


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"This Jesus has been lifted up to God's right side. The Holy Spirit was promised by the Father. God has given Him to us. That is what you are seeing and hearing now!


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It was not David who was taken up to heaven, because he said, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right side,


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"The whole Jewish nation must know for sure that God has made this Jesus, Lord and Christ. He is the One you nailed to a cross!"


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When the Jews heard this, their hearts were troubled. They said to Peter and to the other missionaries, "Brothers, what should we do?"


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Peter said to them, "Be sorry for your sins and turn from them and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and your sins will be forgiven. You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.


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This promise is to you and your children. It is to all people everywhere. It is to as many as the Lord out God will call,"


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He said many other things. He helped them understand that they should keep themselves from the sinful people of this day.


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Those who believed what he said were baptized. There were about 3,000 more followers added that day.


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The were faithful in listening to the teaching of the missionaries. They worshiped and prayed and ate the Lord's supper together.


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Day after day they went to the house of God together. In their houses they ate their food together. Their hearts were happy.


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They gave thanks to God and all the people respected them. The Lord added to the group each day those who were being saved from the punishment of sin.


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Each day a certain man was carried to the Beautiful Gate of the house of God. This man had never been able to walk. He was there begging for money from those who were going in.


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Peter said, "I have no money, but what I have I will give you! In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"


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Peter took the man by the right hand and lifted him up. At once his feet and the bones in his legs became strong.


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He jumped up on his feet and walked. Then he went into the house of God with them. He gave thanks to God as he walked.


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They knew it was the man who had been sitting and begging at the Beautiful Gate. They were surprised he was walking.


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The man who was healed held on to Peter and John. All the people who were surprised gathered together around them in a place called Solomon's Porch.


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When Peter saw this, he said to them, "Jewish men, why are you surprised at this? Why do you look at us as if we had made this man walk by our own power or holy lives?


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The God of our fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, has done this. He has honored His Son Jesus. He is the One you handed over to Pilate. You turned your backs on Him after Pilate had decided to let Him go free.


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But you turned your backs against the Holy and Right One. Then you asked for a man who had killed someone to go free.


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You see and know this man here. He has been made strong through faith in Jesus' name. Yes, it is faith in Christ that has made this man well and strong. This man is standing here in front of you all.


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In this way, God did what He said He would do through all the early preachers. He said that Christ must suffer many hard things.


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But you must be sorry for your sins and turn from them. You must turn to God and have your sins taken away. Then many times your soul will receive new strength from the Lord.


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But for awhile He must stay in heaven until the time when all things are made right. God said these things would happen through His holy early preachers.


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"Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up from among your brothers One Who speaks for God, as He raised me. You must listen to everything He says.


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Everyone among the people who will not listen to that One Who speaks for God will be put to death.' <n>(Deuteronomy 18:18,19)</n>


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You are of the family of the early preachers and of the promise that God made with our early fathers. He said to Abraham, 'All the families of the earth will receive God's favor through your children.'


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God has raised up His Son Jesus and has sent Him to you first to give God's favor to each of you who will turn away from his sinful ways."


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The religious leaders and the leader of the house of God and some of the religious group who believe no one will be raised from the dead came to Peter and John while they were talking to the people.


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They were angry because Peter and John had been teaching the people and preaching that Jesus had been raised from the dead.


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But many of those who heard what Peter and John said put their trust in Christ. The group of followers was now about 5,000 men.


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The next day the leaders of the court and the leaders of the people and the teachers of the Law came together in Jerusalem.


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Annas the head religious leader was there. Caiaphas and John and Alexander were there also and all who were in the family of the head religious leader.


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They put the missionaries in front of them and asked, "By what power or in whose name have you done this?"


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are you asking us today about the good work we did to a man who needed help? Are you asking how he was healed?


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You and all the Jews must know that it was by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the One you nailed to a cross and God raised from the dead. It is through Him that this man stands in front of you well and strong.


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Christ is the Stone that was put aside by you workmen. But He has become the most important Stone in the building. <n>Psalm 118:22</n>


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There is no way to be saved from the punishment of sin through anyone else. For there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved."


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They were surprised and wondered how easy it was for Peter and John to speak. They could tell they were men who had not gone to school. But they knew they had been with Jesus.


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They were not able to argue about what Peter and John had said because the man who had been healed was standing with them.


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They said, "What should we do with these men? Everyone living in Jerusalem knows a powerful work has been done by them. We cannot say that it did not happen.


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Let us tell them with strong words that they must not speak again to anyone in this name. This will keep the news from going out among the people."


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After they had spoken more sharp words to them, they let them go. They could not beat them because the people were giving thanks to God for what had happened.


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As soon as the missionaries were free to go, they went back to their own group. They told them everything the religious leaders had said.


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When they heard it, they all prayed to God, saying, "Lord God, You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything that is in them.


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You said through the Holy Spirit by the mouth of our father David, 'Why are the nations so shaken up and the people planning foolish things?


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The kings of the earth stood in a line ready to fight, and the leaders were all against the Lord and against His Christ.' <n>(Psalm 2:1-2)</n>


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You know that Herod and Pilate and the Jews and the people who are not Jews gathered together here against Jesus. He was Your Holy Son and the One You had chosen


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And now, Lord, listen to their sharp words. Make it easy for your servants to preach Your Word with power.


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May You heal and do powerful works and special things to see through the name of Jesus, Your Holy Son!"


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When they had finished praying, the place where they were gathered was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. It was easy for them to speak the Word of God.


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The many followers acted and thought the same way. None of them said that any of their things were their own, but they shared all things.


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The missionaries told with much power how Jesus was raised from the dead. God's favor was on them all.


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No one was in need. All who owned houses or pieces of land sold them and brought the money from what was sold.


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Joseph was among them. The missionaries called him Barnabas. His name means Son of Comfort. He was from the family group of Levi and from the country of Cyprus.


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He kept back part of the money for himself. His wife knew it also. The other part he took to the missionaries.


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Peter said to Ananias, "Why did you let Satan fill your heart? He made you lie to the Holy Spirit. You kept back part of the money you got from your land.


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Was not the land yours before you sold it? After it was sold, you could have done what you wanted to do with the money. Why did you allow your heart to do this? You have lied to God, not to men."


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When Ananias heard these words, he fell down dead. Much fear came on all those who heard what was done.


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Then Peter said to her, "How could you two have talked together about lying to the Holy Spirit? See! Those who buried your husband are standing at the door and they will carry you out also."


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At once she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in, they found that she was dead. They took her out and buried her beside her husband.


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The missionaries did many powerful works among the people. They gathered together on Solomon's Porch.


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No one from outside their own group came in with them because they were afraid. But those outside the church had respect for the followers.


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They brought the sick people and laid them on the streets hoping that if Peter walked by, his shadow would fall on some of them.


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Many people went into Jerusalem from towns nearby. They took with them their sick people and all who were troubled with demons. All of them were healed.


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The head religious leader heard this. Some of the religious group who believe no one will be raised from the dead also heard of the people being healed. They became very jealous.


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An angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison in the night and let them out. The angel said to them,


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"Go, stand where you have been standing in the house of God. Keep on telling the people about this new life."


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When Peter and John heard this, they went in the house of God early in the morning and began to teach. When the head religious leader and those with him had come, they gathered the men of the court and the leaders of the Jews together. Then they sent to have the missionaries brought to them from the prison.


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The soldiers said, "We found the door of the prison locked and the soldiers watching the doors. When we opened the door, we found no one inside."


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When the religious leaders and the leader of the house of God heard this, they were much troubled as to what might happen.


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Then someone came and told them, "The men you put in prison are now standing in the house of God and teaching the people."


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The leader of the house of God took his men and got them. They did not hurt the missionaries because they were afraid the people would throw stones at them.


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They brought the missionaries in and made them stand in front of the court. The head religious leader said,


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"We told you not to teach about Christ! See! You are spreading this teaching over all Jerusalem. Now you are making it look as if we are guilty of killing this Man."


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God raised this Man to His own right side as a leader and as the One Who saves from the punishment of sin. He makes it possible for the Jews to be sorry for their sins. Then they can turn from them and be forgiven.


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We have seen these things and are telling about them. The Holy Spirit makes these things known also. God gives His Spirit to those who obey Him."


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Gamaliel was a man of the religious leaders' court. He was a proud religious law-keeper and a teacher of the Law. He was respected by all the people. He stood up and said that the missionaries should be sent outside for a short time.


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Remember that many years ago a man called Theudas made himself out to be someone great. He had about 400 followers. He was killed. His followers were divided and nothing came of his teaching.


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After him, Judas of the country of Galilee gathered many followers. It was the time for every person to have his name written in the books of the nation. This Judas was killed also. All his followers were divided and went away.


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I say to you now, stay away from these men and leave them alone. If this teaching and work is from men, it will come to nothing.


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If it is from God, you will not be able to stop it. You may even find yourselves fighting against God."


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The court agreed with Gamaliel. So they called the missionaries in and beat them. They told them they must not speak in the name of Jesus. Then they were sent away.


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So the missionaries went away from the court happy that they could suffer shame because of His Name.


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Every day in the house of God and in the homes, they kept teaching and preaching about Jesus Christ.


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In those days the group of followers was getting larger. Greekspeaking Jews in the group complained against the Jews living in the country around Jerusalem. The Greek-speaking Jews said that their women whose husbands had died were not taken care of when the food was given out each day.


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So the twelve missionaries called a meeting of the many followers and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the Word of God to hand out food.


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Brothers, choose from among you seven men who are respected and who are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. We will have them take care of this work.


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These words pleased all of them. They chose Stephen who was a man full of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. They also chose Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicholas of Antioch who had become a Jew.


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The Word of God spread further. The group of followers became much larger in Jerusalem. Many of the religious leaders believed in the faith of the Christians.


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But some men came from their place of worship who were known as the Free people. They started to argue with Stephen. These men were from the countries of Cyrene and Alexandria and Cilicia and Asia.


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Stephen spoke with wisdom and power given by the Holy Spirit. They were not able to say anything against what he said.


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In this way they got the people talking against Stephen. The leaders of the people and the teachers of the Law came and took him to the religious leaders' court.


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The people were told to lie and say, "This man keeps on talking against this place of worship and the Law of Moses.


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We have heard him say, 'Jesus of Nazareth is going to pull down this place. He is going to change what Moses taught us.' "


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The men sitting in the religious leaders' court were looking at Stephen. They all saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.


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Stephen said, "My brothers and fathers, listen to me. The great God showed Himself to our early father Abraham while he lived in the country of Mesopotamia. This was before he moved to the country of Haran.


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God said to him, 'Leave your family and this land where you were born. Go to a land that I will show you.'


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He went from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. After his father died, he came to this country where you now live.


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God did not give him any land to own, not even enough to put his feet on. But He promised that the land would be his and his children's after him. At that time he had no children.


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This is what God said, 'Your children's children will be living in a strange land. They will live there 400 years. They will be made to work without pay and will suffer many hard things.


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I will say to that nation that it is guilty for holding them and making them work without pay. After that they will go free. They will leave that country and worship Me in this place.'


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"He made a promise with Abraham. It was kept by a religious act of becoming a Jew. Abraham had a son, Isaac. On the eighth day Abraham took Isaac and had this religious act done to him. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of our twelve early fathers.


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"The sons of Jacob sold Joseph to people from the country of Egypt because they were jealous of him. But God was with Joseph.


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He helped him in all his troubles. He gave him wisdom and favor with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. This king made Joseph leader over Egypt and over all the king's house.


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"The time came when there was no food to eat in all the land of Egypt and Canaan. The people suffered much. Our early fathers were not able to get food.


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"The second time they went to the country of Egypt, Joseph made himself known to his brothers. The family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh.


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Joseph asked his father Jacob and all his family to come. There were seventy-five people in the family.


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They were brought back to the city of Shechem where they were buried. Abraham paid money for the grave from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.


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"The promise God had given Abraham was about to happen. At this time many more of our people were in the country of Egypt.


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He was hard on our people and nation. He worked against our early fathers. He made them put their babies outside so they would die.


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"At that time Moses was born. He was beautiful in God's sight. He was fed in his father's house for three months.


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Moses was taught in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He became a powerful man in words and in the things he did.


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He thought his people would understand. He thought they knew God would let them go free by his help. But the people did not understand.


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"The next day Moses came to some Jews who were fighting. He tried to get them to stop. Moses said to the Jews, 'Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you hurt each other?'


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One was beating his neighbor. He pushed Moses away and said, 'Who made you a leader over us? Who said you could say who is guilty?


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When Moses heard that, he went as fast as he could to the country of Midian where he was a stranger. While he was there, he became the father of two sons.


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Forty years passed and Moses was near Mount Sinai where no people live. There he saw an angel in the fire of a burning bush.


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He was surprised and wondered when he saw it. He went up close to see it better. Then he heard the voice of the Lord speak to him.


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'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.' Moses shook! He was so afraid he did not look at the bush.


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"Then the Lord said to him, 'Take your shoes off your feet! The place where you are standing is holy ground.


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I have seen My people suffer in the country of Egypt and I have heard their cries. I have come down to let them go free. So come now, I will send you back to Egypt.'


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"The people had put Moses aside. They said, 'Who made you a leader over us? Who said you are the one to say what is right or wrong?' But God made this man a leader. Moses was the one who brought them out of the country of Egypt. This was done by the help of the angel who was in the burning bush.


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This man led them. He did powerful works in Egypt and at the Red Sea. For forty years he led them in the desert.


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"Moses said to the Jews, 'God will give you one who speaks for Him like me from among your brothers.'


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This is the man who was with the Jewish nation in the desert. The angel talked to him on Mount Sinai. Moses told it to our early fathers. He also received the living Words of God to give to us.


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"Our early fathers would not listen to him. They did not obey him. In their hearts they wanted to go back to the country of Egypt.


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They said to Aaron, 'Make us gods to go before us. We do not know what has happened to this Moses who led us out of Egypt.'


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"In those days they made a calf of gold. They put gifts down in front of their god in worship. They were happy with what they had made with their hands.


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But God turned from them and let them worship the stars of heaven. This is written in the book of the early preachers, 'Nation of Jews, was it to Me you gave gifts of sheep and cattle on the altar for forty years in the desert?


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No, you set up the tent to worship the god of Molock and the star of your god Rompha. You made gods to worship them. I will carry you away to the other side of the country of Babylon.' <n>(Amos 5:25-27)</n>


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"Our early fathers had the tent to worship in. They used it in the desert. God told Moses to make it like the plan which he had seen.


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This was received by our early fathers. They brought it here when they won the wars with the people who were not Jews. It was when Joshua was our leader. God made those people leave as our early fathers took the land. The tent was here until the time of David.


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'Heaven is the place where I sit and the earth is the place where I rest My feet. What house will you build Me?' says the Lord. 'Or what is My place of rest?


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"You have hard hearts and ears that will not listen to me! You are always working against the Holy Spirit. Your early fathers did. You do too.


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Which of the early preachers was not beaten and hurt by your early fathers? They killed those who told of the coming of the One Right with God. Now you have handed Him over and killed Him.


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The Jews and religious leaders listened to Stephen. Then they became angry and began to grind their teeth at him.


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He was filled with the Holy Spirit. As he looked up to heaven, he saw the shining-greatness of God and Jesus standing at the right side of God.


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Then they took him out of the city and threw stones at him. The men who were throwing the stones laid their coats down in front of a young man named Saul.


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After that he fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died.


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Saul thought it was all right that Stephen was killed. On that day people started to work very hard against the church in Jerusalem. All the followers, except the missionaries, were made to leave. They went to parts of the countries of Judea and Samaria.


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During this time Saul was making it very hard for the church. He went into every house of the followers of Jesus and took men and women and put them in prison.


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There were many people who had demons in their bodies. The demons cried with loud voices when they went out of the people. Many of the people could not move their bodies or arms and legs. They were all healed.


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A man by the name of Simon had done witchcraft there. The people of Samaria were surprised at the things he did. He pretended that he was a great man.


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Philip told the Good News of the holy nation of God and of Jesus Christ. Both men and women put their trust in Christ and were baptized.


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Even Simon believed in Christ and was baptized. He went along with Philip everywhere. He was surprised when he saw the powerful works that were being done.


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The missionaries in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had received the Word of God. They sent Peter and John to them.


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When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given when the missionaries laid their hands on the people, he wanted to give money to the missionaries.


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He said, "Let me also have this power. Then I can give the Holy Spirit to anyone I lay my hands on."


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Peter said to him, "May your money be destroyed with you because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!


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You must be sorry for this sin of yours and turn from it. Pray to the Lord that He will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.


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Peter and John went back to Jerusalem after telling what they had seen and heard. They had preached the Word of the Lord also. On the way they preached the Good News in many other towns in the country of Samaria.


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An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south. Take the road that goes down from Jerusalem to the country of Gaza."


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Philip got up and went. A man from the country of Ethiopia had come to Jerusalem to worship. He had been made so he could not have children. He cared for all the riches that belonged to Candace who was Queen of Ethiopia.


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Philip ran up to him. He saw that the man from Ethiopia was reading from the writings of the early preacher Isaiah and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"


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The man from Ethiopia said, "How can I, unless someone teaches me?" Then he asked Philip to come up and sit beside him.


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He was reading the part in the Holy Writings which says He was taken like a lamb to be put to death. A sheep does not make a sound while its wool is cut. So He made no sound.


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No one listened to Him because of His shame. Who will tell the story of His day? For His life was taken away from the earth. <n>(Isaiah 53:7-8)</n>


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The man from Ethiopia said to Philip, "Who is the early preacher talking about, himself, or someone else?"


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As they went on their way, they came to some water. The man from Ethiopia said, "See! Here is water. What is to stop me from being baptized?"


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<n>(*Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." The man said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.")</n>


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He stopped the wagon. Then both Philip and the man from Ethiopia went down into the water and Philip baptized him.


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When they came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit took Philip away. The man from Ethiopia did not see Philip again. He went on his way full of joy.


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Philip found himself at the city of Azotus. Then Philip went through all the towns as far as the city of Caesarea preaching the Good News at each place.


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Saul was still talking much about how he would like to kill the followers of the Lord. He went to the head religious leader.


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He asked for letters to be written to the Jewish places of worship in the city of Damascus. The letters were to say that if he found any men or women following the Way of Christ he might bring them to Jerusalem in chains.


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He went on his way until he came near Damascus. All at once he saw a light from heaven shining around him.


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He fell to the ground. Then he heard a voice say, "Saul, Saul, why are you working so hard against Me?"


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Saul answered, "Who are You, Lord?" He said, "I am Jesus, the One Whom you are working against. You hurt yourself by trying to hurt Me."


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Saul was shaken and surprised. Then he said, "What do you want me to do, Lord?" The Lord said to him, "Get up! Go into the city and you will be told what to do."


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Saul got up from the ground. When he opened his eyes, he saw nothing. They took him by the hand and led him to Damascus.


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In Damascus there was a follower by the name of Ananias. The Lord showed him in a dream what He wanted him to see. He said, "Ananias!" And Ananias answered, "Yes, Lord, I am here."


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The Lord said, "Get up! Go over to Straight Street to Judas' house and ask for a man from the city of Tarsus. His name is Saul. You will find him praying there.


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Saul has seen a man called Ananias in a dream. He is to come and put his hands on Saul so he might see again."


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Ananias said, "But Lord, many people have told me about this man. He is the reason many of Your followers in Jerusalem have had to suffer much.


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He came here with the right and the power from the head religious leaders to put everyone in chains who call on Your name."


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The Lord said to him, "Go! This man is the one I have chosen to carry My name among the people who are not Jews and to their kings and to Jews.


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So Ananias went to that house. He put his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus has sent me to you. You saw the Lord along the road as you came here. The Lord has sent me so you might be able to see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."


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At once something like a covering fell from the eyes of Saul and he could see. He got up and was baptized.


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After that he ate some food and received strength. For some days he stayed with the followers in Damascus. Preaches The Good News


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All who heard him were surprised and wondered. They said, "This is the man who beat and killed the followers in Jerusalem. He came here to tie the followers in chains and take them to the head religious leaders."


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But Saul kept on growing in power. The Jews living in Damascus wondered about Saul's preaching. He was proving that Jesus was the Christ.


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When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the followers. But they were afraid of him. They did not believe he was a true follower of Jesus.


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Then Barnabas took him to the missionaries. He told them that Saul had seen the Lord on the road. He told them also how the Lord had spoken to Saul and how he had preached without fear in Damascus in the name of Jesus.


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He preached without fear in the name of the Lord. He talked and argued with the Jews who spoke the Greek language. They kept trying to kill him.


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When the followers heard this, they took him down to the city of Caesarea. From there they sent him to the city of Tarsus.


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Then the church through all the countries of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace for awhile. The church was made strong and it was given comfort by the Holy Spirit. It honored the Lord. More people were added to the church.


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When Peter was visiting all parts of the country, he came to the faithful followers who were living in the city of Lydda.


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Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your bed." He got up at once.


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A woman who was a follower lived in the city of Joppa. Her name was Tabitha, or Dorcas. She did many good things and many acts of kindness.


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One day she became sick and died. After they had washed her body, they laid her in a room on the second floor.


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The city of Lydda was near Joppa. The followers heard that Peter was at Lydda and sent two men to ask him to come at once.


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Peter went back with them. When he came, they took him to the room. All the women whose husbands had died were standing around crying. They were showing the clothes Dorcas had made while she was with them.


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Peter made them all leave the room. Then he got down on his knees and prayed. He turned to her body and said, "Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes and looked at Peter and sat up.


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He took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then he called in the faithful followers and the women whose husbands had died. He gave her to them, a living person.


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There was a man in the city of Caesarea by the name of Cornelius. He was a captain of an Italian group of the army.


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He and his family were good people and honored God. He gave much money to the people and prayed always to God.


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One afternoon about three o'clock he saw in a dream what God wanted him to see. An angel of God came to him and said, "Cornelius."


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He was afraid as he looked at the angel. He said, "What is it, Lord?" The angel said, "Your prayers and your gifts of money have gone up to God. He has remembered them.


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He is living with Simon, the man who works with leather. His house is by the sea-shore. He will tell you what you must do."


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The angel left him. Then Cornelius called two of his servants and a religious soldier who took care of him.


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The next day they went on their way. About noon they were coming near the town. At this time Peter went up on the roof to pray.


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He became very hungry and wanted something to eat. While they were getting food ready to eat, he saw in a dream things God wanted him to see.


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He saw heaven open up and something like a large linen cloth being let down to earth by the four corners.


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Peter thought about the meaning of the dream. The men that Cornelius had sent came. They were standing by the gate asking about Simon's house.


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Peter was still thinking about the dream when the Holy Spirit said to him, "See, three men are looking for you.


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Peter went down to the men who had been sent by Cornelius. He said, "I am the one you are looking for. Why have you come?"


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They said, "Cornelius sent us. He is a captain and a good man and he honors God. The whole Jewish nation can say this is true. An angel from God told him to send for you. He asks you to come to his house. He wants to hear what you have to say."


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Peter asked them to come in and stay with him for the night. The next day he went with them. Some of the brothers from Joppa went along.


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The next day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was looking for them. He had gathered all his family and close friends at his house.


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As Peter spoke with Cornelius, he went into the house and found a large group of people gathered together.


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Peter said to them, "You know it is against our Law for a Jew to visit a person of another nation. But God has shown me I should not say that any man is unclean.


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Cornelius said, "Four days ago at three o'clock in the afternoon I was praying here in my house. All at once, I saw a man standing in front of me. He had on bright clothes.


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You must send to Joppa and ask Simon Peter to come here. He is staying at the house of Simon, the man who works with leather. His house is by the sea-shore.'


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I sent for you at once. You have done well to come. We are all here and God is with us. We are ready to hear whatever the Lord has told you to say."


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He has sent His Word to the Jews. He told them the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ. Jesus is Lord of All.


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You know the story yourselves. It was told in all the country of Judea. It began in the country of Galilee after the preaching of John the Baptist.


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God gave Jesus of Nazareth the Holy Spirit and power. He went around doing good and healing all who were troubled by the devil because God was with Him.


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We have seen and heard everything He did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And yet they killed Him by nailing Him to a cross.


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Not all the people saw Him but those who were chosen to see Him. We saw Him. We ate and drank with Him after He was raised from the dead.


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He told us to preach to the people and tell them that God gave Christ the right to be the One Who says who is guilty of the living and the dead.


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All the early preachers spoke of this. Everyone who puts his trust in Christ will have his sins forgiven through His name."


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The Jewish followers who had come along with Peter were surprised and wondered because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also given to the people who were not Jews.


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"Will anyone say that these people may not be baptized? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have."


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He gave the word that they should be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for some days.


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The missionaries and followers who were in the country of Judea heard that the people who were not Jews also had received the Word of God.


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"While I was praying in the city of Joppa, I saw in a dream something coming down from heaven. It was like a large linen cloth let down by the four corners until it came to me.


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"Three men had already come to the house where I was staying. They had been sent to me from the city of Caesarea.


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The Holy Spirit told me to go with them and not doubt about going. These six men also went with me to this man's house.


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He told us how he had seen an angel in his own home. The angel had stood in front of him and said, 'Send men to Joppa to ask for Simon Peter.


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"As I began to talk to them, the Holy Spirit came down on them just as He did on us at the beginning.


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Then I remembered the Lord had said, 'John baptized with water but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'


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If God gave to them the same gift He gave to us after we put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I stand against God?"


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When they heard these words, they said nothing more. They thanked God, saying, "Then God has given life also to the people who are not Jews. They have this new life by being sorry for their sins and turning from them."


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Those who went different places because of the trouble that started over Stephen had gone as far as the cities of Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch. They had preached the Word, but only to the Jews.


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Some of the men from Cyprus and Cyrene returned to Antioch. They preached the Good News of Jesus Christ to the Greek people there.


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When he got there and saw how good God had been to them, he was full of joy. He told them to be true and faithful to the Lord.


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Barnabas was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And many people became followers of the Lord.


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When he found Saul, he brought him back with him to Antioch. For a year they taught many people in the church. The followers were first called Christians in Antioch.


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At that time some men who preached God's Word came to Antioch and told what was going to happen. They were from Jerusalem.


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One of them was Agabus. The Holy Spirit told him to stand up and speak. He told them there would be very little food to eat over all the world. This happened when Claudius was leader of the country.


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The Christians agreed that each one should give what money he could to help the Christians living in Judea.


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When he saw that it made the Jews happy, he took hold of Peter also. This was during the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt.


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Herod took Peter and put him in prison and had sixteen soldiers watch him. After the special religious gathering was over, he planned to bring Peter out to the people.


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The night before Herod was to bring him out for his trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers. He was tied with two chains. Soldiers stood by the door and watched the prison.


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All at once an angel of the Lord was seen standing beside him. A light shone in the building. The angel hit Peter on the side and said, "Get up!" Then the chains fell off his hands.


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The angel said, "Put on your belt and shoes!" He did. The angel said to Peter, "Put on your coat and follow me."


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Peter followed him out. He was not sure what was happening as the angel helped him. He thought it was a dream.


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They passed one soldier, then another one. They came to the big iron door that leads to the city and it opened by itself and they went through. As soon as they had gone up one street, the angel left him.


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As Peter began to see what was happening, he said to himself, "Now I am sure the Lord has sent His angel and has taken me out of the hands of Herod. He has taken me also from all the things the Jews wanted to do to me."


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After thinking about all this, he went to Mary's house. She was the mother of John Mark. Many Christians were gathered there praying.


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She knew Peter's voice, but in her joy she forgot to open the gate. She ran in and told them that Peter was standing outside the gate.


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They said to her, "You are crazy." But she said again that it was so. They kept saying, "It is his angel."


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Peter kept knocking. When they opened the gate and saw him, they were surprised and wondered about it.


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He raised his hand and told them not to talk but to listen to him. He told them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. He said, "Tell all these things to James and to the other Christian brothers." Then he went to another place.


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Herod looked for him but could not find him. He asked the soldiers who watched the prison about Peter. Herod said that the soldiers must be killed because Peter got away. Then Herod went down from the country of Judea to the city of Caesarea to stay for awhile.


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Herod was very angry with the people of the cities of Tyre and Sidon. They went to him and asked for peace to be made between them and the king. They asked this because their country got food from the king's country. The people made friends with Blastus, the king's helper.


text:
A day was set aside. On that day Herod put on purple clothes a king wears. He sat on his throne and spoke to the people.


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The angel of the Lord knocked him down because he did not give honor to God. He was eaten by worms and died.


text:
Saul and Barnabas went back to Jerusalem after they had finished their work. They took John Mark with them.


text:
In the church in the city of Antioch there were preachers and teachers. They were Barnabas, Simeon Niger, Lucius of the country of Cyrene, Manaen of Herod's family, and Saul.


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While they were worshiping the Lord and eating no food so they could pray better, the Holy Spirit said, "Let Barnabas and Saul be given to Me for the work I have called them to."


text:
These preachers and teachers went without food during that time and prayed. Then they laid their hands on Barnabas and Saul and sent them away.


text:
They were sent by the Holy Spirit to the city of Seleucia. From there they went by ship to the island of Cyprus.


text:
When they went to shore at the city of Salamis, they preached the Word of God in the Jewish place of worship. John Mark was with them as their helper.


text:
They went over Cyprus as far as the city of Paphos. While there, they found a Jew who did witchcraft. He was a false preacher named Barjesus.


text:
Sergius Paulus was the leader of the country and a man who knew much. Barjesus was with Sergius Paulus. Sergius Paulus asked Barnabas and Saul to come to him so he might hear the Word of God.


text:
But Elymas <n>(as he called himself)</n>, the man who did witchcraft, worked against Barnabas and Saul. He tried to keep the leader of the country from putting his trust in the Lord.


text:
Then Saul said, "You false preacher and trouble-maker! You son of the devil! You hate what is right! Will you always be turning people from the right ways of the Lord?


text:
And now look! The hand of the Lord is on you. You will become blind. For a time you will not be able to see the sun." At once it became dark to Elymas, and he could not see. He asked people to take him by the hand to lead him from place to place.


text:
The leader of the country put his trust in the Lord because he saw what had happened. He was surprised and wondered about the teaching of the Lord.


text:
Paul and those with him went by ship from Paphos to the city of Perga in the country of Pamphylia. John Mark did not go with them but went back to Jerusalem.


text:
From Perga they went on to the city of Antioch in the country of Pisidia. On the Day of Rest they went into the Jewish place of worship and sat down.


text:
After the leaders had read from the Jewish Law and the writings of the early preachers, they sent to them saying, "Brothers, if you have any word of comfort and help for the people, say it now."


text:
The God of the Jews chose our early fathers and made them a great people during the time they lived in the land of Egypt. With a strong hand He took them out from there.


text:
He destroyed the people of seven nations in the land of Canaan. Then he divided the land and gave it to them as their own.


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For about 450 years he let them have special leaders. They had these leaders until the time of Samuel.


text:
"Then they wanted a king. God gave them Saul who was the son of Kish from the family group of Benjamin. He was king forty years.


text:
When God took Saul as king from them, He made David to be their king. He said, 'David, Jesse's son, will please My heart. He will do all I want done.'


text:
"From this man's family, God gave to the Jews the One Who saves from the punishment of sin as He had promised. He is Jesus.


text:
Before Jesus came, John had preached to all the Jews that they should be baptized because they were sorry for their sins and turned from them.


text:
When John was near the end of his work, he asked, 'Who do you think I am? I am not the Christ. No, but He is coming later and I am not good enough to get down and help Him take off His shoes!'


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"Men and brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and all of you who honor God, listen! This news of being able to be saved from the punishment of sin has been sent to you.


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The people of Jerusalem and their leaders did not know Him. They did not understand the words from the early preachers. These words were read to them every Day of Rest. But they did the very thing the early preachers had said they would do by handing Him over to die.


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When everything was done that had been written about Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a grave.


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For many days He was seen by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These are the ones who tell the people about Him.


text:
God has finished this for us who are their children. He did this by raising Jesus from the dead. It is written in the second Psalm, 'You are My Son. Today I have become Your Father.' <n>Psalm 2:7</n>


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God proved that Jesus was His Son by raising Him from the dead. He will never die again. He has said, 'I will complete the promises made to David.' <n>Isaiah 55:3</n>


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"In another Psalm He says, 'You will not allow Your Holy One to go back to dust!' <n>Psalm 16:10</n>


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David was a good leader for the people of his day. He did what God wanted. Then he died and was put into a grave close to his father's grave. His body went back to dust.


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"Men and brothers, listen to this. You may be forgiven of your sins by this One I am telling you about.


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Everyone who puts his trust in Christ will be made right with God. You will be made free from those things the Law of Moses could not make you free from.


text:
But look out! The writings of the early preachers tell of many things that you do not want to happen to you.


text:
'Listen, you who doubt and laugh at the truth will die. I will do a work during your days. It will be a work that you will not believe even if someone tells you about it.' " <n>Habakkuk 1:5</n>


text:
As Paul and Barnabas went out of the Jewish place of worship, the people asked them to talk about these things on the next Day of Rest.


text:
The people went from the place of worship. Many Jews and others who had become Jews followed Paul and Barnabas as they talked to the Jews. They told them to keep on trusting in the loving-favor of God.


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The Jews were filled with jealousy when they saw so many people. They spoke against the things Paul said by saying he was wrong. They also spoke against God.


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Paul and Barnabas said to the people in plain words, "We must preach the Word of God to you first. But because you put it aside, you are not good enough for life that lasts forever. So we will go to the people who are not Jews.


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The Lord gave us a work to do. He said, 'You are to be a light to the people who are not Jews. You are to preach so that men over all the earth can be saved from the punishment of their sins.' " <n>Isaiah 49:6</n>


text:
The people who were not Jews were glad when they heard this. They were thankful for the Word of God. Those who were chosen for life that lasts forever believed.


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The Jews worked on the feelings of the women who were religious and respected. They worked on the leading men of the city also. They worked against Paul and Barnabas and made them leave their city.


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But Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off from their feet against them and went to the city of Iconium.


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In the city of Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish place of worship. They preached with power and many people became Christians. These people were Jews and Greeks.


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But the Jews who did not want to believe worked against those who were not Jews. They made them turn against the Christians.


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Paul and Barnabas stayed there a long time preaching with the strength the Lord gave. God helped them to do powerful works when they preached which showed He was with them.


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The people of the city were divided. Some were on the side of the Jews. Some were on the side of the missionaries.


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When Paul and Barnabas heard this, they got away and went to the cities of Lystra and Derbe in Lycaonia and to the country close by.


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Calling to him with a loud voice, Paul said, "Stand up on your feet!" The man jumped up and walked around.


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The people saw what Paul did. They called with loud voices in the language of the people of Lycaonia, "The gods have become like men and have come down to us."


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The god of Jupiter was in a building near the gate leading into the city. The religious leader of that place brought cattle and flowers to the gate. He and many other people wanted to burn these as gifts in an act of worship to Paul and Barnabas.


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When Paul and Barnabas heard this, they ran among the people. They tore their clothes and cried out,


text:
"Why are you doing this? We are only men with feelings like yours. We preach the Good News that you should turn from these empty things to the living God. He made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.


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Even then God did not leave you without something to see of Him. He did good. He gave you rain from heaven and much food. He made you happy."


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Even with these words it was hard for Paul and Barnabas to keep the people from burning cattle in an act of worship to them.


text:
By this time some Jews from the cities of Antioch and Iconium came. They turned the minds of the people against Paul and Barnabas and told them to throw stones at Paul. After they threw stones at him, they dragged him out of the city thinking he was dead.


text:
As the Christians gathered around Paul, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he went with Barnabas to Derbe.


text:
In that city they preached the Good News and taught many people. Then they returned to the cities of Lystra and Iconium and Antioch.


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In each city they helped the Christians to be strong and true to the faith. They told them, "We must suffer many hard things to get into the holy nation of God."


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In every church they chose leaders for them. They went without food during that time so they could pray better. Paul and Barnabas prayed for the leaders, giving them over to the Lord in Whom they believed.


text:
Then they preached the Good News in the city of Perga. After this they went down to the city of Attalia.


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From there they went by ship to Antioch where they had been given to the Lord for His work. The work of this trip was done.


text:
When they got there, they called the church together. They told them everything God had done for them. They told how God had opened the door for the people who were not Jews to have faith.


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Some men came down from the country of Judea and started to teach the Christians. They said, "Unless you go through the religious act of becoming a Jew as Moses taught, you cannot be saved from the punishment of sin."


text:
Paul and Barnabas argued with them. Then Paul and Barnabas and some other men were chosen to go up to Jerusalem. They were to talk to the missionaries and church leaders about this teaching.


text:
The church sent them on their way. They went through the countries of Phoenicia and Samaria and told how those who were not Jews were turning to God. This made the Christians very happy.


text:
When they got to Jerusalem, the church and the missionaries and the church leaders were glad to see them. Paul and Barnabas told them what God had done through them.


text:
Some of the Christians there had been proud religious law-keepers. They got up and said, "Doing the religious act of becoming a Jew and keeping the Law of Moses are two things that must be done."


text:
After a long time of much talking, Peter got up and said to them, "Brothers, you know in the early days God was pleased to use me to preach the Good News to the people who are not Jews so they might put their trust in Christ.


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God knows the hearts of all men. He showed them they were to have His loving-favor by giving them the Holy Spirit the same as He gave to us.


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He has made no difference between them and us. They had their hearts made clean when they put their trust in Him also.


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Why do you test God by putting too heavy a load on the back of the followers? It was too heavy for our fathers or for us to carry.


text:
We believe it is by the loving-favor of the Lord Jesus that we are saved. They are saved from the punishment of sin the same way."


text:
All those who were gathered together said nothing. They listened to Paul and Barnabas who told of the powerful works God had done through them among the people who are not Jews.


text:
Simon Peter has told how God first visited the people who are not Jews. He was getting a people for Himself.


text:
'After this I will come back and build again the building of David that fell down. Yes, I will build it again from the stones that fell down. I will set it up again.


text:
Then all the nations may look for the Lord, even all the people who are not Jews who are called by My name. The Lord said this. He does all these things.


text:
We should write to them that they should keep away from everything that is given to gods. They should keep away from sex sins and not eat blood or meat from animals that have been killed in ways against the Law.


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For the Law of Moses has been read in every city from the early days. It has been read in the Jewish places of worship on every Day of Rest."


text:
Then the missionaries and the church leaders and the whole church chose some men from among them. They were to be sent to the city of Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas Barsabbas and Silas. These men were leaders among the Christians.


text:
They sent them with this letter: "The missionaries and church leaders and Christians greet the brothers who are not Jews in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.


text:
We have heard that some from our group have troubled you and have put doubt in your minds. They said that you must go through the religious act of becoming a Jew and you must keep the Law of Moses. We did not tell them to say these things.


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It pleased the Holy Spirit and us to ask you to do nothing more than these things that have to be done.


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You are to keep away from everything that is given to gods. Do not eat blood or meat from animals that have been killed in ways against the Law. Keep away from sex sins. If you keep yourselves free from these things you will do well. Good-by."


text:
When the meeting was finished, they went to Antioch. As soon as they gathered the people together, they gave them the letter.


text:
Judas and Silas were preachers also. They preached to the Christians and helped them to become stronger in the faith.


text:
They were there for some time. Then they were sent back in peace to the missionaries who had sent them.


text:
Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. With the help of many others, they preached and taught the Word of God.


text:
After awhile, Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the Christians in every city where we have preached the Word of God. Let us see how they are doing."


text:
Paul did not think it was good to take him because he had left them while they were in Pamphylia. He had not helped them in the work.


text:
They argued so much that they left each other. Barnabas took John Mark with him and went by ship to the island of Cyprus.


text:
Paul chose Silas. After the Christians asked for the Lord's favor to be on Paul and Silas, they went on their way.


text:
Paul went down to the cities of Derbe and Lystra. There was a follower there named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish Christian and his father was a Greek.


text:
Paul wanted Timothy to go with him as a missionary. He took him and had Timothy go through the religious act of becoming a Jew because of the Jews who were in those places. Everyone knew his father was a Greek.


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They went from city to city and told the Christians what the missionaries and the church leaders in Jerusalem had written for the Christians to do.


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They went through the countries of Phrygia and Galatia. The Holy Spirit kept them from preaching the Word of God in the countries of Asia.


text:
When they came to the city of Mysia, they tried to go on to the city of Bithynia but the Holy Spirit would not let them go.


text:
That night Paul had a dream. A man was standing in front of him crying out, "Come over to the country of Macedonia and help us!"


text:
We took a ship from the city of Troas to the city of Samothracia. The next day we went to the city of Neapolis.


text:
From there we went to the city of Philippi. This was an important city in Macedonia. It was ruled by the leaders of the country of Rome. We stayed here for some days.


text:
On the Day of Rest we went outside the city to a place down by the river. We thought people would be gathering there for prayer. Some women came and we sat down and talked to them.


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One of the women who listened sold purple cloth. She was from the city of Thyatira. Her name was Lydia and she was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to hear what Paul said.


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When she and her family had been baptized, she said to us, "If you think I am faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my house." She kept on asking. Then we went with her.


text:
One day as we were going to the place to pray, we met a servant-girl who could tell what was going to happen in the future by a demon she had. Her owner made much money from her power.


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She followed Paul and us crying out, "These are servants of the Highest God. They are telling you how to be saved from the punishment of sin."


text:
She did this many days. Paul was troubled. Then he turned and said to the demon in her, "In the name of Jesus Christ, I speak to you. Come out of her!" At once it left her.


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The girl's owners saw that they could not make money with her anymore. Then they took hold of Paul and Silas and dragged them to the leaders. This happened in the center of town where people gather.


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After they brought them in front of the leaders, they said, "These men are Jews and are making a lot of trouble in our city.


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Many people had gathered around Paul and Silas. They were calling out things against them. The leaders had the clothes of Paul and Silas taken off and had them beaten with sticks.


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After they had hit them many times, they put Paul and Silas in prison. The soldiers told the man who watched the prison to be sure to keep them from getting away.


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Because of this, they were put in the inside room of the prison and their feet were put in pieces of wood that held them.


text:
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs of thanks to God. The other men in prison were listening to them.


text:
All at once the earth started to shake. The stones under the prison shook and the doors opened. The chains fell off from everyone.


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The man who watched the prison woke up. He saw the prison doors wide open and thought the men in prison had gotten away. At once he pulled out his sword to kill himself.


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The man who watched the prison called for a light. Then he ran in and got down in front of Paul and Silas. He was shaking with fear.


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They said, "Put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and you and your family will be saved from the punishment of sin."


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It was late at night, but the man who watched the prison took Paul and Silas in and washed the places on their bodies where they were hurt. Right then he and his family were baptized.


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He took Paul and Silas to his house and gave them food. He and all his family were full of joy for having put their trust in God.


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The man who watched the prison told this to Paul. He said, "The leaders have sent word to let you go free. Come out now and go without any trouble."


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Paul said, "No! They have beaten us in front of many people without a trial. We are Roman citizens and they have put us in prison. Now do they think they can send us away without anyone knowing? No! They must come themselves and take us out."


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The soldiers told this to the leaders. Then the leaders were afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.


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They went themselves and told Paul and Silas they were sorry. Then they took them out and asked them to leave their city.


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Paul and Silas went to Lydia's house after they left the prison. They met with the Christians and gave them comfort. Then they went away from the city.


text:
After Paul and Silas had gone through the cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to the city of Thessalonica. The Jews had a place of worship there.


text:
Paul went in as he always did. They gathered together each Day of Rest for three weeks and he taught them from the Holy Writings.


text:
He showed them that Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead. He said, "I preach this Jesus to you. He is the Christ."


text:
Some of them put their trust in Christ and followed Paul and Silas. There were many Greek people and some leading women who honored God among those who had become Christians.


text:
The Jews who did not put their trust in Christ became jealous. They took along some sinful men from the center of town where people gather and brought them out on the street. These angry men started all the people in the city to cry out with loud voices. They went to the house of Jason hoping to find Paul and Silas there and bring them out to the people.


text:
But they did not find them there. Then they dragged Jason and some other Christians out in front of the leaders and cried out, "These men who have been making trouble over all the world have come here also.


text:
And Jason has taken them in. They say there is another King called Jesus. They are working against the laws made by Caesar."


text:
At once the Christians sent Paul and Silas away at night to the city of Berea. When they got there, they went to the Jewish place of worship.


text:
These Jews were more willing to understand than those in the city of Thessalonica. They were very glad to hear the Word of God, and they looked into the Holy Writings to see if those things were true.


text:
The Jews of Thessalonica heard that Paul was preaching the Word of God in Berea. They went there and worked against the missionaries by talking to the people.


text:
Those who took Paul brought him to the city of Athens. Paul sent word with them that Silas and Timothy should come to him as soon as they could. Then they left.


text:
While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens, his spirit was troubled as he saw the whole city worshiping false gods.


text:
He talked to the Jews and other people who were worshiping in the Jewish place of worship. Every day he talked with people who gathered in the center of town.


text:
Some men from two different groups were arguing with Paul. The one group thought that men might as well get all the fun out of life that they can. The other group thought that wisdom alone makes men happy. Some of them said, "This man has lots of little things to talk about. They are not important. What is he trying to say?" Others said, "He preaches about strange gods." It was because he preached of Jesus and of His being raised from the dead.


text:
Some of the things you are telling us are strange to our ears. We want to know what these things mean."


text:
The people of Athens and those visiting from far countries used all their time in talking or hearing some new thing.


text:
Then Paul stood up on Mars' Hill and said, "Men of Athens, I see how very religious you are in every way.


text:
As I was walking around and looking at the things you worship, I found an altar where you worship with the words written on it, TO THE GOD WHO IS NOT KNOWN. You are worshiping Him without knowing Him. He is the One I will tell you about.


text:
"The God Who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth. He does not live in buildings made by hands.


text:
No one needs to care for Him as if He needed anything. He is the One who gives life and breath and everything to everyone.


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He made from one blood all nations who live on the earth. He set the times and places where they should live.


text:
"They were to look for God. Then they might feel after Him and find Him because He is not far from each one of us.


text:
It is in Him that we live and move and keep on living. Some of your own men have written, 'We are God's children.'


text:
If we are God's children, we should not think of Him as being like gold or silver or stone. Such gods made of gold or silver or stone are planned by men and are made by them.


text:
"God did not remember these times when people did not know better. But now He tells all men everywhere to be sorry for their sins and to turn from them.


text:
He has set a day when He will say in the right way if the people of the world are guilty. This will be done by Jesus Christ, the One He has chosen. God has proven this to all men by raising Jesus Christ from the dead."


text:
Some people laughed and made fun when they heard Paul speak of Christ being raised from the dead. Others said, "We want to listen to you again about this."


text:
Some people followed him and became Christians. One was Dionysius, a leader in the city. A woman named Damaris believed. And there were others also.


text:
He met a Jew there named Aquila who was born in the country of Pontus. He had lived in the country of Italy a short time. His wife Priscilla was with him. Claudius, who was the leader of the country, had told all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see Aquila and Priscilla.


text:
They made tents for a living. Paul did the same kind of work so he stayed with them and they worked together.


text:
Silas and Timothy came down from the country of Macedonia. Then Paul used all his time preaching to the Jews. He taught that Jesus was the Christ.


text:
But they worked against Paul and said bad things about him. He shook his clothes and said, "Whatever happens to you is your own doing. I am free from your guilt. From now on I will go to the people who are not Jews."


text:
Paul went from there and came to the house of a man named Titus Justus who worshiped God. His house was next to the Jewish place of worship.


text:
Crispus was the leader of the Jewish place of worship. He and his family believed in the Lord. Many of the people of Corinth who heard Paul became Christians and were baptized.


text:
Paul saw the Lord in a dream one night. He said to Paul, "Do not be afraid. Keep speaking. Do not close your mouth.


text:
Gallio was leader of the country of Greece. All the Jews worked against Paul and brought him in front of the court.


text:
Paul was ready to speak, but Gallio said to the Jews, "If this were something bad or a wrong doing, I would listen to you.


text:
But because it is about words and names and your own Law, you will have to take care of it yourselves. I do not want to judge who is right or wrong in things like this."


text:
Then all the Greek people took Sosthenes, the leader of the Jewish place of worship, and beat him in front of the court. But Gallio did not let this trouble him.


text:
Paul stayed in Corinth many days longer. Then he said good-bye and left the followers. He went by ship to the country of Syria with Priscilla and Aquila going with him. In the city of Cenchrea he had his hair cut short because of a promise he had made to God.


text:
They came to the city of Ephesus. Priscilla and Aquila stayed there. Paul went to the Jewish place of worship and argued with the Jews.


text:
As he left them, he said, <n>(*"I must go to the special supper at Jerusalem.)</n> I will return again to you if God wants me to." Then he got on a ship and left Ephesus.


text:
He stopped in the city of Caesarea to greet the people in the church. Then he went down to the city of Antioch.


text:
Paul stayed there for some time. Then he went from city to city through the countries of Galatia and Phrygia. In each place he helped the Christians become strong in the faith.


text:
A Jew by the name of Apollos had come to Ephesus. He was from the city of Alexandria. He could talk to people about the Holy Writings very well.


text:
He had been taught in the way of the Lord. And with a strong desire in his heart, he taught about Jesus. What he said was true, but he knew only about the baptism of John.


text:
He began to speak without fear in the Jewish place of worship. Aquila and Priscilla heard him. They took him to their house and taught him much more about the things of God.


text:
Apollos wanted to cross over to Greece. The Christians wrote a letter to the followers there asking them to be good to him. When he got there, he was much help to those who had put their trust in Christ.


text:
In front of everyone he proved with great power that the Jews were wrong. He showed from the Holy Writings that Jesus was the Christ.


text:
While Apollos was in the city of Corinth, Paul went through the hill country to get to the city of Ephesus. He found a few followers there.


text:
He asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you put your trust in Christ?" They said, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."


text:
Paul said, "John baptized those who were sorry for their sins and turned from them. He told the people to put their trust in Jesus Who was coming later."


text:
When Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them. They started to talk in special sounds and to speak God's Word.


text:
For three months Paul went into the Jewish place of worship and spoke without fear. He taught them things about the holy nation of God.


text:
Some let their hearts grow hard. They would not put their trust in Christ. These spoke against the Christian religion in front of other people. Then Paul took the followers away from the others. He taught them each day in the school of Tyrannus.


text:
He did this for two years. All the Jews and the Greeks in the countries of Asia heard the Word of the Lord.


text:
Pieces of cloth and parts of his clothes that had been next to his body were put on sick people. Then they were healed of their diseases and demons came out of them.


text:
There were Jews who went from city to city trying to put demons out of people. Some of these tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus on those who had demons. They said, "I speak to you in the name of Jesus, the One Paul preaches about."


text:
A Jewish leader of the people by the name of Sceva had seven sons. These sons were trying to do this.


text:
Then the man with the demon jumped on the sons. He had power over them and beat them. They ran out of the house with no clothes on and they were hurt.


text:
All the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus heard about it. Because of this all the people became afraid. And the name of the Lord Jesus was held in great honor.


text:
Many of those who did witchcraft gathered their books together and burned them in front of everyone. These books were worth 50,000 pieces of silver money.


text:
After this, Paul thought he would go through the countries of Macedonia and Greece. Then he would go to Jerusalem. He said, "After I have been there, I must go to the city of Rome also."


text:
He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia. Paul stayed in the countries of Asia awhile longer.


text:
A man named Demetrius made small silver buildings for the worship of Diana. His workmen received much money for their work.


text:
He called his workmen together and other men who made these small silver buildings. He said to them, "Men, you know we make much money from this work.


text:
Now you hear that Paul has turned away many people in Ephesus as well as in Asia. He tells them that gods made with hands are not gods.


text:
It could be that our work will not be respected. Not only that, the house of worship for the god of Diana will be worth nothing and her greatness will be destroyed. All the countries of Asia and the world worship her."


text:
The whole city was filled with loud cries. They caught Gaius and Aristarchus. These two men from Macedonia were with Paul. They gathered around them at the meeting place in the city.


text:
All this time some were crying out one thing and some another. The meeting was all noise. Most of the people did not know why they had come together.


text:
As soon as they saw he was a Jew, they cried out with a loud voice for two hours, "Great is Diana of Ephesus!"


text:
One of the city leaders stopped the noise. He spoke, "Men of Ephesus, everyone knows our city is where the god of Diana is kept. That is the stone god that fell from the sky.


text:
If Demetrius and his workmen have something against anyone, we have special days for courts. Let them go to court.


text:
We are in danger of being asked about this trouble today. There is no good reason we can give for this meeting."


text:
When the noise had come to an end, Paul called the followers to him. He spoke words of comfort and then said good-bye. He left to go to the country of Macedonia.


text:
As he went through those parts of the country, he spoke words of comfort and help to the Christians. Then he went on to the country of Greece.


text:
He stayed there three months. As he was about to get on a ship for the country of Syria, he learned that the Jews had made a plan to take him. He changed his plans and went back through Macedonia.


text:
Some men were going along with him. They were Sopater of the city of Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus of the city of Thessalonica, Gaius of the city of Derbe, and Timothy and Tychicus and Trophimus of the countries of Asia.


text:
After the supper of bread without yeast we got on a ship in the city of Philippi. We met these men at Troas. It took five days to get there and we stayed one week.


text:
On the first day of the week we met together to eat the Lord's supper. Paul talked to them. He thought he would leave the next day, so he kept on talking until twelve o'clock at night.


text:
A young man named Eutychus sat in the window. As Paul kept on preaching, this man started to go to sleep. At last he went to sleep. He fell from the third floor to the ground and was picked up dead.


text:
Paul went down and stood over him. Then he took him in his arms and said, "Do not be worried. He is alive!"


text:
Paul went up again to the meeting and ate with them. He talked with them until the sun came up. Then he left.


text:
We went on ahead by ship to the city of Assos. There we were to pick up Paul. He had planned it that way. He wanted to walk by land that far.


text:
The next day we went by ship to a place beside the island of Chios. The next day we crossed over to the island of Samos. Then the next day we came to the city of Miletus.


text:
Paul planned to pass by the city of Ephesus so he would not lose more time in Asia. He wanted to be in Jerusalem if he could be on the day to remember how the Holy Spirit came on the church.


text:
When they got there, he said to them, "From the first day that I came to Asia you have seen what my life has been like.


text:
I worked for the Lord without pride. Because of the trouble the Jews gave me, I have had many tears.


text:
I always told you everything that would be a help to you. I taught you in open meetings and from house to house.


text:
I preached to the Jews and to the Greeks. I told them to turn from their sin to God and to put their trust in our Lord Jesus Christ.


text:
"As you see, I am on my way to Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit makes me go. I do not know what will happen to me there.


text:
But in every city I have been, the Holy Spirit tells me that trouble and chains will be waiting for me there.


text:
But I am not worried about this. I do not think of my life as worth much, but I do want to finish the work the Lord Jesus gave me to do. My work is to preach the Good News of God's loving-favor.


text:
"All of you have heard me preach the Good News. I am sure that none of you will ever see my face again.


text:
Keep a careful watch over yourselves and over the church. The Holy Spirit has made you its leaders. Feed and care for the church of God. He bought it with His own blood.


text:
"Yes, I know that when I am gone, hungry wolves will come in among you. They will try to destroy the church.


text:
Also men from your own group will begin to teach things that are not true. They will get men to follow them.


text:
I say again, keep watching! Remember that for three years I taught everyone of you night and day, even with tears.


text:
"And now, my brothers, I give you over to God and to the word of His love. It is able to make you strong and to give you what you are to have, along with all those who are set apart for God.


text:
In every way I showed you that by working hard like this we can help those who are weak. We must remember what the Lord Jesus said, 'We are more happy when we give than when we receive.' "


text:
What made them sad most of all was he said that they would never see his face again. Then they went with him to the ship.


text:
After we left them, we got on a ship and came straight down to the island of Cos. The next day we came to the island of Rhodes and from there to the city of Patara.


text:
We saw the island of Cyprus to our left but went on to the country of Syria. We came to land at the city of Tyre. The ship was to leave its load of freight there.


text:
We looked for the Christians and stayed with them seven days. The Christians had been told by the Holy Spirit to tell Paul not to go to Jerusalem.


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When our time was up, we left there and went on our way. All of them with their wives and children went with us out of town. They got down on their knees on the shore and prayed.


text:
The same ship took us from Tyre to the city of Ptolemais. We stayed with the Christians there one day.


text:
The next day we left and came to the city of Caesarea. We went to the house of Philip and stayed with him. He was a preacher who goes from town to town and was one of the seven church leaders.


text:
While we were there a few days, a man who speaks for God named Agabus came down from the country of Judea.


text:
He came to see us. Then he took Paul's belt and used it to tie his own feet and hands. He said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says, 'The Jews at Jerusalem will tie the man who owns this belt. Then they will hand him over to the people who are not Jews.' "


text:
Then Paul said, "What do you mean by crying and breaking my heart? I am ready to be put in chains in Jerusalem. I am also ready to die for the name of the Lord Jesus."


text:
Some of the followers in Caesarea went with us. They took us to Mnason's house. He was one of the first followers from Cyprus. We stayed with him.


text:
After greeting them, Paul told of what God had done through his work for the people who were not Jews.


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When they heard this, they thanked the Lord. Then they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands of Christians there are among the Jews. They all obey the Law of Moses.


text:
They have heard about you. They have heard you teach the Jews who live among people who are not Jews. They have heard you teach them to break away from the Law of Moses. They say you are telling them not to do the religious act of becoming a Jew and not to follow old religious ways of worship.


text:
Take these four men and go through the religious worship of washing with them. You pay to have their hair cut off. Then everybody will know what they have heard about you is not true. They will know you are careful to obey the Law of Moses.


text:
As for the people who are not Jews, we wrote to them. We said that they must keep away from everything that has been given to gods. They must not eat blood or meat from animals that have been killed in ways against the Law. They must keep away from sex sins."


text:
The next day Paul took the men. He went through the religious worship of washing with them. They went into the house of God to tell when their religious worship of washing would be finished. Then the gift for each one of them would be given as an act of worship.


text:
The seven days were almost finished. Jews from the countries of Asia saw Paul in the house of God. They made the people turn against him. Then they took hold of him.


text:
They cried out, "You who are Jews, help us! This is the man who is teaching against our people and our Law and this house of God. Also he has brought Greek people into the house of God. This has made this holy place unclean."


text:
They had seen him before in the city with Trophimus who was from the city of Ephesus. They thought Paul had brought him into the house of God also.


text:
All the people in the city were crying out with loud voices. The people pushed and moved together. They took Paul and dragged him out of the house of God. Then the doors were shut.


text:
They were getting ready to kill him. The captain of the soldiers heard there was trouble over all Jerusalem.


text:
At once the captain called his soldiers and they ran down to the people. When the people saw the captain and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.


text:
The captain came and took hold of Paul. He told his soldiers to tie Paul with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.


text:
Some of the people called out one thing and some another. The captain was not able to find out what had happened. He told his men to take Paul into the soldiers' building.


text:
The people cried out so loud and pushed so hard that Paul had to be carried up the steps by the soldiers.


text:
Paul was brought into the soldiers' building. He said to the captain, "May I say something to you?" The captain said, "Can you speak the Greek language?


text:
Are you not the man from the country of Egypt who made trouble against our country? That man led 4,000 fighting men into the desert."


text:
Paul said, "No! I am a Jew and a citizen of a large city. I am from Tarsus in the country of Cilicia. I ask you to let me speak to the people."


text:
The captain told Paul to speak. So Paul stood on the steps and held up his hand. When there was no more noise, he spoke to them in the language of the Jews.


text:
"I am a Jew. I was born in the city of Tarsus in the country of Cilicia. When I was a young man, I lived here in Jerusalem. I went to Gamaliel's school and learned all about the Law of our early fathers. I worked hard for God as you all do today.


text:
"I worked hard and killed men and women who believed as I believe today. I put them in chains and sent them to prison.


text:
The head religious leader and the leaders of the people can tell you this is true. I got letters from them to take to our Jewish brothers in the city of Damascus. I was going there to put the Christians in chains and bring them to Jerusalem where they would be beaten.


text:
I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, the One you are working against.'


text:
I asked, 'Lord, what should I do?' The Lord said to me, 'Get up! Go to Damascus. You will be told what to do there.'


text:
"I could not see because of the bright light. Those who were with me had to lead me by the hand until we came to Damascus.


text:
He came and stood near me and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' At once I was able to see him.


text:
Then Ananias said, 'The God of our fathers chose you to know what He wants done. He chose you to see Jesus Christ, the One Right with God, and to hear His voice.


text:
I saw Him as He said to me, 'Get out of Jerusalem! They will not listen to you when you tell them about Me!'


text:
I said, 'Lord, they know I took Christians out of every Jewish place of worship. I had them beaten and put in prison.


text:
Also when Stephen was killed, I stood there and watched them throw stones at him. Those who threw the stones had me watch their coats.'


text:
They listened to him until he said that. Then they all cried out with loud voices, "Kill him! Take such a man from the earth! He should not live!"


text:
The captain told them to bring Paul into the soldiers' building. He told his soldiers to find out from Paul, by beating him, why the people were crying out against him.


text:
As they tied him up, Paul said to the soldier, "Does the law say that you can beat a Roman citizen when no one has said he is guilty?"


text:
When the soldier heard this, he told it to the captain. He said, "Listen! What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen."


text:
The captain said, "I had to pay a lot of money to be a citizen." Paul said, "But I was born a Roman."


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Those who were going to beat him left him at once. The captain was also afraid when he heard that Paul was a Roman citizen because he had him tied.


text:
The next day they took off the chains that were holding Paul. The captain wanted to know why the Jews wanted to kill him. So the captain told the head religious leaders to gather for their court. They brought Paul and put him in front of them.


text:
Paul looked straight at the court and said, "Brother Jews, I have lived for God with a heart that has said I am not guilty to this day."


text:
Paul said, "God will hit you, you white-washed wall! Do you sit there and say I am guilty by the Law when you break the Law by having me hit?"


text:
Paul said, "Brother Jews, I did not know that he was God's head religious leader. I know the Holy Writings say, 'You must not speak against the leader of your people.' " <n>Exodus 22:28</n>


text:
Paul saw that part of the court was made up of the religious group who believe no one is raised from the dead. The other part were proud religious law-keepers. Then he cried out, "Brother Jews, I am a proud religious law-keeper and from a family of proud religious law-keepers. I have been brought in front of this court because of the hope of being raised from the dead."


text:
When they heard this, both religious groups started to argue and the people of the court were divided in what they thought.


text:
The one religious group believes that no one is raised from the dead. Also, they do not believe in angels or spirits. But the other religious group, the proud religious law-keepers, believe that people are raised from the dead and that there are angels and spirits.


text:
The courtroom was filled with noise. Some of the teachers of the Law working with the proud religious law-keepers stood up and said, "We find nothing wrong with this man. What if an angel or spirit has spoken to him?"


text:
They argued all the more. Then the captain was afraid they would pull Paul to pieces. He told his men to get Paul out of there and take him back to the soldiers' building.


text:
The next night the Lord came to Paul and said, "Paul, do not be afraid! You will tell about Me in the city of Rome the same as you have told about Me in Jerusalem."


text:
In the morning some of the Jews gathered together and made a plan to kill Paul. They promised each other that they would not eat or drink until they had killed him.


text:
These people came to the head religious leader and to the leaders of the people and said, "We have made a promise not to eat any food until we have killed Paul.


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We ask you and the court to have the captain bring Paul down to you tomorrow. It will look as if you want to ask him some things. Before he gets near you, we will be waiting to kill him."


text:
Paul called one of the soldiers and said, "Take this young man to the captain. He has something to tell him."


text:
The soldiers brought the young man to the captain and said, "Paul asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you."


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The captain took him by the hand and they walked over where they could be alone. He said, "What is it that you have to tell me?"


text:
The young man said, "The Jews have made a plan to ask you to bring Paul to the courtroom tomorrow. It would look as if they were going to ask him some things.


text:
Do not let them talk you into it. More than forty men are waiting in secret to kill him. They have promised each other not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him. They are all waiting for you to say the word."


text:
Then the captain called two soldiers and said, "Get 200 men ready to go to the city of Caesarea by nine o'clock tonight. Also have seventy men ride on horses and 200 men carry spears.


text:
This man Paul was taken by the Jews. He was about to be killed by them. But I came along with my soldiers and kept him from being killed. I did this when I learned that he was a Roman citizen.


text:
I learned they were holding him because of something about their Law. There was no reason for him to be killed or to be put in prison.


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I was told that the Jews had a plan to kill this man. At once I sent him to you. I told the Jews who wanted to kill him to tell you what they have against him. Good-bye."


text:
The next day they went back to their building in Jerusalem. The men riding horses went on with Paul.


text:
When they came to Caesarea, they gave the letter to the leader of the people. They also handed Paul over to him.


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After he read the letter, he asked what part of the country Paul was from. He was told that Paul was from the city of Cilicia.


text:
He said, "I will listen to all of this when the men come who want to kill you." He had Paul kept in King Herod's building.


text:
Five days later Ananias came to the city of Caesarea. He was the head religious leader. Some other religious leaders and a man whose name was Tertullus came also. This man worked in courts and knew all about the laws. He told Felix what the Jews had against Paul.


text:
They brought in Paul. Then Tertullus started to tell what the Jews had against him, saying, "Most respected Felix, because of you, we are living in peace. Wrongdoings have been made right in this nation.


text:
We do not want to keep you here too long. I ask you to listen to our few words. You are known to be kind in this way.


text:
We have found this man to be a trouble-maker among all the Jews in the world. He is a leader of a religious group called the Nazarenes.


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He even tried to make the house of God unclean by taking people into it who were not Jews. But we took hold of him. <n>(*We could have said he was guilty by our Law.


text:
He told those who wanted to kill him to tell you what they had against him.)</n> When you ask him about these things, you will be able to learn everything we have against him."


text:
Then Felix, the leader of the people, told Paul to speak. Paul said, "I know that you have been a leader of this nation for many years. I am happy to be able to speak for myself.


text:
Not more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. You can find out about this yourself.


text:
I did not argue with anyone in the house of God or in the Jewish places of worship or in the city. I was not making trouble.


text:
"I will say this, I worship the God of our fathers in the new Way. They say it is a false way. But I believe everything that has been written in the Law and by the early preachers.


text:
I trust God for the same things they are looking for. I am looking for the dead to rise, both those right with God and the sinful.


text:
Some Jews from the countries of Asia found me in the house of God after I had gone through the worship of washing. There were no people around me and there was no noise or fighting.


text:
unless it was the words I cried out as I stood in front of them. I said, 'I have been brought in front of this court because of the hope of being raised from the dead.' "


text:
Felix knew about the Christian religion. He stopped the court, saying, "When Lysias the captain comes down, I will decide about this."


text:
He told the soldier to watch Paul, but to let him come and go as much as he wanted to. Paul's friends were to be able to come and care for him.


text:
Some days later Felix came again. His Jewish wife Drusilla was with him. He sent for Paul and heard him talk about faith in Christ Jesus.


text:
Paul spoke about being right with God. He spoke about being the boss over our own desires. He spoke about standing before One Who will tell us if we are guilty. When Felix heard this, he became afraid and said, "Go now. I will send for you when it is a better time."


text:
He was hoping that Paul would give him money so he could go free. For that reason he kept sending for Paul and talking to him.


text:
After two years Porcius Festus became leader of the people instead of Felix. Felix wanted to please the Jews so he kept Paul in prison.


text:
Three days after Festus had become leader in the country, he went from the city of Caesarea to Jerusalem.


text:
They asked Festus for a favor. They wanted Paul to be brought to Jerusalem because they had plans to kill him on the way.


text:
Festus said, "If Paul has done anything wrong, let your leaders go along with me and say what they have against him."


text:
After staying with them about ten days, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he sat in the courtroom and asked for Paul to be brought in.


text:
Paul came into the courtroom. The Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They said many bad things against him. But they could not prove any of the things they said.


text:
Paul spoke for himself, saying, "I have done nothing wrong against the Law of the Jews or against the house of God or against Caesar."


text:
Festus was hoping to get the respect of the Jews. He asked Paul, "Will you go to the court in Jerusalem and let me say if you are guilty or not about these things?"


text:
Paul said, "I am standing in front of Caesar's court where I should be told I am right or wrong. I have done no wrong to the Jews. You know that.


text:
If I have done wrong and should die, I am not trying to keep from dying. But if these things they say against me are not true, no one can give me over to them. I ask to be taken to Caesar."


text:
Festus talked to the leaders of the court. Then he said to Paul, "You have asked to be taken to Caesar. You will go to him."


text:
After a few days, King Agrippa and his wife, Bernice, came down to Caesarea. They went to Festus to greet him.


text:
They stayed there a few days. Festus told them about Paul. He said, "There is a man here who was left in prison by Felix.


text:
When I was at Jerusalem, the head religious leaders and the leaders of the people told me about him and asked me to say that he is guilty.


text:
I told them it was against the Roman law to hand over a man to be put to death before he stood face to face with those who had something against him and could speak for himself.


text:
They did not agree with him about their own religion, and they argued about someone called Jesus. He had died but Paul kept saying He was alive.


text:
I did not know what to do. Then I asked him if he would go on trial about these things at Jerusalem.


text:
But Paul asked to go on trial in front of Caesar. I said that he should be kept in prison until he could be sent to Caesar."


text:
The next day Agrippa and Bernice came into the courtroom. They were dressed to show their greatness as king and queen. Army leaders and leading men of the city came in with them. Festus had Paul brought in.


text:
Festus said, "King Agrippa and all of you who are here with us, you see this man. All of the Jews both here and at Jerusalem are saying that Paul should be put to death.


text:
I have heard nothing against him that would be reason to put him to death. But he asked for a trial in front of Caesar. I have agreed to send Paul to him.


text:
When I write to Caesar, I have nothing to say against him. For this reason, I brought him in front of you all and in front of you, King Agrippa. After we ask him questions, I may have something to write about.


text:
"King Agrippa, the Jews have said many things against me. I am happy to be able to tell you my side of the story.


text:
You know all about the Jewish ways and problems. So I ask you to listen to me until I have finished.


text:
"All the Jews know about my life from the time I was a boy until now. I lived among my own people in Jerusalem.


text:
If they would tell what they know, they would say that I lived the life of a proud religious law-keeper. I was in the group of proud religious law-keepers who tried to obey every law.


text:
This promise is what our twelve family groups of the Jewish nation hope to see happen. They worship God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that they are saying things against me.


text:
I did that in Jerusalem. I put many of the followers in prison. The head religious leaders gave me the right and the power to do it. Then when the followers were killed, I said it was all right.


text:
I beat them and tried to make them speak against God in all the Jewish places of worship. In my fight against them, I kept going after them even into cities in other countries.


text:
"When I was going to Damascus to do this, I had the right and the power from the head religious leaders to make it hard for the followers.


text:
I was on the road at noon. King Agrippa, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun. It was shining around me and the men with me.


text:
We all fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice speaking to me in the Jewish language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you working so hard against Me? You hurt yourself by trying to hurt Me.'


text:
Get up. Stand on your feet. I have chosen you to work for Me. You will tell what you have seen and you will say what I want you to say. This is the reason I have allowed you to see Me.


text:
I will keep you safe from the Jews and from the people who are not Jews. I am sending you to these people.


text:
You are to open their eyes. You are to turn them from darkness to light. You are to turn them from the power of Satan to the power of God. In this way, they may have their sins forgiven. They may have what is given to them, along with all those who are set apart for God by having faith in Me.'


text:
First I told what I saw to those in Damascus and then in Jerusalem. I told it through all the country of Judea. I even preached to the people who are not Jews that they should be sorry for their sins and turn from them to God. I told them they should do things to show they are sorry for their sins.


text:
God has helped me. To this day I have told these things to the people who are well-known and to those not known. I have told only what the early preachers and Moses said would happen.


text:
It was that Christ must suffer and be the first to rise from the dead. He would give light to the Jews and to the other nations."


text:
As Paul was speaking for himself, Festus cried out in a loud voice, "Paul, you are crazy! All your learning keeps you from thinking right!"


text:
The king knows about all this. I am free to speak to him in plain words. Nothing I have said is new to him. These things happened where everyone saw them.


text:
Then Agrippa said to Paul, "In this short time you have almost proven to me that I should become a Christian!"


text:
Paul said, "My prayer to God is that you and all who hear me today would be a Christian as I am, only not have these chains!"


text:
As they left the courtroom, they said to each other, "This man has done nothing for which he should be kept in prison or be put to death."


text:
It was decided that we should go to the country of Italy by ship. Then they put Paul and some other men in chains. Julius, a captain of Caesar's army, was to watch them.


text:
We went on a ship that was from the city of Adramyttian. It was going to stop at the towns along the sea-shore of Asia. Aristarchus was with us. He was a man from the city of Thessalonica in the country of Macedonia.


text:
The next day we stopped in the city of Sidon. Julius was kind to Paul. He let him visit friends who cared for him.


text:
After leaving Sidon we were blown by the wind along the south side of the island of Cyprus. The wind was against us.


text:
We crossed the sea along the countries of Cilicia and Pamphylia and got to the city of Myra in the country of Lycia.


text:
The captain found a ship from the city of Alexandria that was going to the country of Italy. He put us on it.


text:
For many days the ship did not move fast. It was hard to get to the city of Cnidus. The wind would not let us go on. So we went along the south shore of the island of Crete and passed the end of the island called Salome.


text:
The wind was against us, and we did not sail very fast. Then we came to a place called Fair Havens. It was near the city of Lasea.


text:
Much time had been lost. To keep going that late in the year would mean danger. Paul spoke with strong words,


text:
"Sirs, it looks to me as if this ship and its freight will be lost. We are in danger of being lost also."


text:
The captain of the soldiers listened to what the captain of the ship said and not to what Paul said.


text:
It was not a good place to spend the winter. Most of those on the ship wanted to go on and try to get to Phoenix. Crete was a good place to tie up the ship. They wanted to spend the winter there.


text:
When a south wind started to blow, they thought their plan was right. They pulled up the anchor and went close to the shore of Crete.


text:
We went behind a small island called Claudia. It was hard work but we were able to make the ship's boat safe.


text:
They pulled it up and tied ropes around it and the ship. They were afraid of going on the Syrtis sands. So they took the sail down and let the ship go with the wind.


text:
The storm was so bad the high waves were beating against the ship. The next day the men threw some of the freight over into the sea.


text:
We did not see the sun or stars for many days. A very bad storm kept beating against us. We lost all hope of being saved.


text:
No one had eaten for a long time. Then Paul stood up and said to them, "Men, you should have listened to me and not left Crete. You would not have had this trouble and loss.


text:
and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand in front of Caesar. God has given you the lives of all the men on this ship.'


text:
It was now the fourteenth night. We were going with the wind on the Adriatic Sea. At midnight the sailors thought land was near.


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They let down the lead weight and found the water was not very deep. After they had gone a little farther, they found there was not as much water.


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They were afraid we might be thrown against the rocks on the shore. So they put out four anchors from the back of the ship. Then they waited for morning to come.


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The sailors were thinking of leaving the ship. They let down a boat as if they were going to put out anchors from the front of the ship.


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But Paul said to the captain and the soldiers, "These men must stay on the ship or you cannot be safe!"


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Just before the light of day came, Paul told all of them to eat. He said, "Today is the fourteenth day you have not eaten.


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After he said this, he took some bread. He gave thanks to God in front of them all. He broke it in pieces and started to eat.


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In the morning they could not see what land they were near. Later they could see a river. Near its mouth there was a shore of sand. They planned to run the ship onto the sand if they could.


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The anchors were cut loose and left in the sea. Then they took the ropes off that were holding the rudder. When they put up the sail, the wind took the ship toward shore.


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But the ship hit a place where the water was low. It was made from where two seas meet. The front of the ship did not move but the back part broke in pieces by the high waves.


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The soldiers planned to kill the men in chains. They were afraid they would swim to shore and get away,


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but the captain wanted to save Paul. He kept them from their plan. Calling out to those who could swim, he told them to jump into the sea and swim to shore.


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The others should use wood or anything from the ship. In this way, they all got to shore without getting hurt.


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The people on the island were very kind to us. It was raining and cold. They made a fire so we could get warm.


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Paul had gathered some wood. As he laid it on the fire, a snake came out because of the heat. It held fast to Paul's hand.


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When the people of the island saw the snake holding to his hand, they said to each other, "This man is a killer. He was saved from the sea and yet it is not right for him to live."


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The people waited. They thought his hand would get large and he would fall over dead. After watching for a long time, they saw nothing happen to him. Then they changed their minds and said that Paul was a god.


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Publius was the head man of the island. He owned land around there. For three days he took us in and gave us everything we needed.


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The father of Publius was sick with a stomach sickness. Paul went to see him. He prayed and laid his hands on him and the man was healed.


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We had stayed on the island three months. Then we left on a ship that had stayed there during the winter. It was from the city of Alexandria. This ship was called the Twin Brothers.


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From there we went by ship around to the city of Rhegium. After a day a south wind started to blow. On the second day we came to the city of Puteoli.


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We found some Christians there, and they asked us to stay with them. We were there seven days and then went on to the city of Rome.


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When the Christians heard of our coming, they came to meet us. They came as far as the town of Appius and to a place to stay called the Three Stores. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.


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When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live where he wanted to. But a soldier was always by his side to watch him.


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Three days later Paul asked the leaders of the Jews to come to him. When they had gathered together, he said, "Brothers, I have done nothing against our people or the way our early fathers lived. And yet, I was tied with chains in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.


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But the Jews did not like this. So I had to ask to be sent to Caesar. It was not because I had anything against my people.


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The reason I have asked you to come is to tell you this. It is because of the hope of the Jewish nation that I am tied in these chains."


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They said to Paul, "We have had no letters from Judea about you. No Jew who has come here has ever said anything bad about you.


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We would like to hear from you what you believe. As for this new religion, all we know is that everyone is talking against it."


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They planned to meet him on a certain day. Many people came to the place where he stayed. He preached to them about the holy nation of God. He tried to get them to put their trust in Jesus Christ by preaching from the Law of Moses and from the writings of the early preachers. From morning until night he spoke to them.


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As they left, they did not agree with each other. Then Paul said, "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your early fathers through the early preacher Isaiah.


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He said, 'Go to these people and say, "You will hear and never understand, you will look and never see,


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because these people have hearts that have become fat. They do not hear well with their ears. They have closed their eyes so their eyes do not see and their ears do not hear and their minds do not understand and they do not turn to Me and let Me heal them." ' <n>(Isaiah 6:9-10)</n>


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"I want you to know that the Good News of God of knowing how to be saved from the punishment of sin has been sent to the people who are not Jews. And they will listen to it!"


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Paul paid money to live in a house by himself for two years. He was happy for all who came to see him.


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He kept on preaching about the holy nation of God. He taught about the Lord Jesus Christ without fear. No one stopped him.


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This letter is from Paul. I am a servant owned by Jesus Christ and a missionary chosen by God to preach His Good News.


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It tells of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who was born as a person in the flesh through the family of King David.


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The Holy Spirit proved by a powerful act that Jesus our Lord is the Son of God because He was raised from the dead.


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Jesus has given us His loving-favor and has made us His missionaries. We are to preach to the people of all nations that they should obey Him and put their trust in Him.


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So I write to all of you in the city of Rome. God loves you and has chosen you to be set apart for Himself. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you His loving-favor and peace.


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First of all, I keep thanking my God, through Jesus Christ, for all of you. This is because the whole world knows of your faith in Christ.


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God knows how I work for Him. He knows how I preach with all my heart the Good News about His Son. He knows how I always pray for you.


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I want to see you so I can share some special gift of the Holy Spirit with you. It will make you strong.


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Both of us need help. I can help make your faith strong and you can do the same for me. We need each other.


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Christian brothers, many times I have wanted to visit you. Something has kept me from going until now. I have wanted to lead some of you to Christ also, as I have done in other places where they did not know God.


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I must help the people who have had a chance to hear the Good News and those who have not. I must help those with much learning and those who have never learned from books.


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I am not ashamed of the Good News. It is the power of God. It is the way He saves men from the punishment of their sins if they put their trust in Him. It is for the Jew first and for all other people also.


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The Good News tells us we are made right with God by faith in Him. Then, by faith we live that new life through Him. The Holy Writings say, "A man right with God lives by faith." <n>Habakkuk 2:4</n>


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We see the anger of God coming down from heaven against all the sins of men. These sinful men keep the truth from being known.


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Men cannot say they do not know about God. From the beginning of the world, men could see what God is like through the things He has made. This shows His power that lasts forever. It shows that He is God.


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They did know God, but they did not honor Him as God. They were not thankful to Him and thought only of foolish things. Their foolish minds became dark.


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They gave honor to false gods that looked like people who can die and to birds and animals and snakes. This honor belongs to God Who can never die.


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So God let them follow the desires of their sinful hearts. They did sinful things among themselves with their bodies.


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They traded the truth of God for a lie. They worshiped and cared for what God made instead of worshiping the God Who made it. He is the One Who is to receive honor and thanks forever. Let it be so.


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Because of this, God let them follow their sinful desires which lead to shame. Women used their bodies in ways God had not planned.


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In the same way, men left the right use of women's bodies. They did sex sins with other men. They received for themselves the punishment that was coming to them for their sin.


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Because they would not keep God in their thought anymore, He gave them up. Their minds were sinful and they wanted only to do things they should not do.


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They are full of everything that is sinful and want things that belong to others. They hate people and are jealous. They kill other people. They fight and lie. They do not like other people and talk against them.


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They talk about people, and they hate God. They are filled with pride and tell of all the good they do. They think of new ways to sin. They do not obey their parents.


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They are not able to understand. They do not do what they say they will do. They have no love and no loving-pity.


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They know God has said that all who do such things should die. But they keep on doing these things and are happy when others do them also.


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So you can say nothing because you are guilty when you say someone else is guilty. While you say someone is guilty, you are doing the same things he does.


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Do you forget about His loving-kindness to you? Do you forget how long He is waiting for you? You know that God is kind. He is trying to get you to be sorry for your sins and turn from them.


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Because you are not sorry for your sins and will not turn from them, you will be punished even more on the day of God's anger. God will be right in saying you are guilty.


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Those who keep on doing good and are looking for His greatness and honor will receive life that lasts forever.


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Those who love only themselves and do not obey the truth, but do what is wrong, will be punished by God. His anger will be on them.


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But God will give His greatness and honor and peace to all those who obey the truth. Both Jews and those who are not Jews will receive this.


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Those who have sinned without having the Law will be lost without the Law being used. Those who have the Law and have sinned will be judged by the Law.


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Just to hear the Law does not make a man right with God. The man right with God is the one who obeys the Law.


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The people who are not Jews do not have the Law. When they do what the Law tells them to do, even if they do not have the Law, it shows they know what they should do.


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They show that what the Law wants them to do is written in their hearts. Their own hearts tell them if they are guilty.


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There will be a day when God will judge because He knows the secret thoughts of men. He will do this through Jesus Christ. This is part of the Good News I preach.


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You think you can teach foolish people and children about God. You have in the Law the plan of truth and wisdom.


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You say that no one should do sex sins. Do you do sex sins? You hate false gods. Do you rob the houses where they are kept?


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The Holy Writings say, "God's name is hated by the people who are not Jews because of you." <n>Isaiah 52:5</n>


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Going through the religious act of becoming a Jew is worth something if you obey the Law. If you do not obey the Law, it is worth nothing to you.


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If a person who is not a Jew and has not gone through the act of becoming a Jew, obeys the Law, God will think of him as a Jew.


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You Jews have the Law but do not obey it. You have gone through the religious act also. At the same time those who are not Jews obey the Law even if they have not gone through the religious act of becoming a Jew. In this way, these people show you are guilty.


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The true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. The religious act of becoming a Jew must be done in the heart. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Law does not do that kind of work. The true Jew gets his thanks from God, not from men.


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Do the Jews have anything that those who are not Jews do not have? What good does it do to go through the religious act of becoming a Jew?


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No, not at all! God is always true even if every man lies. The Holy Writings say, "Speak the truth and you will not be proven guilty." <n>Psalm 51:4</n>


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If our sins show how right God is, what can we say? Is it wrong for God to punish us for it? <n>(I am speaking as men do.)</n>


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Why not say, "Let us sin that good will come from it." <n>(Some people have said I talk like this!)</n> They will be punished as they should be.


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What about it then? Are we Jews better than the people who are not Jews? Not at all! I have already said that Jews and the people who are not Jews are all sinners.


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Everyone has turned away from God. They have all done wrong. Not one of them does what is good. No, not even one!


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Their mouth is like an open grave. They tell lies with their tongues. <n>(Psalm 5:9; 140:3)</n> Whatever they say is like the poison of snakes.


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Their mouths speak bad things against God. They say bad things about other people. <n>Psalm 10:7</n>


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Now we know that the Law speaks to those who live under the Law. No one can say that he does not know what sin is. Yes, every person in the world stands guilty before God.


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No person will be made right with God by doing what the Law says. The Law shows us how sinful we are.


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But now God has made another way to make men right with Himself. It is not by the Law. The Law and the early preachers tell about it.


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Men become right with God by putting their trust in Jesus Christ. God will accept men if they come this way. All men are the same to God.


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Anyone can be made right with God by the free gift of His lovingfavor. It is Jesus Christ Who bought them with His blood and made them free from their sins.


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God gave Jesus Christ to the world. Men's sins can be forgiven through the blood of Christ when they put their trust in Him. God gave His Son Jesus Christ to show how right He is. Before this, God did not look on the sins that were done.


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But now God proves that He is right in saving men from sin. He shows that He is the One Who has no sin. God makes anyone right with Himself who puts his trust in Jesus.


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What then do we have to be proud of? Nothing at all! Why? Is it because men obey the Law? No! It is because men put their trust in Christ.


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This is what we have come to know. A man is made right with God by putting his trust in Christ. It is not by his doing what the Law says.


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Is God the God of the Jews only? Is He not the God of the people who are not Jews also? He is for sure.


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He is one God. He will make Jews and the people who are not Jews right with Himself if they put their trust in Christ.


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Does this mean that we do away with the Law when we put our trust in Christ? No, not at all. It means we know the Law is important.


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If Abraham was made right with God by what he did, he would have had something to be proud of. But he could not be proud before God.


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The Holy Writings say, "Abraham put his trust in God and that made him right with God." <n>Genesis 15:6</n>


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If a man has not worked to be saved, but has put his trust in God Who saves men from the punishment of their sins, that man is made right with God because of his trust in God.


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David tells of this. He spoke of how happy the man is who puts his trust in God without working to be saved from the punishment of sin.


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Is this happiness given to the Jews only? Or is it given also to the people who are not Jews? We say again, "Abraham put his trust in God and that made him right with God." <n>Genesis 15:6</n>


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When did this happen? Was it before or after Abraham went through the religious act of becoming a Jew? It was before.


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He went through the religious act after he had put his trust in God. That religious act proved that his trust in God made him right with God even before he went through the religious act of becoming a Jew. In that way, it made him the early father of all those who believe. It showed that those who did not go through the religious act of becoming a Jew could be right with God.


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He is also the early father of all those who have gone through the religious act of becoming a Jew. It is not because they went through the act. It is because they put their trust in God the same as Abraham did before he went through the religious act of becoming a Jew.


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God promised to give the world to him and to all his family after him. He did not make this promise because Abraham obeyed the Law. He promised to give the world to Abraham because he put his trust in God. This made him right with God.


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If those who obey the Law are to get the world, then a person putting his trust in God means nothing. God's promise to Abraham would be worth nothing.


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God's anger comes on a man when he does not obey the Law. But if there were no Law, then no one could break it.


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So God's promise is given to us because we put our trust in Him. We can be sure of it. It is because of His loving-favor to us. It is for all the family of Abraham. It is for those who obey the Law. It is for those who put their trust in God as Abraham did. In this way, he is the father of all Christians.


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The Holy Writings say, "I have made you a father of many nations." This promise is good because of Who God is. He makes the dead live again. He speaks, and something is made out of nothing.


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Abraham believed he would be the father of many nations. He had no reason to hope for this, but he had been told, "Your children will become many nations." <n>Genesis 15:5</n>


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Abraham was about one hundred years old. His body was about dead, but his faith in God was not weak when he thought of his body. His faith was not weak when he thought of his wife Sarah being past the age of having children.


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They were for us also. God will make us right with Himself the same way He did Abraham, if we put our trust in God Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.


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Now that we have been made right with God by putting our trust in Him, we have peace with Him. It is because of what our Lord Jesus Christ did for us.


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By putting our trust in God, He has given us His loving-favor and has received us. We are happy for the hope we have of sharing the shining-greatness of God.


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When we have learned not to give up, it shows we have stood the test. When we have stood the test, it gives us hope.


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Hope never makes us ashamed because the love of God has come into our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who was given to us.


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We were weak and could not help ourselves. Then Christ came at the right time and gave His life for all sinners.


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Now that we have been saved from the punishment of sin by the blood of Christ, He will save us from God's anger also.


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We hated God. But we were saved from the punishment of sin by the death of Christ. He has brought us back to God and we will be saved by His life.


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Not only that, we give thanks to God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have been brought back to God.


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This is what happened: Sin came into the world by one man, Adam. Sin brought death with it. Death spread to all men because all have sinned.


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Sin was in the world before the Law was given. But sin is not held against a person when there is no Law.


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And yet death had power over men from the time of Adam until the time of Moses. Even the power of death was over those who had not sinned in the same way Adam sinned. Adam was like the One Who was to come.


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God's free gift is not like the sin of Adam. Many people died because of the sin of this one man, Adam. But the loving-favor of God came to many people also. This gift came also by one Man Jesus Christ, God's Son.


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The free gift of God is not like Adam's sin. God told Adam he was guilty because of his sin and through this one came sin and guilt. But the free gift makes men right with God. Through One, Christ, men's sins are forgiven.


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The power of death was over all men because of the sin of one man, Adam. But many people will receive His loving-favor and the gift of being made right with God. They will have power in life by Jesus Christ.


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Through Adam's sin, death and hell came to all men. But another Man, Christ, by His right act makes men free and gives them life.


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Adam did not obey God, and many people become sinners through him. Christ obeyed God and makes many people right with Himself.


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Sin had power that ended in death. Now, God's loving-favor has power to make men right with Himself. It gives life that lasts forever. Our Lord Jesus Christ did this for us.


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All of us were baptized to show we belong to Christ. We were baptized first of all to show His death.


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We were buried in baptism as Christ was buried in death. As Christ was raised from the dead by the great power of God, so we will have new life also.


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If we have become one with Christ in His death, we will be one with Him in being raised from the dead to new life.


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We know that our old life, our old sinful self, was nailed to the cross with Christ. And so the power of sin that held us was destroyed. Sin is no longer our boss.


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We know that Christ was raised from the dead. He will never die again. Death has no more power over Him.


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He died once but now lives. He died to break the power of sin, and the life He now lives is for God.


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You must do the same thing! Think of yourselves as dead to the power of sin. But now you have new life because of Jesus Christ our Lord. You are living this new life for God.


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So do not let sin have power over your body here on earth. You must not obey the body and let it do what it wants to do.


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Do not give any part of your body for sinful use. Instead, give yourself to God as a living person who has been raised from the dead. Give every part of your body to God to do what is right.


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Sin must not have power over you. You are not living by the Law. You have life because of God's loving-favor.


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What are we to do then? Are we to sin because we have God's lovingfavor and are not living by the Law? No, not at all!


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Do you not know that when you give yourself as a servant to be owned by someone, that one becomes your owner? If you give yourself to sin, the end is death. If you give yourself to God, the end is being right with Him.


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At one time you were held by the power of sin. But now you obey with all your heart the teaching that was given to you. Thank God for this!


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I speak with words easy to understand because your human thinking is weak. At one time you gave yourselves over to the power of sin. You kept on sinning all the more. Now give yourselves over to being right with God. Set yourself apart for God-like living and to do His work.


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But now you are free from the power of sin. You have become a servant for God. Your life is set apart for God-like living. The end is life that lasts forever.


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You get what is coming to you when you sin. It is death! But God's free gift is life that lasts forever. It is given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ.


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Christian brothers, I am sure you understand what I am going to say. You know all about the Law. The Law has power over a man as long as he lives.


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A married woman is joined by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if he dies, she is free from the law that joined her to him.


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If she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is sinning by not being faithful in marriage. If her husband dies, she is free from the law that joined her to him. After that she can marry someone else. She does not sin if she marries another man.


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My Christian brothers, that is the way it is with you. You were under the power of the Law. But now you are dead to it because you are joined to another. You are joined to Christ Who was raised from the dead. This is so we may be what God wants us to be. Our lives are to give fruit for Him.


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When we lived to please our bodies, those sinful desires were pulling at us all the time. We always wanted to do what the Law said not to do. Living that kind of life brings death,


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but now we are free from the Law. We are dead to sin that once held us in its power. No longer do we follow the Law which is the old way. We now follow the new way, the way of the Spirit.


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Then what are we saying? Is the Law sinful? No, not at all! But it was the Law that showed me what sin is. I did not know it was sin to follow wrong desires, but the Law said, "You must not follow wrong desires."


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The Law made me know how much I was sinning. It showed me how I had a desire for all kinds of things. For without the Law, sin is dead.


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I was once alive. That was when I did not know what the Law said I had to do. Then I found that I had broken the Law. I knew I was a sinner. Death was mine because of the Law.


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Then does it mean that the Law, which is good, brought death to me? No, not at all! It was sin that did it. Sin brought death to me by the Law that is good. In that way, sin was shown to be what it is. So because of the Law, sin becomes much more sinful.


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We know that the Law is right and good, but I am a person who does what is wrong and bad. I am not my own boss. Sin is my boss.


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I do not understand myself. I want to do what is right but I do not do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate.


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I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I am always doing the sinful things I do not want to do.


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If I am always doing the very thing I do not want to do, it means I am no longer the one who does it. It is sin that lives in me.


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But there is a different law at work deep inside of me that fights with my mind. This law of sin holds me in its power because sin is still in me.


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God's Law has power over my mind, but sin still has power over my sinful old self. I thank God I can be free through Jesus Christ our Lord!


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The power of the Holy Spirit has made me free from the power of sin and death. This power is mine because I belong to Christ Jesus.


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The Law could not make me free from the power of sin and death. It was weak because it had to work with weak human beings. But God sent His own Son. He came to earth in a body of flesh which could be tempted to sin as we in our bodies can be. He gave Himself to take away sin. By doing that, He took away the power sin had over us.


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In that way, Jesus did for us what the Law said had to be done. We do not do what our sinful old selves tell us to do anymore. Now we do what the Holy Spirit wants us to do.


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Those who let their sinful old selves tell them what to do live under that power of their sinful old selves. But those who let the Holy Spirit tell them what to do are under His power.


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If your sinful old self is the boss over your mind, it leads to death. But if the Holy Spirit is the boss over your mind, it leads to life and peace.


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The mind that thinks only of ways to please the sinful old self is fighting against God. It is not able to obey God's Laws. It never can.


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But you are not doing what your sinful old selves want you to do. You are doing what the Holy Spirit tells you to do, if you have God's Spirit living in you. No one belongs to Christ if he does not have Christ's Spirit in him.


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If Christ is in you, your spirit lives because you are right with God, and yet your body is dead because of sin.


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The Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead. If the same Holy Spirit lives in you, He will give life to your bodies in the same way.


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If you do what your sinful old selves want you to do, you will die in sin. But if, through the power of the Holy Spirit, you destroy those actions to which the body can be led, you will have life.


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You should not act like people who are owned by someone. They are always afraid. Instead, the Holy Spirit makes us His sons, and we can call to Him, "My Father."


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If we are children of God, we will receive everything He has promised us. We will share with Christ all the things God has given to Him. But we must share His suffering if we are to share His shining-greatness.


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I am sure that our suffering now cannot be compared to the shining-greatness that He is going to give us.


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Everything that has been made in the world is waiting for the day when God will make His sons known.


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Everything that has been made in the world is weak. It is not that the world wanted it to be that way. God allowed it to be that way. Yet there is hope.


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Everything that has been made in the world will be set free from the power that can destroy. These will become free just as the children of God become free.


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We know that everything on the earth cries out with pain the same as a woman giving birth to a child.


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We also cry inside ourselves, even we who have received the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the first of God's gifts to us. We are waiting to become His complete sons when our bodies are made free.


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We were saved with this hope ahead of us. Now hope means we are waiting for something we do not have. How can a man hope for something he already has?


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In the same way, the Holy Spirit helps us where we are weak. We do not know how to pray or what we should pray for, but the Holy Spirit prays to God for us with sounds that cannot be put into words.


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God knows the hearts of men. He knows what the Holy Spirit is thinking. The Holy Spirit prays for those who belong to Christ the way God wants Him to pray.


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We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are chosen to be a part of His plan.


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God knew from the beginning who would put their trust in Him. So He chose them and made them to be like His Son. Christ was first and all those who belong to God are His brothers.


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He called to Himself also those He chose. Those He called, He made right with Himself. Then He shared His shining-greatness with those He made right with Himself.


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God did not keep His own Son for Himself but gave Him for us all. Then with His Son, will He not give us all things?


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Who can say anything against the people God has chosen? It is God Who says they are right with Himself.


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Who then can say we are guilty? It was Christ Jesus Who died. He was raised from the dead. He is on the right side of God praying to Him for us.


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Who can keep us away from the love of Christ? Can trouble or problems? Can suffering wrong from others or no food? Can it be because of no clothes or because of danger or war?


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The Holy Writings say, "Because of belonging to Jesus, we are in danger of being killed all day long. We are thought of as sheep that are ready to be killed." <n>Psalm 44:22</n>


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For I know that nothing can keep us from the love of God. Death cannot! Life cannot! Angels cannot! Leaders cannot! Any other power cannot! Hard things now or in the future cannot!


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The world above or the world below cannot! Any other living thing cannot keep us away from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.


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I am telling the truth because I belong to Christ. The Holy Spirit tells my heart that I am not lying.


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I could even wish that I might be kept from being with Christ if that would help my people to be saved from the punishment of sin. They are of my own flesh and blood.


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They are Jews and are the people God chose for Himself. He shared His shining-greatness with them and gave them His Law and a way to worship. They have His promises.


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The early preachers came from this family. Christ Himself was born of flesh from this family and He is over all things. May God be honored and thanked forever. Let it be so.


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I am not saying that God did not keep His promises. Not all the Jews are people God chose for Himself.


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Not all of Abraham's family are children of God. God told Abraham, "Only the family of Isaac will be called your family."<n>(Genesis 21:9-12)</n>


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This means that children born to Abraham are not all children of God. Only those that are born because of God's promise to Abraham are His children.


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This was the promise God made: "About this time next year I will come, and Sarah will have a son." <n>Genesis 18:10</n>


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Not only this, but there was Rebecca also. Rebecca gave birth to two sons at the same time. Both of them were sons of Isaac.


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Even before the two sons were born, we see God's plan of choosing. God could choose whom He wanted. It could not be changed because of anything the older son tried to do about it. It was before either one had done anything good or bad.


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God said to Moses, "I will have loving-kindness and loving-pity for anyone I want to." <n>Exodus 33:19</n>


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These good things from God are not given to someone because he wants them or works to get them. They are given because of His lovingkindness.


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The Holy Writings say to Pharaoh, "I made you leader for this reason: I used you to show My power. I used you to make My name known over all the world." <n>Exodus 9:16</n>


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Who are you to talk back to God? A pot being made from clay does not talk to the man making it and say, "Why did you make me like this?"


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The man making the pots has the right to use the clay as he wants to. He can make two pots from the same piece of clay. One can have an important use. The other one can be of little use.


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It may be that God wants to show His power and His anger against sin. He waits a long time on some men who are ready to be destroyed.


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God also wanted to show His shining-greatness to those He has given His loving-kindness. He made them ready for His shining-greatness from the beginning.


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We are the ones He chose. He did not only choose Jews. He also chose some from among the people who are not Jews.


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In the Book of Hosea He says, "Those who are not My people, I will call, 'My people.' Those who are not loved, I will call, 'My loved ones.' " <n>Hosea 2:23</n>


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"And where it said, 'You are not my people,' they will be called sons of the living God." <n>Hosea 1:10</n>


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Isaiah says this about the Jews, "Even if there are as many Jews as the sand by the sea, only a few of them will be saved from the punishment of sin.


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For the Lord will do on earth what He says in His Word. He will work fast when He says what will happen here." <n>(Isaiah 10:22-23)</n>


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Isaiah said also, "If God had not left some of the Jews, we would have all been destroyed like the people who lived in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah." <n>Isaiah 1:9</n>


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What are we to say about these things? The people who are not Jews were not made right with God by the Law. They were made right with God because they put their trust in Him.


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Why? Because they did not put their trust in God. They tried to be right with God by working for it. They tripped over the most important Stone <n>(Christ)</n>.


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The Holy Writings say, "See! I put in Jerusalem a Stone that people will trip over. It is a Rock that will make them fall. But the person who puts his trust in the Rock <n>(Christ)</n> will not be put to shame." <n>Isaiah 28:16</n>


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Christian brothers, the desire of my heart and my prayer to God is that the Jews might be saved from the punishment of sin.


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I know about them. They have a strong desire for God, but they do not know what they should about Him.


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They have not known how God makes men right with Himself. Instead, they have tried to make their own way. They have not become right with God because they have not done what God said to do.


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For Christ has put an end to the Law, so everyone who has put his trust in Christ is made right with God.


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But when a man puts his trust in Christ, he is made right with God. You do not need to ask yourself, "Who will go up to heaven to bring Christ down?"


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This is what it says, "The Good News is near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart." <n>(Deuteronomy 30:14)</n> This Good News tells about putting your trust in Christ. This is what we preach to you.


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If you say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved from the punishment of sin.


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When we believe in our hearts, we are made right with God. We tell with our mouth how we were saved from the punishment of sin.


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The Holy Writings say, "No one who puts his trust in Christ will ever be put to shame." <n>Isaiah 28:16</n>


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There is no difference between the Jews and the people who are not Jews. They are all the same to the Lord. And He is Lord over all of them. He gives of His greatness to all who call on Him for help.


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But how can they call on Him if they have not put their trust in Him? And how can they put their trust in Him if they have not heard of Him? And how can they hear of Him unless someone tells them?


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And how can someone tell them if he is not sent? The Holy Writings say, "The feet of those who bring the Good News are beautiful." <n>Isaiah 52:7</n>


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But they have not all listened to the Good News. Isaiah says, "Lord, who believed what we told them?" <n>Isaiah 53:1</n>


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So then, faith comes to us by hearing the Good News. And the Good News comes by someone preaching it.


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And so I ask, "Did they not hear?" For sure they did. The Holy Writings say, "Their voice was heard over all the earth. The Good News was told to the ends of the earth." <n>Psalm 19:4</n>


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Again I ask, "Did the Jews not understand?" First of all, Moses says, "I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation. I will make you angry with a foolish nation of people who do not understand." <n>Deuteronomy 32:21</n>


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Isaiah says even stronger words, "I have been found by men who did not look for Me. I have shown Myself to those who were not asking for Me." <n>Isaiah 65:1</n>


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This is what God says about the Jews, "All day long I held out my hand to a people who would not obey Me and who worked against Me." <n>Isaiah 65:2</n>


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I ask then, "Has God put His people, the Jews, aside?" No, not at all! I myself am a Jew. Abraham was my early father. I am from the family group of Benjamin.


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God has not put His people aside. He chose them from the beginning. Do you know what the Holy Writings say about Elijah? Do you know what Elijah said to God against the Jews?


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He said, "Lord, they have killed Your early preachers. They have destroyed the places where You are worshiped. I am the only one left. They are trying to kill me."


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But what did God say to him? God said, "I still have 7,000 men. None of them have worshiped the false god Baal."


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If they are saved from the punishment of sin because of God's loving-favor, it is nothing men have done to earn it. If men had earned it, then His loving-favor would not be a free gift.


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This is the way it was. Many Jews did not get what they were looking for. Only those God chose received it. The hearts of the others were made hard. They could not understand it.


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The Holy Writings say this about them, "God gave them hearts and minds that want to sleep. He gave them eyes that could not see. To this very day He gave them ears that could not hear." <n>Isaiah 29:10</n>


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David said, "Let their table of food become a trap to hold them. Let it be a hole into which they fall and will suffer.


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Let their eyes be closed so they cannot see. Keep their backs from being straight always because of their troubles." <n>Psalm 69:23</n>


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I ask then, "Did the Jews fall so they would be lost forever?" No, not at all! It means the people who are not Jews are able to be saved from the punishment of sin because the Jews sinned by not putting their trust in Christ. This made the Jews jealous of those who are not Jews.


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The world received good things from God because of the sin of the Jews. Because the Jews did not receive God's free gift, the people who are not Jews received good things from Him. Think how much more the world will receive when the Jews finish God's plan by putting their trust in Christ!


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I am speaking to you people who are not Jews. As long as I am a missionary to you, I want you to know how important my job is.


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I do this so it will make my own people, the Jews, jealous. Then it may be that some will be saved from the punishment of sin.


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Because the Jews have been put aside, many other people in the world have been saved from the punishment of sin. Think what it will be like when they are also gathered in. It will be like the dead coming back to life!


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But some of the branches <n>(who are the Jews)</n> were broken off. You who are not Jews were put in the place where the branches had been broken off. Now you are sharing the rich root of the olive tree.


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Do not be proud. Do not think you are better than the branches that were broken off. If you are proud, remember that you do not hold the root. It is the root that holds you.


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It is true. They were broken off because they did not put their trust in Christ. And you are there only because of your faith. Do not be proud. Instead, be afraid.


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God did not keep the first branches <n>(who are the Jews)</n> on the tree. Then watch, or He will not keep you on the tree.


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We see how kind God is. It shows how hard He is also. He is hard on those who fall away. But He is kind to you if you keep on trusting Him. If you do not, He will cut you off.


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If the Jews would put their trust in Christ, God would put them back into the tree. He has power to do that.


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You people who are not Jews were cut off from a wild olive tree. Instead of being there, you were put into a garden olive tree which is not the right place for you to grow. It would be easy for God to put the Jews back onto their own olive tree because they are the branches that belong there.


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Christian brothers, I want you to understand this truth which is no longer a secret. It will keep you from thinking you are so wise. Some Jews have become hard until the right amount of people who are not Jews come to God.


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Then all the Jews will be saved, as the Holy Writings say, "The One Who saves from the punishment of sin will come out of Jerusalem. He will turn the Jews from doing sinful things."<n>(Isaiah 59:20-21)</n>


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The Jews are fighting against the Good News. Because they hate the Good News, it has helped you who are not Jews. But God still loves the Jews because He has chosen them and because of His promise to their early fathers.


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At one time you did not obey God. But when the Jews did not receive God's gift, you did. It was because they did not obey.


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The Jews will not obey now. God's loving-kindness to you will some day turn them to Him. Then the Jews may have His loving-kindness also.


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God's riches are so great! The things He knows and His wisdom are so deep! No one can understand His thoughts. No one can understand His ways.


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The Holy Writings say, "Who knows the mind of the Lord? Who is able to tell Him what to do?" <n>(Isaiah 40:13-14)</n>


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Everything comes from Him. His power keeps all things together. All things are made for Him. May He be honored forever. Let it be so.


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Christian brothers, I ask you from my heart to give your bodies to God because of His loving-kindness to us. Let your bodies be a living and holy gift given to God. He is pleased with this kind of gift. This is the true worship that you should give Him.


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Do not act like the sinful people of the world. Let God change your life. First of all, let Him give you a new mind. Then you will know what God wants you to do. And the things you do will be good and pleasing and perfect.


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God has given me His loving-favor. This helps me write these things to you. I ask each one of you not to think more of himself than he should think. Instead, think in the right way toward yourself by the faith God has given you.


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There are many people who belong to Christ. And yet, we are one body which is Christ's. We are all different but we depend on each other.


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We all have different gifts that God has given to us by His loving-favor. We are to use them. If someone has the gift of preaching the Good News, he should preach. He should use the faith God has given him.


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If someone has the gift of helping others, then he should help. If someone has the gift of teaching, he should teach.


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If someone has the gift of speaking words of comfort and help, he should speak. If someone has the gift of sharing what he has, he should give from a willing heart. If someone has the gift of leading other people, he should lead them. If someone has the gift of showing kindness to others, he should be happy as he does it.


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Be happy in your hope. Do not give up when trouble comes. Do not let anything stop you from praying.


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Share what you have with Christian brothers who are in need. Give meals and a place to stay to those who need it.


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Pray and give thanks for those who make trouble for you. Yes, pray for them instead of talking against them.


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Live in peace with each other. Do not act or think with pride. Be happy to be with poor people. Keep yourself from thinking you are so wise.


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When someone does something bad to you, do not pay him back with something bad. Try to do what all men know is right and good.


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Christian brothers, never pay back someone for the bad he has done to you. Let the anger of God take care of the other person. The Holy Writings say, "I will pay back to them what they should get, says the Lord." <n>Deuteronomy 32:35</n>


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"If the one who hates you is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him water. If you do that, you will be making him more ashamed of himself." <n>(Proverbs 25:21-22)</n>


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Every person must obey the leaders of the land. There is no power given but from God, and all leaders are allowed by God.


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The person who does not obey the leaders of the land is working against what God has done. Anyone who does that will be punished.


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Those who do right do not have to be afraid of the leaders. Those who do wrong are afraid of them. Do you want to be free from fear of them? Then do what is right. You will be respected instead.


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Leaders are God's servants to help you. If you do wrong, you should be afraid. They have the power to punish you. They work for God. They do what God wants done to those who do wrong.


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You must obey the leaders of the land, not only to keep from God's anger, but so your own heart will have peace.


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It is right for you to pay taxes because the leaders of the land are servants for God who care for these things.


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Pay taxes to whom taxes are to be paid. Be afraid of those you should fear. Respect those you should respect.


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Do not owe anyone anything, but love each other. Whoever loves his neighbor has done what the Law says to do.


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The Law says, "You must not do any sex sin. You must not kill another person. You must not steal. You must not tell a lie about another person. You must not want something someone else has." The Law also says that these and many other Laws are brought together in one Law, "You must love your neighbor as yourself."


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There is another reason for doing what is right. You know what time it is. It is time for you to wake up from your sleep. The time when we will be taken up to be with Christ is not as far off as when we first put our trust in Him.


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Night is almost gone. Day is almost here. We must stop doing the sinful things that are done in the dark. We must put on all the things God gives us to fight with for the day.


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We must act all the time as if it were day. Keep away from wild parties and do not be drunk. Keep yourself free from sex sins and bad actions. Do not fight or be jealous.


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Let every part of you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. Do not allow your weak thoughts to lead you into sinful actions.


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If there is someone whose faith is weak, be kind and receive him. Do not argue about what he thinks.


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The man who eats everything should not think he is better than the one who eats only vegetables. The man who eats only vegetables should not say the other man is wrong, because God has received him.


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Who are you to tell another person's servant if he is right or wrong? It is to his owner that he does good or bad. The Lord is able to help him.


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One man thinks one day is more important than another. Another man thinks every day is the same. Every man must be sure in his own mind.


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The man who worships on a special day does it to honor the Lord. The man who eats meat does it to honor the Lord. He gives thanks to God for what he eats. The other man does not eat meat. In this way, he honors the Lord. He gives thanks to God also.


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If we live, it is for the Lord. If we die, it is for the Lord. If we live or die, we belong to the Lord.


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Why do you try to say your Christian brother is right or wrong? Why do you hate your Christian brother? We will all stand before God to be judged by Him.


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The Holy Writings say, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me. And every tongue will say that I am God."


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So you should stop saying that you think other people are wrong. Instead, decide to live so that your Christian brother will not have a reason to trip or fall into sin because of you.


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Christ has made me know that everything in itself is clean. But if a person thinks something is not clean, then to him it is not clean.


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If your Christian brother is hurt because of some foods you eat, then you are no longer living by love. Do not destroy the man for whom Christ died by the food you eat.


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For the holy nation of God is not food and drink. It is being right with God. It is peace and joy given by the Holy Spirit.


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Do not destroy what God has done just because of some food. All food is good to eat. But it is wrong to eat anything that will make someone fall into sin.


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Do not eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it would make your Christian brother fall into sin.


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But if he has doubts about the food he eats, God says he is guilty when he eats it. It is because he is eating without faith. Anything that is not done in faith is sin.


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Even Christ did not please Himself. The Holy Writings say, "The sharp words spoken against you fell on Me." <n>Psalm 69:9</n>


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Everything that was written in the Holy Writings long ago was written to teach us. By not giving up, God's Word gives us strength and hope.


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Now the God Who helps you not to give up and gives you strength will help you think so you can please each other as Christ Jesus did.


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Christ came to help the Jews. This proved that God had told the truth to their early fathers. This proved that God would do what He promised.


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This was done so the people who are not Jews can thank God for His loving-kindness. The Holy Writings say, "This is why I will give thanks to you among the people who are not Jews. I will sing to Your name." <n>Psalm 18:49</n>


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And, "Honor and give thanks to the Lord, you who are not Jews. Let everyone honor Him." <n>Psalm 117:1</n>


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And Isaiah says, "There will be One from the family of Jesse Who will be a leader over the people who are not Jews. Their hope will be in Him." <n>Isaiah 11:10</n>


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Our hope comes from God. May He fill you with joy and peace because of your trust in Him. May your hope grow stronger by the power of the Holy Spirit.


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I am sure you are wise in all things and full of much good. You are able to help and teach each other.


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I have written to you with strong words about some things. I have written so you would remember. God helped me write like this.


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I am able to write these things because God made me a missionary to the people who are not Jews. I work as a servant of Jesus Christ. I preach the Good News of God so the people who are not Jews may be as a gift to God. The Holy Spirit will set them apart so God will be pleased with them.


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I can only speak of what Christ has done through me. I have helped the people who are not Jews to obey Him. I have done it by words and by living with them.


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God showed them His power through me. The Holy Spirit did powerful works through me in front of them. From Jerusalem to the country of Illyricum I have preached the Good News of Christ.


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It is my desire to preach the Good News where it has never been preached. I want to preach only where Christ is not known.


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The Holy Writings say, "Those who have never known about Him will see. And those who have never heard about Him will understand." <n>Isaiah 52:15</n>


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I hope I can now. I am making plans to go to the country of Spain. On my way there I will stop and visit you. After I have had the joy of visiting you for awhile, you can help me on my way again.


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The churches in the countries of Macedonia and Greece have decided to give money to help some of the poor Christians in Jerusalem.


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They wanted to do it. They should help them in this way because they owe much to the Christians in Jerusalem. The Jews shared the Good News with the people who are not Jews. For this reason, they should share what they can with the Jews.


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I will hand this gift of money to them. Then I will stop to see you on my way to the country of Spain.


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I ask you from my heart, Christian brothers, to pray much for me. I ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.


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Pray that God will keep me safe from the people in the country of Judea who are not Christians. Pray also that the work I am to do for the Christians in Jerusalem will help them.


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Then I will be coming to you if God wants me to come. I will be full of joy, and together we can have some rest.


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I want to let you know about our Christian sister Phoebe. She is a helper in the church in the city of Cenchrea.


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The Christians should receive her as a sister who belongs to the Lord. Help her any way you can. She has helped many people and has helped me also.


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They almost died for me. I am thankful for them. All the churches that were started among the people who are not Jews are thankful for them also.


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Greet the church that worships in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my much-loved friend. He was the first Christian in the countries of Asia.


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Greet Andronicus and Junias. They are from my family and were in prison with me. They put their trust in Christ before I did. They have been respected missionaries.


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I ask you, Christian brothers, watch out for those who make trouble and start fights. Keep your eye on those who work against the teaching you received. Keep away from them.


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Men like that are not working for our Lord Jesus Christ. They are chained to their own desires. With soft words they say things people want to hear. People are fooled by them.


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Everyone knows you have obeyed the teaching you received. I am happy with you because of this. But I want you to be wise about good things and pure about sinful things.


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God, Who is our peace, will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the loving-favor of our Lord Jesus be yours.


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Gaius is the man taking care of me. The church meets here in his house. He greets you. Erastus, the man who takes care of the money for the city, greets you and Quartus does also. He is a Christian brother.


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We give honor to God. He is able to make you strong as I preach from the Holy Writings about Jesus Christ. It was a secret hidden from the beginning of the world.


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But now it is for us to know. The early preachers wrote about it. God says it is to be preached to all the people of the world so men can put their trust in God and obey Him.


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This letter is from Paul. I have been chosen by God to be a missionary of Jesus Christ. Sosthenes, a Christian brother, writes also.


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I write to God's church in the city of Corinth. I write to those who belong to Christ Jesus and to those who are set apart by Him and made holy. I write to all the Christians everywhere who call on the name of Jesus Christ. He is our Lord and their Lord also.


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I am thankful to God all the time for you. I am thankful for the loving-favor God has given to you because you belong to Christ Jesus.


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He has made your lives rich in every way. Now you have power to speak for Him. He gave you good understanding.


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This shows that what I told you about Christ and what He could do for you has been done in your lives.


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You have the gifts of the Holy Spirit that you need while you wait for the Lord Jesus Christ to come again.


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Christian brothers, I ask you with all my heart in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to agree among yourselves. Do not be divided into little groups. Think and act as if you all had the same mind.


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My Christian brothers, I have heard from some of Chloe's family that you are arguing among yourselves.


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I hear that some of you are saying, "I am a follower of Paul," and "I am a follower of Apollos," and "I am a follower of Peter," and "I am a follower of Christ."


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Has Christ been divided? Was Paul put on a cross to die for your sins? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?


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Christ did not send me to baptize. He sent me to preach the Good News. I did not use big sounding words when I preached. If I had, the power of the cross of Christ would be taken away.


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Preaching about the cross sounds foolish to those who are dying in sin. But it is the power of God to those of us who are being saved from the punishment of sin.


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The Holy Writings say, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise people. I will put aside the learning of those who think they know a lot."<n>Isaiah 29:14</n>


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Where is the man who is wise? Where is the man who thinks he knows a lot? Where is the man who thinks he has all the answers? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish.


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In His wisdom, He did not allow man to come to know Him through the wisdom of this world. It pleased God to save men from the punishment of their sins through preaching the Good News. This preaching sounds foolish.


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The Jews are looking for something special to see. The Greek people are looking for the answer in wisdom.


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But we preach that Christ died on a cross to save them from their sins. These words are hard for the Jews to listen to. The Greek people think it is foolish.


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Christ is the power and wisdom of God to those who are chosen to be saved from the punishment of sin for both Jews and Greeks.


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God's plan looked foolish to men, but it is wiser than the best plans of men. God's plan which may look weak is stronger than the strongest plans of men.


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Christian brothers, think who you were when the Lord called you. Not many of you were wise or powerful or born into the family of leaders of a country.


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But God has chosen what the world calls foolish to shame the wise. He has chosen what the world calls weak to shame what is strong.


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God has chosen what is weak and foolish of the world, what is hated and not known, to destroy the things the world trusts in.


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God Himself made the way so you can have new life through Christ Jesus. God gave us Christ to be our wisdom. Christ made us right with God and set us apart for God and made us holy. Christ bought us with His blood and made us free from our sins.


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It is as the Holy Writings say, "If anyone is going to be proud of anything, he should be proud of the Lord."


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Christian brothers, when I came to you, I did not preach the secrets of God with big sounding words or make it sound as if I were so wise.


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I made up my mind that while I was with you I would speak of nothing except Jesus Christ and of His death on the cross.


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What I had to say when I preached was not in big sounding words of man's wisdom. But it was given in the power of the Holy Spirit.


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In this way, you do not have faith in Christ because of the wisdom of men. You have faith in Christ because of the power of God.


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We speak wisdom to full-grown Christians. This wisdom is not from this world or from the leaders of today. They die and their wisdom dies with them.


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What we preach is God's wisdom. It was a secret until now. God planned for us to have this hon-or before the world began.


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None of the world leaders understood this wisdom. If they had, they would not have put Christ up on a cross to die. He is the Lord of shining-greatness.


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The Holy Writings say, "No eye has ever seen or no ear has ever heard or no mind has ever thought of the wonderful things God has made ready for those who love Him." <n>(Isaiah 64:4; 65:17)</n>


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God has shown these things to us through His Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit Who looks into all things, even the secrets of God, and shows them to us.


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Who can know the things about a man, except a man's own spirit that is in him? It is the same with God. Who can understand Him except the Holy Spirit?


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We have not received the spirit of the world. God has given us His Holy Spirit that we may know about the things given to us by Him.


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We speak about these things also. We do not use words of man's wisdom. We use words given to us by the Holy Spirit. We use these words to tell what the Holy Spirit wants to say to those who put their trust in Him.


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But the person who is not a Christian does not understand these words from the Holy Spirit. He thinks they are foolish. He cannot understand them because he does not have the Holy Spirit to help him understand.


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For who has the thoughts of the Lord? Who can tell Him what to do? But we have the thoughts of Christ.


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Christian brothers, I could not speak to you as to full-grown Christians. I spoke to you as men who have not obeyed the things you have been taught. I spoke to you as if you were baby Christians.


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My teaching was as if I were giving you milk to drink. I could not give you meat because you were not ready for it. Even yet you are not able to have anything but milk.


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You still live as men who are not Christians. When you are jealous and fight with each other, you are still living in sin and acting like sinful men in the world.


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When one says, "I am a follower of Paul," and another says, "I am a follower of Apollos," does not this sound like the talk of baby Christians?


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Who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only servants owned by God. He gave us gifts to preach His Word. And because of that, you put your trust in Christ.


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This shows that the one who plants or the one who waters is not the important one. God is the important One. He makes it grow.


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Through God's loving-favor to me, I laid the stones on which the building was to be built. I did it like one who knew what he was doing. Now another person is building on it. Each person who builds must be careful how he builds on it.


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Jesus Christ is the Stone on which other stones for the building must be laid. It can be only Christ.


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Now if a man builds on the Stone with gold or silver or beautiful stones, or if he builds with wood or grass or straw,


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each man's work will become known. There will be a day when it will be tested by fire. The fire will show what kind of work it is.


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If his work is burned up, he will lose it. Yet he himself will be saved as if he were going through a fire.


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If any man destroys the house of God, God will destroy him. God's house is holy. You are the place where He lives.


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Do not fool yourself. If anyone thinks he knows a lot about the things of this world, he had better become a fool. Then he may become wise.


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The wisdom of this world is foolish to God. The Holy Writings say, "He is the One Who gets them in a trap when they use their own wisdom." <n>Job 5:13</n>


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They also say, "The Lord knows how the wise man thinks. His thinking is worth nothing." <n>Psalm 94:11</n>


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Paul and Apollos and Peter belong to you. The world and life and death belong to you. Things now and things to come belong to you.


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It is not the most important thing to me what you or any other people think of me. Even what I think of myself does not mean much.


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As for me, my heart tells me I am not guilty of anything. But that does not prove I am free from guilt. It is the Lord Who looks into my life and says what is wrong.


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Do not be quick to say who is right or wrong. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring into the light the things that are hidden in men's hearts. He will show why men have done these things. Every man will receive from God the thanks he should have.


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Christian brothers, I have used Apollos and myself to show you what I am talking about. This is to help you so you will not think more of men than what God's Word will allow. Never think more of one of God's servants than another.


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Who made you better than your brother? Or what do you have that has not been given to you? If God has given you everything, why do you have pride? Why do you act as if He did not give it to you?


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You are full. You are rich. You live like kings and we do not. I wish you were kings and we could be leaders with you.


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I think that God has made a show of us missionaries. We are the last and the least among men. We are like men waiting to be put to death. The whole world, men and angels alike, are watching us.


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We are thought of as fools because of Christ. But you are thought of as wise Christians! We are weak. You are strong. People respect you. They have no respect for us.


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To this hour we are hungry and thirsty, and our clothes are worn out. People hurt us. We have no homes.


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We work with our hands to make a living. We speak kind words to those who speak against us. When people hurt us, we say nothing.


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When people say bad things about us, we answer with kind words. Peo-ple think of us as dirt that is worth nothing and as the worst thing on earth to this day.


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I do not write these things to shame you. I am doing this to help you know what you should do. You are my much-loved children.


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You may have 10,000 Christian teachers. But remember, I am the only father you have. You became Christians when I preached the Good News to you.


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For this reason I have sent Timothy to you. He is my much-loved child and a faithful Christian. He will tell you how I act as a Christian. This is the kind of life I teach in the churches wherever I go.


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If the Lord wants me to, I will come soon. I will find out when I come if these proud people have God's power, or if they just use a lot of big words.


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What do you want? Do you want me to come with a stick to whip you? Or do you want me to come with love and a gentle spirit?


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Someone has told me about a sex sin among you. It is so bad that even the people who do not know God would not do it. I have been told that one of the men is living with his father's wife as if she were his wife.


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Instead of being sorry, you are proud of yourselves. The man who is living like that should be sent away from you.


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I am far from you. Even if I am not there, my spirit is with you. I have already said that the man is guilty of this sin. I am saying this as if I were there with you.


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Call a meeting of the church. I will be with you in spirit. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by His power,


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hand this person over to the devil. His body is to be destroyed so his spirit may be saved on the day the Lord comes again.


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It is not good for you to be proud of the way things are going in your church. You know a little yeast makes the whole loaf of bread rise.


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Clean out the old yeast. Then you will be new bread with none of the old yeast in you. The Jews killed lambs when they left Egypt. Christ is our lamb. He has already been killed as a gift on the altar to God for us.


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Bread with yeast in it is like being full of sin and hate. Let us eat this supper together with bread that has no yeast in it. This bread is pure and true.


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I was not talking about people doing sex sins who are bad people of this world. I was not talking about people of this world who always want to get more or those who get things in a wrong way or those who worship false gods. To get away from people like that you would have to leave this world!


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What I wrote was that you should not keep on being with a person who calls himself a Christian if he does any kind of sex sins. You should not even eat with a person who says he is a Christian but always wants to get more of everything or uses bad language or who gets drunk or gets things in a wrong way.


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It is not for me to judge those outside the church. You are to judge those who belong to the church.


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Why do you go to court when you have something against another Christian? You are asking people who are not Christians to judge who is guilty. You should go to those who belong to Christ and ask them.


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Did you not know that those who belong to Christ will someday judge this world? If you judge the people of the world as guilty, are you not able to do this in small things?


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Did you not know that we are to judge angels? So you should be able to take care of your problem here in this world without any trouble.


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When you have things to decide about this life, why do you go to men in courts who are not even Christians?


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You should be ashamed! Is it true that there is not one person wise enough in your church to decide who is right when people argue?


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Instead, one Christian takes another Christian to court. And that court is made up of people who are not Christians!


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This shows you are wrong when you have to go to court against each other. Would it not be better to let someone do something against you that is wrong? Would it not be better to let them rob you?


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Do you not know that sinful men will have no place in the holy nation of God? Do not be fooled. A person who does sex sins, or who worships false gods, or who is not faithful in marriage, or men who act like women, or people who do sex sins with their own sex, will have no place in the holy nation of God.


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Also those who steal, or those who always want to get more of everything, or who get drunk, or who say bad things about others, or take things that are not theirs, will have no place in the holy nation of God.


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Some of you were like that. But now your sins are washed away. You were set apart for God-like living to do His work. You were made right with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by the Spirit of our God.


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I am allowed to do all things, but not everything is good for me to do! Even if I am free to do all things, I will not do them if I think it would be hard for me to stop when I know I should.


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Food was meant for the stomach. The stomach needs food, but God will bring to an end both food and the stomach. The body was not meant for sex sins. It was meant to work for the Lord. The Lord is for our body.


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Do you not know that your bodies are a part of Christ Himself? Am I to take a part of Christ and make it a part of a woman who sells the use of her body? No! Never!


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Do you not know that a man who joins himself to a woman who sells the use of her body becomes a part of her? The Holy Writings say, "The two will become one."


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Have nothing to do with sex sins! Any other sin that a man does, does not hurt his own body. But the man who does a sex sin sins against his own body.


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Do you not know that your body is a house of God where the Holy Spirit lives? God gave you His Holy Spirit. Now you belong to God. You do not belong to yourselves.


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You asked me some questions in your letter. This is my answer. It is good if a man does not get married.


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But because of being tempted to sex sins, each man should get married and have his own wife. Each woman should get married and have her own husband.


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The wife is not the boss of her own body. It belongs to the husband. And in the same way, the husband is not the boss of his own body. It belongs to the wife.


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Do not keep from each other that which belongs to each other in marriage unless you agree for awhile so you can use your time to pray. Then come together again or the devil will tempt you to do that which you know you should not do.


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I wish everyone were as I am, but each has his own gift from God. One has one gift. Another has another gift.


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This is what I say to those who are not married and to women whose husbands have died. It is good if you do not get married. I am not married.


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But if you are not able to keep from doing that which you know is wrong, get married. It is better to get married than to have such strong sex desires.


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I have this to say to those who are married. These words are from the Lord. A wife should not leave her husband,


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but if she does leave him, she should not get married to another man. It would be better for her to go back to her husband. The husband should not divorce his wife.


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I have this to say. These words are not from the Lord. If a Christian husband has a wife who is not a Christian, and she wants to live with him, he must not divorce her.


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If a Christian wife has a husband who is not a Christian, and he wants to live with her, she must not divorce him.


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The husband who is not a Christian is set apart from the sin of the world because of his Christian wife. The wife who is not a Christian is set apart from the sin of the world because of her Christian husband. In this way, the lives of the children are not unclean because of sin, they are clean.


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If the one who is not a Christian wants to leave, let that one go. The Christian husband or wife should not try to make the other one stay. God wants you to live in peace.


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Christian wife, how do you know you will not help your husband to become a Christian? Or Christian husband, how do you know you will not help your wife to become a Christian?


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Everyone should live the life the Lord gave to him. He should live as he was when he became a Christian. This is what I teach in all the churches.


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If a man became a Christian after he had gone through the religious act of becoming a Jew, he should do nothing about it. If a man became a Christian before, he should not go through the religious act of becoming a Jew.


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Were you a servant who was owned by someone when you became a Christian? Do not worry about it. But if you are able to become free, do that.


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A servant who is owned by someone and who has become a Christian is the Lord's free man. A free man who has become a Christian is a servant owned by Christ.


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He paid a great price for you when He bought you. Do not let yourselves become servants owned by men.


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I have no word from the Lord about women or men who have never been married. I will tell you what I think. You can trust me because the Lord has given me His loving-kindness.


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I think, because of the troubles that are coming, it is a good thing for a person not to get married.


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Are you married to a wife? Do not try to get a divorce. If you are not married, do not look for a wife.


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If you do get married, you have not sinned. If a woman who is not married gets married, it is no sin. But being married will add problems. I would like to have you free from such problems.


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I mean this, Christian brothers. The time is short. A married man should use his time as if he did not have a wife.


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Those who have sorrow should keep on working as if they had no sorrow. Those who have joy should keep on working as if there was no time for joy. Those who buy should have no time to get joy from what they have.


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While you live in this world, live as if the world has no hold on you. The way of this world will soon be gone.


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I want you to be free from the cares of this world. The man who is not married can spend his time working for the Lord and pleasing Him.


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Married women and women who have never been married are different. The woman who has never been married can spend her time working for the Lord. She wants to please the Lord with her body and spirit. The woman who is married cares for the things of the world. She wants to please her husband.


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I am saying these things to help you. I am not trying to keep you from getting married. I want you to do what is best. You should work for Him without other things taking your time.


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If a man and woman expect to get married, and he thinks his desires to marry her are getting too strong, and she is getting older, they should get married. It is no sin.


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But if a man has the power to keep from getting married and knows in his mind that he should not, he is wise if he does not get married.


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A wife is not free as long as her husband lives. If her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wants, if he is a Christian.


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I think she will be much more happy if she does not get married again. This is what I think. I believe it is what the Holy Spirit is saying.


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I want to write about food that has been given as a gift in worship to a false god. We all know something about it. Knowing about it makes one feel important. But love makes one strong.


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What about food that has been given as a gift to a false god in worship? Is it right? We know that a false god is not a god at all. There is only one God! There is no other.


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But we know there is only one God. He is the Father. All things are from Him. He made us for Himself. There is one Lord. He is Jesus Christ. He made all things. He keeps us alive.


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Not all men know this. They have given food as a gift in worship to a god as if the god were alive. Some men have done this all their lives. If they eat such food, their hearts tell them it is wrong.


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Food will not bring us near to God. We are no worse if we do not eat it, or we are no better if we eat it.


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A Christian who is weak may see you eat food in a place where it has been given as a gift to false gods in worship. Since he sees you eat it, he will eat it also.


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You may make the weak Christian fall into sin by what you have done. Remember, he is a Christian brother for whom Christ died.


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So then, if eating meat makes my Christian brother trip and fall, I will never eat it again. I do not want to make my Christian brother sin.


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Am I not a missionary? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not Christians because of the work I have done for the Lord?


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Other people may not think of me as a missionary, but you do. It proves I am a missionary because you are Christians now.


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Do we not have the right to take a Christian wife along with us? The other missionaries do. The Lord's brothers do and Peter does.


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Have you ever heard of a soldier who goes to war and pays for what he needs himself? Have you ever heard of a man planting a field of grapes and not eating some of the fruit? Have you ever heard of a farmer who feeds cattle and does not drink some of the milk?


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God gave Moses the Law. It says, "When the cow is made to walk on the grain to break it open, do not stop it from eating some." <n>(Deuteronomy 25:4)</n> Does God care about the cow?


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Did not God speak about this because of us. For sure, this was written for us. The man who gets the fields ready and the man who gathers in the grain should expect some of the grain.


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We have planted God's Word among you. Is it too much to expect you to give us what we need to live each day?


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If other people have the right to expect this from you, do we not have more right? But we have not asked this of you. We have suffered many things. We did this so the Good News of Christ would not be held back.


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You must know that those who work in the house of God get their food there. Those who work at the altar in the house of God get a part of the food that is given there.


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The Lord has said also that those who preach the Good News should get their living from those who hear it.


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I have not used any of these things. I am not writing now to get anything. I would rather die than lose the joy of preaching to you without you paying me.


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I cannot be proud because I preach the Good News. I have been told to do it. It would be bad for me if I do not preach the Good News.


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If I do this because I want to, I will get my reward. If I do not want to do it, I am still expected to do it.


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Then what is my reward? It is when I preach the Good News without you paying me. I do not ask you to pay me as I could.


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No man has any hold on me, but I have made myself a workman owned by all. I do this so I might lead more people to Christ.


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I became as a Jew to the Jews so I might lead them to Christ. There are some who live by obeying the Jewish Law. I became as one who lives by obeying the Jewish Law so I might lead them to Christ.


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There are some who live by not obeying the Jewish law. I became as one who lives by not obeying the Jewish law so I might lead them to Christ. This does not mean that I do not obey God's Law. I obey the teachings of Christ.


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Some are weak. I have become weak so I might lead them to Christ. I have become like every person so in every way I might lead some to Christ.


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You know that only one person gets a prize for being in a race even if many people run. You must run so you will win the prize.


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Everyone who runs in a race does many things so his body will be strong. He does it to get a prize that will soon be worth nothing, but we work for a prize that will last forever.


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In the same way, I run straight for the place at the end of the race. I fight to win. I do not beat the air.


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I keep working over my body. I make it obey me. I do this because I am afraid that after I have preached the Good News to others, I myself might be put aside.


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Christian brothers, I want you to know what happened to our early fathers. They all walked from the country of Egypt under the cloud that showed them the way, and they all passed through the waters of the Red Sea.


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They all drank the same holy drink. They drank from a holy Rock that went along with them. That holy Rock was Christ.


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These things show us something. They teach us not to want things that are bad for us like those people did.


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We must not worship false gods as some of them did. The Holy Writings tell us, "The people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up to play." <n>Exodus 32:6</n>


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All these things happened to show us something. They were written to teach us that the end of the world is near.


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So watch yourself! The person who thinks he can stand against sin had better watch that he does not fall into sin.


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You have never been tempted to sin in any different way than other people. God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tempted more than you can take. But when you are tempted, He will make a way for you to keep from falling into sin.


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When we give thanks for the fruit of the vine at the Lord's supper, are we not sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread we eat at the Lord's supper, are we not sharing in the body of Christ?


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There is one bread, and many of us Christians make up the body of Christ. All of us eat from that bread.


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Look at the Jews. They ate the animals that were brought to God as gifts in worship and put on the altar. Did this not show they were sharing with God?


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What do I mean? Am I saying that a false god or the food brought to it in worship is worth anything?


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No, not at all! I am saying that the people who do not know God bring gifts of animals in worship. But they have given them to demons, not to God. You do not want to have any share with demons.


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You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons. You cannot eat at the Lord's table and at the demon's table.


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We are allowed to do anything, but not everything is good for us to do. We are allowed to do anything, but not all things help us grow strong as Christians.


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Eat any meat that is sold in the stores. Ask no questions about it. Then your heart will not say it is wrong.


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If a person who is not a Christian wants you to eat with him, and you want to go, eat anything that is on the table. Ask no questions about the food. Then your heart will not say it is wrong.


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But if someone says, "This meat has been given as a gift to false gods in worship," do not eat it. In that way, it will not hurt the faith of the one who told you and his heart will have peace.


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How the other person feels is important. We are not free to do things that will hurt another person.


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If I can give thanks to God for my food, why should anyone say that I am wrong about eating food I can give thanks for?


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I want to please everyone in all that I do. I am not thinking of myself. I want to do what is best for them so they may be saved from the punishment of sin.


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I think you have done well because you always remember me and have followed the things I taught you.


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I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man. The husband is the head of his wife. God is the head of Christ.


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Every woman who prays or preaches without her head covered does not respect her head. It is the same as if she had her hair cut off.


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If a woman does not cover her head, she might as well cut off her hair also. If a woman is ashamed to have her hair cut off, she should cover her head.


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Man is made like God and His shining-greatness. For this reason a man should not have his head covered when he prays or preaches, but the woman respects the man.


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For this reason a woman should have a covering on her head. This shows she respects man. This is for the angels to see also.


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If anyone wants to argue about this, my answer is that this is what we teach, and all the churches agree with me.


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While writing about these things, let me tell you what I think. Nothing good is coming from your meeting together.


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First of all, I hear that when you meet together in the church you are divided into groups and you argue. I almost believe this is true.


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For there must be different groups among you. In that way, those who are right will be seen from those who are wrong.


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Each one is in a hurry to eat his own food first. He does not wait for others. In this way, one does not get enough food and drink. Others get too much and get drunk.


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You have your own homes to eat and drink in. Or do you hate the church of God and shame those who are poor? What am I to say to you? Am I to say you are right? No! I cannot say you are right in this.


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I have given you the teaching I received from the Lord. The night Jesus was handed over to the soldiers, He took bread.


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When He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take this bread and eat it. This is My body which is broken for you. Do this to remember Me."


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In the same way after supper, He took the cup. He said, "This cup is the New Way of Worship made between God and you by My blood. Whenever you drink it, do it to remember Me."


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Every time you eat this bread and drink from this cup you are telling of the Lord's death until He comes again.


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Anyone who eats the bread or drinks from the cup, if his spirit is not right with the Lord, will be guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord.


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This is why a man should look into his own heart and life before eating the bread and drinking from the cup.


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Anyone who eats the bread and drinks from the cup, if his spirit is not right with the Lord, will be guilty as he eats and drinks. He does not understand the meaning of the Lord's body.


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But if we would look into our own lives and see if we are guilty, then God would not have to say we are guilty.


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When we are guilty, we are punished by the Lord so we will not be told we are guilty with the rest of the world.


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If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home. Then he will not be guilty as you meet together. I will talk about the other things when I come.


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Christian brothers, I want you to know about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. You need to understand the truth about this.


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You know that before you were Christians you were led to worship false gods. None of these gods could speak.


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So I tell you that no one speaking by the help of the Holy Spirit can say that he hates Jesus. No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the help of the Holy Spirit.


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There are different ways of doing His work. But it is the same God who uses all these ways in all people.


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One person is given the gift of teaching words of wisdom. Another person is given the gift of teaching what he has learned and knows. These gifts are by the same Holy Spirit.


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One person receives the gift of faith. Another person receives the gifts of healing. These gifts are given by the same Holy Spirit.


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One person is given the gift of doing powerful works. Another person is given the gift of speaking God's Word. Another person is given the gift of telling the difference between the Holy Spirit and false spirits. Another person is given the gift of speaking in special sounds. Another person is given the gift of telling what these special sounds mean.


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But it is the same Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, Who does all these things. He gives to each person as He wants to give.


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Our own body has many parts. When all these many parts are put together, they are only one body. The body of Christ is like this.


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It is the same way with us. Jews or those who are not Jews, men who are owned by someone or men who are free to do what they want to do, have all been baptized into the one body by the same Holy Spirit. We have all received the one Spirit.


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If the foot should say, "I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand," that would not stop it from being a part of the body.


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If the ear should say, "I am not a part of the body because I am not an eye," that would not stop it from being a part of the body.


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The eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you." Or the head cannot say to the feet, "I do not need you."


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We take good care of and cover with clothes the parts of the body that look less important. The parts which do not look beautiful have an important work to do.


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The parts that can be seen do not need as much care. God has made the body so more care is given to the parts that need it most.


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If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it. If one part is given special care, the other parts are happy.


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God has chosen different ones in the church to do His work. First, there are missionaries. Second, there are preachers or those who speak for God. And third, there are teachers. He has also chosen those who do powerful works and those who have the gifts of healing. And He has chosen those who help others who are in need and those who are able to lead others in work and those who speak in special sounds.


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Are they all missionaries? No. Are they all preachers or those who speak for God? No. Do they all do powerful works? No.


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Do they all have the gifts of healing? No. Do they all speak in special sounds? No. Are they all able to tell what the special sounds mean? No.


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I may be able to speak the languages of men and even of angels, but if I do not have love, it will sound like noisy brass.


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If I have the gift of speaking God's Word and if I understand all secrets, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I know all things and if I have the gift of faith so I can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.


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If I give everything I have to feed poor people and if I give my body to be burned, but do not have love, it will not help me.


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Love does not give up. Love is kind. Love is not jealous. Love does not put itself up as being important. Love has no pride.


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Love does not do the wrong thing. Love never thinks of itself. Love does not get angry. Love does not remember the suffering that comes from being hurt by someone.


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Love takes everything that comes without giving up. Love believes all things. Love hopes for all things. Love keeps on in all things.


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Love never comes to an end. The gift of speaking God's Word will come to an end. The gift of speaking in special sounds will be stopped. The gift of understanding will come to an end.


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When I was a child, I spoke like a child. I thought like a child. I understood like a child. Now I am a man. I do not act like a child anymore.


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Now that which we see is as if we were looking in a broken mirror. But then we will see everything. Now I know only a part. But then I will know everything in a perfect way. That is how God knows me right now.


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You should want to have this love. You should want the gifts of the Holy Spirit and most of all to be able to speak God's Word.


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The man who speaks in special sounds speaks to God. He is not speaking to men. No one understands. He is speaking secret things through the power of the Holy Spirit.


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The man who speaks God's Word speaks to men. It helps them to learn and understand. It gives them comfort.


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The man who speaks in special sounds receives strength. The man who speaks God's Word gives strength to the church.


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I wish all of you spoke in special sounds. But more than that, I wish all of you spoke God's Word. The one who speaks God's Word has a more important gift than the one who speaks in special sounds. But if he can tell what he is speaking, the church will be helped.


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Christian brothers, if I come to you speaking in special sounds, what good is it to you? But if I tell you something God has shown me or something I have learned or what God's Word says will happen in the future or teach you God's Word, it will be for your good.


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There are things on which people play music. If strange sounds are made on these, how will others know which one is played?


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It is the same if you speak to a person in special sounds. How will he know what you say? Your sounds will be lost in the air.


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But if I do not understand the language someone uses to speak to me, the man who speaks is a stranger to me. I am a stranger to him.


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What should I do? I will pray with my spirit and I will pray with my mind also. I will sing with my spirit and I will sing with my mind also.


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If you honor and give thanks to God with your spirit in sounds nobody understands, how can others honor and give thanks also if they do not know what you are saying?


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But in a meeting of the church, it is better if I say five words that others can understand and be helped by than 10,000 words in special sounds.


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Christian brothers, do not be like children in your thinking. Be fullgrown, but be like children in not knowing how to sin.


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God says in the Holy Writings, "I will speak to My people. I will speak through men from other lands in other languages. Even then My people will not listen to Me." <n>(Isaiah 28:11-12)</n>


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So then speaking in special sounds is for those who do not believe. It is not for those who believe. But speaking God's Word is for those who believe. It is not for those who do not believe.


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If some people who are not Christians come to your church meeting while all the people are speaking in special sounds, they will think you are crazy.


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But if a man who is not a Christian comes to your church meeting while you are all speaking God's Word, he will understand that he is a sinner by what he hears. He will know he is guilty.


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The secrets of his heart will be brought into the open. He will get on his knees and worship God. He will say, "For sure, God is here with you!"


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What am I saying, Christian brothers? When you meet together for worship, some of you have a song to sing. Some of you want to teach and some have special words from God. Some of you speak in special sounds and some of you tell what they mean. Everything should be done to help those who are meeting together to grow strong as Christians.


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No more than two or three people should speak in special sounds. Only one should speak at a time. Someone must tell the meaning of the special sounds.


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If no one is there who can tell the meaning of the special sounds, he should not speak in the church. He should speak only to himself and to God.


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Two or three should speak God's Word. The other people should listen and decide if they are speaking right.


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If someone sitting in the meeting gets some special word from God, the one who is speaking should stop.


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All of you can speak God's Word, but only one person at a time. In that way, all of you can learn and be helped.


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God does not want everyone speaking at the same time in church meetings. He wants peace. All the churches of God's people worship this way.


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Women should not be allowed to speak in church meetings. They are to obey this teaching. The Law says this also.


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If they want to find out about something, they should ask their husbands at home. It is a shame for a woman to speak in a church meeting.


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Did the Word of God come from you Christians in the city of Corinth? Or are you the only people who received it?


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Some of you may think you have the gift of speaking God's Word or some other gift from the Holy Spirit. If you do, you should know that what I am writing to you is what God has told us we must obey.


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So then, my Christian brothers, you should want to speak God's Word. Do not stop anyone from speaking in special sounds.


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Christian brothers, I want to tell the Good News to you again. It is the same as I preached to you before. You received it and your faith has been made strong by it.


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This is what I preached to you. You are saved from the punishment of sin by the Good News if you keep hold of it, unless your faith was worth nothing.


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First of all, I taught you what I had received. It was this: Christ died for our sins as the Holy Writings said He would. <n>(Isaiah 53:5-12)</n>


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Christ was buried. He was raised from the dead three days later as the Holy Writings said He would. <n>(Psalm 16:9-10)</n>


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After that, more than 500 of His followers saw Him at one time. Most of them are still here, but some have died.


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For I am the least important of all the missionaries. I should not be called a missionary because I made it so hard for God's church.


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I am different now. It is all because of what God did for me by His lovingfavor. His loving-favor was not wasted. I worked harder than all the other missionaries. But it was not I who worked. It was God's loving-favor working through me.


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It makes no difference how you heard the Good News. It could have been through the other missionaries or through me. The important thing is this: We preached the Good News to you and you believed it.


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We preached to you that Christ has been raised from the dead. But some of you say that people are not raised from the dead. Why do you say this?


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If Christ was not raised from the dead, then what we preach to you is worth nothing. Your faith in Christ is worth nothing.


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That makes us all liars because we said that God raised Christ from the dead. But God did not raise Christ from the dead if the dead do not come to life again.


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If Christ was not raised from the dead, your faith is worth nothing and you are still living in your sins.


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But it is true! Christ has been raised from the dead! He was the first One to be raised from the dead and all those who are in graves will follow.


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This is the way it is: Christ was raised from the dead first. Then all those who belong to Christ will be raised from the dead when He comes again.


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Next, at the end of the world, Christ will give His holy nation over to God the Father. Christ will have destroyed every nation and power.


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When Christ is over all things, He will put Himself under God Who put all things under Christ. And God will be over all things.


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What good will it do people if they are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised, why are people baptized for them?


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I say this, Christian brothers, I have joy in what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for you. That is why I face death every day.


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As men look at it, what good has it done for me in the city of Ephesus to fight with men who act like wild animals? If the dead are not raised, we might as well be like those who say, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."


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When you put it in the earth, you are not planting the body which it will become. You put in only a seed.


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It is God Who gives it a body just as He wants it to have. Each kind of seed becomes a different kind of body.


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All flesh is not the same. Men have one kind of flesh. Animals have another kind. Fish have another kind, and birds have another kind.


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The sun has its greatness. The moon has its greatness. Stars have their greatness. One star is different from another star in greatness.


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It is the same with people who are raised from the dead. The body will turn back to dust when it is put in a grave. When the body is raised from the grave, it will never die.


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It has no greatness when it is put in a grave, but it is raised with shining-greatness. It is weak when it is put in a grave, but it is raised with power.


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It is a human body when it dies, but it is a God-like body when it is raised from the dead. There are human bodies and there are God-like bodies.


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The Holy Writings say, "The first man, Adam, became a living soul." But the last Adam <n>(Christ)</n> is a life-giving Spirit.


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Adam was the first man. He was made from the dust of the earth. Christ was the second man. He came down from heaven.


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All men of the earth are made like Adam. But those who belong to Christ will have a body like the body of Christ Who came from heaven.


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Christian brothers, our bodies which are made of flesh and blood will not go into the holy nation of God. That which dies can have no part in that which will never die.


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In a very short time, no longer than it takes for the eye to close and open, the Christians who have died will be raised. It will happen when the last horn sounds. The dead will be raised never to die again. Then the rest of us who are alive will be changed.


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Our human bodies made from dust must be changed into a body that cannot be destroyed. Our human bodies that can die must be changed into bodies that will never die.


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When this that can be destroyed has been changed into that which cannot be destroyed, and when this that does die has been changed into that which cannot die, then it will happen as the Holy Writings said it would happen. They said, "Death has no more power over life." <n>Isaiah 25:8</n>


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But God is the One Who gives us power over sin through Jesus Christ our Lord. We give thanks to Him for this.


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So then, Christian brothers, because of all this, be strong. Do not allow anyone to change your mind. Always do your work well for the Lord. You know that whatever you do for Him will not be wasted.


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I want to tell you what to do about the money you are gathering for the Christians. Do the same as I told the churches in the country of Galatia to do.


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On the first day of every week each of you should put aside some of your money. Give a certain part of what you have earned. Keep it there because I do not want money gathered when I come.


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When I get there, I will give letters to the men you want to send. They will take your gift to Jerusalem.


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I want to visit you after I have gone through the country of Macedonia for I am going through there.


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I may be staying with you and even spend the winter with you. Then you can send me on my way to the next place.


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I do not want to stop now. I want to spend some time with you when I can stay longer, if that is what the Lord wants.


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I will stay in the city of Ephesus until the special day to remember how the Holy Spirit came on the church.


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A wide door has been opened to me here to preach the Good News. But there are many who work against me.


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If Timothy comes, receive him and help him so he will not be afraid. He is working for the Lord as I am.


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Everyone should respect him. Send him on his way to me in peace. I expect to see him and some of the other Christians soon.


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I wanted brother Apollos to go with the other Christians to visit you. But he is not sure he should go now. He will come when he can.


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You know that the families of Stephanas were the first Christians in the country of Greece. They are working for the Lord in helping His people.


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I am happy that Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus came here. They have helped me and you would have also if you had been here.


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They have made me happy. They would have made you happy also. Show them you are thankful for their help.


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The churches in the countries of Asia say hello. Aquila and Priscilla and the Christians who meet in their house say hello with Christian love.


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This letter is from Paul. I have been chosen by God to be a missionary for Jesus Christ. Timothy is here with me and is writing to you also. We are writing to God's church in the city of Corinth and to all of God's people in the country of Greece.


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We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Father Who shows us lovingkindness and our God Who gives us comfort.


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He gives us comfort in all our troubles. Then we can comfort other people who have the same troubles. We give the same kind of comfort God gives us.


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But if we are in trouble, it is for your good. And it is so you will be saved from the punishment of sin. If God comforts us, it is for your good also. You too will be given strength not to give up when you have the same kind of trouble we have.


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Our hope for you is the same all the time. We know you are sharing our troubles. And so you will share the comfort we receive.


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We want you to know, Christian brothers, of the trouble we had in the countries of Asia. The load was so heavy we did not have the strength to keep going. At times we did not think we could live.


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We thought we would die. This happened so we would not put our trust in ourselves, but in God Who raises the dead.


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Yes, God kept us from what looked like sure death and He is keeping us. As we trust Him, He will keep us in the future.


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You also help us by praying for us. Many people thank God for His favor to us. This is an answer to the prayers of many people.


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I am happy to say this. Whatever we did in this world, and for sure when we were with you, we were honest and had pure desires. We did not trust in human wisdom. Our power came from God's loving-favor.


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When the Lord Jesus comes again, you can be as proud of us as we will be proud of you. Right now you do not understand us real well.


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I wanted to stop to visit you on my way to the country of Macedonia. I would stop again as I came from there. Then you could help me on my way to the country of Judea.


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Yes, I changed my mind. Does that show that I change my mind a lot? Do I plan things as people of the world who say yes when they mean no? You know I am not like that!


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Timothy and Silvanus and I have preached to you about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In Him there is no yes and no. In Him is yes.


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Jesus says yes to all of God's many promises. It is through Jesus that we say, "Let it be so," when we give thanks to God.


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God is the One Who makes our faith and your faith strong in Christ. He has set us apart for Himself.


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I call on God to look into my heart. The reason I did not come to the city of Corinth was because I did not want my strong words to hurt you.


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We are not the boss of your faith but we are working with you to make you happy. Your faith is strong.


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That is why I wrote that letter to you. I did not want to visit you and be made sad by the ones who should be making me happy. I am sure when I am happy, you are happy also.


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I wrote you with a troubled heart. Tears were coming from my eyes. I did not want to make you sad. I wanted you to know how much I loved you.


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If someone among you has brought sorrow, he has not made me as sad as he has all of you. I say this so I may not make it hard for you.


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Now you should forgive him and comfort him. If you do not, he will be so sad that he will want to give up.


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If you forgive a man, I forgive him also. If I have forgiven anything, I have done it because of you. Christ sees me as I forgive.


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When I arrived in the city of Troas, the Lord opened the door for me to preach the Good News of Christ.


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I was worried because I could not find our brother Titus. After saying good-bye, I went on my way to the country of Macedonia.


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We thank God for the power Christ has given us. He leads us and makes us win in everything. He speaks through us wherever we go. The Good News is like a sweet smell to those who hear it.


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We are a sweet smell of Christ that reaches up to God. It reaches out to those who are being saved from the punishment of sin and to those who are still lost in sin.


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It is the smell of death to those who are lost in sin. It is the smell of life to those who are being saved from the punishment of sin. Who is able for such a work?


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We are not like others. They preach God's Word to make money. We are men of truth and have been sent by God. We speak God's Word with Christ's power. All the time God sees us.


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Are we making it sound as if we think we are so important? Other people write letters about themselves. Do we need to write such a letter to you?


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You are as a letter from Christ written by us. You are not written as other letters are written with ink, or on pieces of stone. You are written in human hearts by the Spirit of the living God.


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God is the One Who made us preachers of a New Way of Worship. This New Way of Worship is not of the Law. It is of the Holy Spirit. The Law brings death, but the Holy Spirit gives life.


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The Law of Moses was written on stone and it brought death. But God's shining-greatness was seen when it was given. When Moses took it to the Jews, they could not look at his face because of the bright light. But that bright light in his face began to pass away.


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If the Law of Moses, that leads to death, came in shining-greatness, how much greater and brighter is the light that makes us right with God?


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The Law of Moses came with shining-greatness long ago. But that light is no longer bright. The shining-greatness of the New Way of Worship that brings us life is so much brighter.


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The shining light that came with the Law of Moses soon passed away. But the new way of life is much brighter. It will never pass away.


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We are not like Moses. He put a covering over his face so the Jews would not see that the bright light was passing away.


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Their minds were not able to understand. Even to this day when the Law is read, there is a covering over their minds. They do not see that Christ is the only One Who can take the covering away.


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All of us, with no covering on our faces, show the shining-greatness of the Lord as in a mirror. All the time we are being changed to look like Him, with more and more of His shining-greatness. This change is from the Lord Who is the Spirit.


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We have put away all things that are done in secret and in shame. We do not play with the Word of God or use it in a false way. Because we are telling the truth, we want men's hearts to listen to us. God knows our desires.


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The eyes of those who do not believe are made blind by Satan who is the god of this world. He does not want the light of the Good News to shine in their hearts. This Good News shines as the shining-greatness of Christ. Christ is as God is.


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We do not preach about ourselves. We preach Christ Jesus the Lord. We are your servants because of Jesus.


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It was God Who said, "The light will shine in darkness." <n>(Genesis 1:3)</n> He is the One Who made His light shine in our hearts. This brings us the light of knowing God's shining-greatness which is seen in Christ's face.


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We have this light from God in our human bodies. This shows that the power is from God. It is not from ourselves.


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We are pressed on every side, but we still have room to move. We are often in much trouble, but we never give up.


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People make it hard for us, but we are not left alone. We are knocked down, but we are not destroyed.


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We carry marks on our bodies that show the death of Jesus. This is how Jesus makes His life seen in our bodies.


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The Holy Writings say, "I believed, so I spoke." <n>(Psalm 116:10)</n> We have the same kind of faith as David had. We also believe, so we speak.


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We know that God raised the Lord Jesus from the dead. He will raise us up also. God will take us to Himself and He will take you.


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These things happened for your good. As more people receive God's favor, they will give thanks for the shining-greatness of God.


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This is the reason we do not give up. Our human body is wearing out. But our spirits are getting stronger every day.


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The little troubles we suffer now for a short time are making us ready for the great things God is going to give us forever.


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We do not look at the things that can be seen. We look at the things that cannot be seen. The things that can be seen will come to an end. But the things that cannot be seen will last forever.


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Our body is like a house we live in here on earth. When it is destroyed, we know that God has another body for us in heaven. The new one will not be made by human hands as a house is made. This body will last forever.


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Right now we cry inside ourselves because we wish we could have our new body which we will have in heaven.


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While we are in this body, we cry inside ourselves because things are hard for us. It is not that we want to die. Instead, we want to live in our new bodies. We want this dying body to be changed into a living body that lasts forever.


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It is God Who has made us ready for this change. He has given us His Spirit to show us what He has for us.


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We are sure we will be glad to be free of these bodies. It will be good to be at home with the Lord.


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For all of us must stand before Christ when He says who is guilty or not guilty. Each one will receive pay for what he has done. He will be paid for the good or the bad done while he lived in this body.


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Because of this, we know the fear of God. So we try to get men to put their trust in Christ. God knows us. I hope that your hearts know me well also.


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We do not want to sound as if we think we are so important. Instead, we are making it easy for you to be proud of us. In that way, you will be able to tell them about us. They always talk about the way people look, but do not care about their hearts.


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Are we crazy to talk like this? It is all because of what God has done. If we are using our minds well, it is for you.


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For the love of Christ puts us into action. We are sure that Christ died for everyone. So, because of that, everyone has a part in His death.


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Christ died for everyone so that they would live for Him. They should not live to please themselves but for Christ Who died on a cross and was raised from the dead for them.


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So from now on, we do not think about what people are like by looking at them. We even thought about Christ that way one time. But we do not think of Him that way anymore.


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All this comes from God. He is the One Who brought us to Himself when we hated Him. He did this through Christ. Then He gave us the work of bringing others to Him.


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God was in Christ. He was working through Christ to bring the whole world back to Himself. God no longer held men's sins against them. And He gave us the work of telling and showing men this.


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We are Christ's missionaries. God is speaking to you through us. We are speaking for Christ and we ask you from our hearts to turn from your sins and come to God.


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Christ never sinned but God put our sin on Him. Then we are made right with God because of what Christ has done for us.


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We are working together with God. We ask you from our hearts not to receive God's lovingfavor and then waste it.


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The Holy Writings say, "I heard you at the right time. I helped you on that day to be saved from the punishment of sin. Now is the right time! See! Now is the day to be saved." <n>Isaiah 49:8</n>


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We do not want to put anything in the way that would keep people from God. We do not want to be blamed.


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Everything we do shows we are God's servants. We have had to wait and suffer. We have needed things. We have been in many hard places and have had many troubles.


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We have been beaten. We have been put in prison. We have been in fights. We have worked hard. We have stayed awake watching. We have gone without food.


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We have been pure. We have known what to do. We have suffered long. We have been kind. The Holy Spirit has worked in us. We have had true love.


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We have spoken the truth. We have God's power. We have the sword of being right with God in the right hand and in the left hand.


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Some men respect us and some do not. Some men speak bad against us and some thank us. They say we lie, but we speak the truth.


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Some men act as if they do not know us. And yet we are known by everyone. They act as if we were dead, but we are alive. They try to hurt and destroy us, but they are not able to kill us.


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We are full of sorrow and yet we are always happy. We are poor and yet we make many people rich. We have nothing and yet we have everything.


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I am speaking to you now as if you were my own children. Open your hearts wide to us! That will pay us back for what we have done for you.


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Do not be joined together with those who do not belong to Christ. How can that which is good get along with that which is bad? How can light be in the same place with darkness?


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How can Christ get along with the devil? How can one who has put his trust in Christ get along with one who has not put his trust in Christ?


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How can the house of God get along with false gods? We are the house of the living God. God has said, "I will live in them and will walk among them. I will be their God and they will be My people." <n>Leviticus 26:12</n>


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The Lord has said, "So come out from among them. Do not be joined to them. Touch nothing that is sinful. And I will receive you.


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Since we have these great promises, dear friends, let us turn away from every sin of the body or of the spirit. Let us honor God with love and fear by giving ourselves to Him in every way.


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Receive us into your hearts. We have done no wrong to anyone. We have not led anyone in the wrong way. We have not used anyone for our good.


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I do not say this to tell you that you are wrong. As I have said before, you have a place in our hearts and always will. If we live or die, we will be together.


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When we arrived in the country of Macedonia, we had no rest. We had all kinds of trouble. There was fighting all around us. Our hearts were afraid.


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Not only did his coming comfort us, but the comfort you had given him made me happy also. He told us how much you wanted to see us. He said that you were sad because of my trouble and that you wanted to help me. This made me happy.


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I am happy now. It is not because you were hurt by my letter, but because it turned you from sin to God. God used it and you were not hurt by what we did.


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The sorrow that God uses makes people sorry for their sin and leads them to turn from sin so they can be saved from the punishment of sin. We should be happy for that kind of sorrow, but the sorrow of this world brings death.


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See how this sorrow God allowed you to have has worked in you. You had a desire to be free of that sin I wrote about. You were angry about it. You were afraid. You wanted to do something about it. In every way you did what you could to make it right.


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I sent this. It was not written only because of the man who did the wrong or because of the one who suffered.


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All this has given us comfort. More than this, we are happy for the joy Titus has. His spirit has been made stronger by all of you.


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I told him how proud I was of you. You did not make me ashamed. What we said to Titus proved to be true.


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He loves you all the more. He remembers how all of you were ready to obey and how you respected him.


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Christian brothers, we want you to know how the loving-favor of God has been shown in the churches in the country of Macedonia.


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They have been put to the test by much trouble, but they have much joy. They have given much even though they were very poor.


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It was more than we expected. They gave themselves to the Lord first. Then they gave themselves to us to be used as the Lord wanted.


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You are rich in everything. You have faith. You can preach. You have much learning. You have a strong desire to help. And you have love for us. Now do what you should about giving also.


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I am not saying that you must do this, but I have told you how others have helped. This is a way to prove how true your love is.


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You know of the loving-favor shown by our Lord Jesus Christ. He was rich, but He became poor for your good. In that way, because He became poor, you might become rich.


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This is what I think. You had better finish what you started a year ago. You were the first to want to give a gift of money.


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This does not mean that others do not have to give and you have to give much. You should share alike.


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You have more than you need now. When you have need, then they can help you. You should share alike.


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The Holy Writings say, "The man who gathered much did not have too much. The man who did not gather much had enough." <n>Exodus 16:18</n>


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Not only that, but he has been asked by the churches to travel with me to Jerusalem. He will help in giving them the gift. The Lord will be honored by it because it shows how we want to help each other.


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We are sending another Christian brother with them. We have tested him many times. His faith has proven to be true. He wants very much to help because he trusts you.


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Titus works with me to help you. The other two Christian brothers have been sent by the churches. Their lives honor Christ.


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Show these men you love them and let the churches see your love. Show them the reason I am proud of you.


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I know you want to do it. I have told the people in the country of Macedonia that you were ready to send money last year. Your desire has started most of them to give.


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I am sending these Christian brothers so the words I said about you will prove to be true and you will be ready to help.


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What if some of the people of Macedonia came with me and found you were not ready to send your gift of money? We would all be ashamed since we have talked of you so much.


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That is why I asked these men to go ahead of me. They can see that the gift you promised is ready. In that way, it will be a true gift and not something you were made to do.


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Remember, the man who plants only a few seeds will not have much grain to gather. The man who plants many seeds will have much grain to gather.


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Each man should give as he has decided in his heart. He should not give, wishing he could keep it. Or he should not give if he feels he has to give. God loves a man who gives because he wants to give.


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God can give you all you need. He will give you more than enough. You will have everything you need for yourselves. And you will have enough left over to give when there is a need.


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The Holy Writings say, "He has given much to the poor. His acts of love last forever." <n>Psalm 112:9</n>


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It is God Who gives seed to the man to plant. He also gives the bread to eat. Then we know He will give you more seed to plant and make it grow so you will have more to give away.


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God will give you enough so you can always give to others. Then many will give thanks to God for sending gifts through us.


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This gift you give not only helps Christians who are in need, but it also helps them give thanks to God.


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You are proving by this act of love what you are. They will give thanks to God for your gift to them and to others. This proves you obey the Good News of Christ.


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I, Paul, ask you this myself. I do it through Christ Who is so gentle and kind. Some people say that I am gentle and quiet when I am with you, but that I have no fear and that my language is strong when I am away from you.


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Do not make me speak strong words to you when I come. Some people think we want the things of the world because of what we do and say. I have decided to talk to these people if I have to.


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We do not use those things to fight with that the world uses. We use the things God gives to fight with and they have power. Those things God gives to fight with destroy the strong-places of the devil.


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We break down every thought and proud thing that puts itself up against the wisdom of God. We take hold of every thought and make it obey Christ.


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You are seeing things only as men see them. If anyone feels sure he belongs to Christ, he should remember that we belong to Christ also.


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I am not ashamed if I say this of myself. The Lord gave me the right and the power to help you become stronger, not to break you down.


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They say, "His letters are strong and they make us think. When he is here with us, he is weak and he is hard to listen to."


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We do not compare ourselves with those who think they are good. They compare themselves with themselves. They decide what they think is good or bad and compare themselves with those ideas. They are foolish.


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But we will not talk with pride more than God allows us to. We will follow the plan of the work He has given us to do and you are a part of that work.


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We did not go farther than we were supposed to go when we came to you. But we did come to you with the Good News of Christ.


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We take no pride in the work others have done there. But we hope your faith will keep growing because of help from others. Then we will grow because of you.


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We hope to preach the Good News in the countries on the other side of you. Then we would take no pride in work done by another person in another country.


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I am jealous for you with a God-like jealousy. I have given you, as a woman who has never had a man, to one Husband, Who is Christ.


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Eve was fooled by the snake in the garden of Eden. In the same way, I am afraid that you will be fooled and led away from your pure love for Christ.


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You listen when someone comes and preaches a different Jesus than the One we preached. You believe what you hear about a different spirit and different good news than that which we preached.


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Did I do wrong? I did not ask you for anything when I preached the Good News to you. I made myself poor so you would be made rich.


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I did take money from other churches. I used it while I worked with you so you would not have to pay me.


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Some of the time I had no money when I was with you. But I did not ask you for money. The Christians from the country of Macedonia brought me what I needed. I did not ask you and I will not ask you for anything.


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As sure as the truth of Christ is in me, I will not stop telling those in the country of Greece that I am proud of this.


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Those men are false missionaries. They lie about their work. But they make themselves look like true missionaries of Christ.


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And so it is no surprise if his servants also make themselves look like preachers of the Good News. They and their work will come to the same end.


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Let me say it again. Do not think of me as a fool. But if you do, then let this foolish man speak a little about himself.


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You listen to anyone who tells you what to do or makes money off of you or sets a trap for you. You will listen to anyone who makes himself bigger than you or hits you in the face.


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I am ashamed to say that I am weak! But I do not do as they do. Whatever they say about themselves, I can say about myself also. <n>(I know what I am saying sounds foolish.)</n>


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Are they Jews? So am I. Are they from the family of Israel? So am I. Are they from the family of Abraham? So am I.


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Do they work for Christ? I have worked for Him much more than they have. <n>(I speak as if I am crazy.)</n> I have done much more work. I have been in prison more times. I cannot remember how many times I have been whipped. Many times I have been in danger of death.


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Three times they beat me with sticks. One time they threw stones at me. Three times I was on ships that were wrecked. I spent a day and a night in the water.


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I have made many hard trips. I have been in danger from high water on rivers. I have been in danger from robbers. I have been in danger from the Jews. I have been in danger from people who do not know God. I have been in danger in cities and in the desert. I have been in danger on the sea. I have been in danger among people who say they belong to Christ but do not.


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I have worked hard and have been tired and have had pain. I have gone many times without sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. I have gone without food and clothes. I have been out in the cold.


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More than all these things that have happened to my body, the care of all the churches is heavy on me.


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When someone is weak, I feel weak also. When someone is led into sin, I have a strong desire to help him.


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The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is to be honored and thanked forever. He knows I am telling the truth.


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In the city of Damascus the leader of the people under King Aretas put soldiers at the gates to take me.


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I have to talk about myself, even if it does no good. But I will keep on telling about some things I saw in a special dream and that which the Lord has shown me.


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I know a man who belongs to Christ. Fourteen years ago he was taken up to the highest heaven. <n>(I do not know if his body was taken up or just his spirit. Only God knows.)</n>


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I say it again, I know this man was taken up. But I do not know if his body or just his spirit was taken up. Only God knows.


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When he was in the highest heaven, he heard things that cannot be told with words. No man is allowed to tell them.


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I will be proud about this man, but I will not be proud about myself except to say things which show how weak I am.


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Even if I talk about myself, I would not be a fool because it is the truth. But I will say no more because I want no one to think better of me than he does when he sees or hears me.


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The things God showed me were so great. But to keep me from being too full of pride because of seeing these things, I have been given trouble in my body. It was sent from Satan to hurt me. It keeps me from being proud.


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He answered me, "I am all you need. I give you My loving-favor. My power works best in weak people." I am happy to be weak and have troubles so I can have Christ's power in me.


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I receive joy when I am weak. I receive joy when people talk against me and make it hard for me and try to hurt me and make trouble for me. I receive joy when all these things come to me because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.


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I have been making a fool of myself talking like this. But you made me do it. You should be telling what I have done. Even if I am nothing at all, I am not less important than those false missionaries of yours.


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When I was with you, I proved to you that I was a true missionary. I did powerful works and there were special things to see. These things were done in the strength and power from God.


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What makes you feel less important than the other churches? Is it because I did not let you give me food and clothing? Forgive me for this wrong!


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This is the third time I am ready to come to you. I want nothing from you. I want you, not your money. You are my children. Children should not have to help care for their parents. Parents should help their children.


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I am glad to give anything I have, even myself, to help you. When I love you more, it looks as if you love me less.


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I asked Titus and the other Christian brother to visit you. Did Titus get anything from you? Did we not do things that showed we had the same desires and followed the same plan?


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It may look to you as if we had been trying to make everything look right for ourselves all this time. God knows and so does Christ that all this is done to help you.


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I am afraid that when I visit you I will not find you as I would like you to be. And you will not find me as you would like me to be. I am afraid I will find you fighting and jealous and angry and arguing and talking about each other and thinking of yourselves as being too important and making trouble.


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I am afraid when I get there God will take all the pride away from me that I had for you. I will not be happy about many who have lived in sin and done sex sins and have had a desire for such things and have not been sorry for their sins and turned from them.


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This is my third visit to you. The Holy Writings tell us that when people think someone has done wrong, it must be proven by two or three people who saw the wrong being done.


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During my second visit I talked to you who have been sinning and to all the others. While I am away, I tell you this again. The next time I come I will be hard on those who sin.


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Since you want to know, I will prove to you that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak when He works in your hearts. He uses His power in you.


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Christ's weak human body died on a cross. It is by God's power that Christ lives today. We are weak. We are as He was. But we will be alive with Christ through the power God has for us.


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Put yourselves through a test. See if you belong to Christ. Then you will know you belong to Christ, unless you do not pass the test.


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We pray to God that you do no wrong. We do not pray this to show that our teaching is so great, but that you will keep on doing what is right, even if it looks as if we have done much wrong.


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This is why I am writing these things while I am away from you. Then when I get there, I will not have to use strong words or punish you to show you that the Lord gives me this power. This power is to be used to make you stronger Christians, not to make you weak by hurting your faith.


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Last of all, Christian brothers, good-bye. Do that which makes you complete. Be comforted. Work to get along with others. Live in peace. The God of love and peace will be with you.


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May you have loving-favor from our Lord Jesus Christ. May you have the love of God. May you be joined together by the Holy Spirit.


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This letter is from Paul. I am a missionary sent by Jesus Christ and God the Father Who raised Jesus from the dead. I am not sent by men or by any one man.


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He gave Himself to die for our sins. He did this so we could be saved from this sinful world. This is what God wanted Him to do.


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I am surprised you are leaving Christ so soon. You were chosen through His loving-favor. But now you are turning and listening to another kind of good news.


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No! There is not another kind of good news. There are some who would like to lead you in the wrong way. They want to change the Good News about Christ.


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Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach another kind of good news to you that is not the one we preached, let him be cursed.


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As we said before, I will say it again. If any man is preaching another good news to you which is not the one you have received, let him be cursed.


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Do you think I am trying to get the favor of men, or of God? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant owned by Christ.


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I did not receive it from man. No one taught it to me. I received it from Jesus Christ as He showed it to me.


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You have heard of my old life when I followed the Jewish religion. I made it as hard as I could for the Christians and did everything I could to destroy the Christian church.


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I had learned more about the Jewish religion than many of the Jews my age. I had a much stronger desire than they to follow the ways of our early fathers.


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His Son was to be seen in me. He did this so I could preach about Christ to the people who are not Jews. When this happened, I did not talk to men.


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I did not even go to Jerusalem to talk to those who were missionaries before me. Instead, I went to the country of Arabia. Later I returned to the city of Damascus.


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The only thing they heard was, "The one who tried to destroy the Christian church is now preaching the Good News!"


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God showed me in a special way I should go. I spoke to them about the Good News that I preach among the people who are not Jews. First of all, I talked alone to the important church leaders. I wanted them to know what I was preaching. I did not want that which I was doing or would be doing to be wasted.


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Titus was with me. Even being a Greek, he did not have to go through the religious act of becoming a Jew.


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Some men who called themselves Christians asked about this. They got in our meeting without being asked. They came there to find out how free we are who belong to Christ. They tried to get us to be chained to the Law.


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But we did not listen to them or do what they wanted us to do so the truth of the Good News might be yours.


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Those who seemed to be important church leaders did not help me. They did not teach me anything new. What they were, I do not care. God looks on us all as being the same.


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Anyway, they saw how I had been given the work of preaching the Good News to the people who are not Jews, as Peter had been given the work of preaching the Good News to the Jews.


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James and Peter and John were thought of as being the head church leaders. They could see that God's loving-favor had been given to me. Barnabas and I were joined together with them by shaking hands. Then we were sent off to work with the people who are not Jews. They were to work with the Jews.


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They asked us to do only one thing. We were to remember to help poor people. I think this is important also.


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Peter had been eating with the people who are not Jews. But after some men came who had been with James, he kept away from them. He was afraid of those who believe in the religious act of becoming a Jew.


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Then the rest of the Jews followed him because they were afraid to do what they knew they should do. Even Barnabas was fooled by those who pretended to be someone they were not.


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When I saw they were not honest about the truth of the Good News, I spoke to Peter in front of them all. I said, "If you are a Jew, but live like the people who are not Jews, why do you make the people who are not Jews live like the Jews?"


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Even so, we know we cannot become right with God by obeying the Law. A man is made right with God by putting his trust in Jesus Christ. For that reason, we have put our trust in Jesus Christ also. We have been made right with God because of our faith in Christ and not by obeying the Law. No man can be made right with God by obeying the Law.


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As we try to become right with God by what Christ has done for us, what if we find we are sinners also? Does that mean Christ makes us sinners? No! Never!


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I have been put up on the cross to die with Christ. I no longer live. Christ lives in me. The life I now live in this body, I live by putting my trust in the Son of God. He was the One Who loved me and gave Himself for me.


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I say that we are not to put aside the loving-favor of God. If we could be made right with God by keeping the Law, then Christ died for nothing.


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You foolish Galatians! What strange powers are trying to lead you from the way of faith in Christ? We made it plain for you to see that Jesus Christ was put on a cross to die.


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There is one thing I want to know. Did you receive the Holy Spirit by keeping the Law? Or did you receive Him by hearing about Christ?


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How foolish can you be? You started the Christian life by the Holy Spirit. Do you think you are going to become better Christians by your old way of worship?


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He gave you the Holy Spirit and did powerful works among you. Does He do it because you do what the Law says or because you hear and believe the truth?


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The Holy Writings said long ago that God would save the people who are not Jews from the punishment of sin also. Before this time the Holy Writings gave the Good News to Abraham in these words, "All nations will be happy because of you." <n>Genesis 12:3</n>


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All those who expect the Law to save them from the punishment of sin will be punished. Because it is written, "Everyone who does not keep on doing all the things written in the Book of the Law will be punished." <n>Deuteronomy 26:27</n>


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No one is made right with God by doing what the Law says. For, "The man right with God will live by faith." <n>Habakkuk 2:4</n>


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The Law does not use faith. It says, "You must obey all the Law or you will die." <n>Leviticus 18:5</n>


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Christ bought us with His blood and made us free from the Law. In that way, the Law could not punish us. Christ did this by carrying the load and by being punished instead of us. It is written, "Anyone who hangs on a cross is hated and punished." <n>Deuteronomy 21:23</n>


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Because of the price Christ Jesus paid, the good things that came to Abraham might come to the people who are not Jews. And by putting our trust in Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit He has promised.


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Christian brothers, let me show you what this means. If two men agree to something and sign their names on a paper promising to stay true to what they agree, it cannot be changed.


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Now the promise was made to Abraham and to his son. He does not say, "And to sons," speaking of many. But instead, "And to your Son," which means Christ.


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This is what I am saying: The Law which came 430 years later could not change the promise. The promise had already been made by God. The Law could not put that promise aside.


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If it had been possible to be saved from the punishment of sin by obeying the Law, the promise God gave Abraham would be worth nothing. But since it is not possible to be saved by obeying the Law, the promise God gave Abraham is worth everything.


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Then why do we have the Law? It was given because of sin. It was to be used until Christ came. The promise had been made looking toward Christ. The Law was given by angels through Moses who stood between God and man.


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Is the Law against the promise of God? No! Never! If it had been possible to be saved from the punishment of sin by obeying the Law, then being right with God would have come by obeying the Law.


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But the Holy Writings say that all men are guilty of sin. Then that which was promised might be given to those who put their trust in Christ. It will be because their faith is in Him.


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Before it was possible to be saved from the punishment of sin by putting our trust in Christ, we were held under the Law. It was as if we were being kept in prison. We were kept this way until Christ came.


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The Law was used to lead us to Christ. It was our teacher, and so we were made right with God by putting our trust in Christ.


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God does not see you as a Jew or as a Greek. He does not see you as a person sold to work or as a person free to work. He does not see you as a man or as a woman. You are all one in Christ.


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If you belong to Christ, then you have become the true children of Abraham. What God promised to him is now yours.


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Let me say this another way. A young child who will get all the riches of his family is not different from a servant who is owned by the family. And yet the young child owns everything.


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While he is young, he is cared for by men his father trusts. These men tell the child what he can and cannot do. The child cannot do what he wants to do until he has become a certain age.


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This all happened so He could buy with His blood and make free all those who were held by the Law. Then we might become the sons of God.


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Because you are the sons of God, He has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts. The Spirit cries, "Father!"


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So now you are no longer a servant who is owned by someone. You are a son. If you are a son, then you will receive what God has promised through Christ.


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But now that you know God, or should I say that you are known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak old Law? Why do you want to do those religious acts of worship that will keep you from being free? Why do you want to be held under the power of the Law again?


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I ask you, Christian brothers, stay free from the Law as I am. Even if I am a Jew, I became free from the Law, just as you who are not Jews. You did no wrong to me.


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Even though I was hard to look at because of my sickness, you did not turn away from me. You took me in as an angel from God. You took me in as you would have taken in Christ Jesus Himself.


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What has become of the happiness you once had? You would have taken out your own eyes if you could have and given them to me.


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Those false teachers are trying to turn your eyes toward them. They do not want you to follow my teaching. What they are doing is not good.


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It is good when people help you if they do not hope to get something from it. They should help you all the time, not only when I am with you.


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My children, I am suffering birth pain for you again. I will suffer until Christ's life is in your life.


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I wish I could be with you now. I wish I could speak to you in a more gentle voice, but I am troubled about you.


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The Holy Writings say that Abraham had two sons. One was born from a woman servant <n>(Hagar)</n> who was owned by someone. She had to do what she was told. The other son was born from a woman <n>(Sarah)</n> who was free to work and live as she desired. <n>(Genesis 16:15; 21:2-9)</n>


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The son born from the woman servant who was owned by someone was like any other birth. The son born from the free woman was different. That son had been promised by God.


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Think of it like this: These two women show God's two ways of working with His people. The children born from Hagar are under the Law given on Mount Sinai. They will be servants who are owned by someone and will always be told what to do!


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Hagar is known as Mount Sinai in the country of Arabia. She is as Jerusalem is today, because she and her children are not free to do what they want to do.


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The Holy Writings say, "Woman, be happy, you who have had no children. Cry for joy, you who have never had the pains of having a child, for you will have many children. Yes, you will have more children than the one who has a husband." <n>Isaiah 54:1</n>


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At that time the son born as other children are born made it hard for the son born by the Holy Spirit. It is the same way now.


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But what do the Holy Writings say? They say, "Put the woman servant who is owned by someone and her son out of your home. The son of that woman servant will never get any of the riches of the family. It will all be given to the son of the free woman." <n>Genesis 21:10</n>


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Christian brothers, we are not children of the woman servant who was owned by someone <n>(Hagar)</n>. We are children of the free woman <n>(Sarah)</n>.


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Christ made us free. Stay that way. Do not get chained all over again in the Law and its kind of religious worship.


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Listen to me! I, Paul, tell you that if you have the religious act of becoming a Jew done on you, Christ will be of no use to you at all.


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I say it again. Every man who has the religious act of becoming a Jew done on him must obey every Law.


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If you expect to be made right with God by obeying the Law, then you have turned away from Christ and His loving-favor.


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We are waiting for the hope of being made right with God. This will come through the Holy Spirit and by faith.


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If we belong to Jesus Christ, it means nothing to have or not to have gone through the religious act of becoming a Jew. But faith working through love is important.


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I feel I can trust you because of what the Lord has done in your life. I believe you will not follow another way. Whoever is trying to lead you in the wrong way will suffer for it.


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Christian brothers, if I would still preach that people must go through the religious act of becoming a Jew to be a Christian, I would not be suffering from those who are making it hard for me. If I preached like that, the Jews would have no reason to be against the cross of Christ.


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I wish those who are so willing to cut your bodies would complete the job by cutting themselves off from you.


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Christian brother, you were chosen to be free. Be careful that you do not please your old selves by sinning because you are free. Live this free life by loving and helping others.


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You obey the whole Law when you do this one thing, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." <n>Leviticus 19:18</n>


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I say this to you: Let the Holy Spirit lead you in each step. Then you will not please your sinful old selves.


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The things our old selves want to do are against what the Holy Spirit wants. The Holy Spirit does not agree with what our sinful old selves want. These two are against each other. So you cannot do what you want to do.


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worshiping false gods, witchcraft, hating, fighting, being jealous, being angry, arguing, dividing into little groups and thinking the other groups are wrong, false teaching,


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wanting something someone else has, killing other people, using strong drink, wild parties, and all things like these. I told you before and I am telling you again that those who do these things will have no place in the holy nation of God.


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But the fruit that comes from having the Holy Spirit in our lives is: love, joy, peace, not giving up, being kind, being good, having faith,


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Those of us who belong to Christ have nailed our sinful old selves on His cross. Our sinful desires are now dead.


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Let us not become proud in ways in which we should not. We must not make hard feelings among ourselves as Christians or make anyone jealous.


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Christian brothers, if a person is found doing some sin, you who are stronger Christians should lead that one back into the right way. Do not be proud as you do it. Watch yourself, because you may be tempted also.


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Everyone should look at himself and see how he does his own work. Then he can be happy in what he has done. He should not compare himself with his neighbor.


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If a man does things to please his sinful old self, his soul will be lost. If a man does things to please the Holy Spirit, he will have life that lasts forever.


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Do not let yourselves get tired of doing good. If we do not give up, we will get what is coming to us at the right time.


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Because of this, we should do good to everyone. For sure, we should do good to those who belong to Christ.


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Those men who say you must go through the religious act of becoming a Jew are doing it because they want to make a good show in front of the world. They do this so they will not have to suffer because of following the way of the cross of Christ.


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Those who have gone through the religious act of becoming a Jew do not even keep the Law themselves. But they want you to go through that religious act so they can be proud that you are their followers.


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I do not want to be proud of anything except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of the cross, the ways of this world are dead to me, and I am dead to them.


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If a person does or does not go through the religious act of becoming a Jew, it is worth nothing. The important thing is to become a new person.


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Let no one make trouble for me from now on. For I have on my body the whip marks of one who has been a servant owned by Jesus.


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Christian brothers, may the loving-favor of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Let it be so.


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This letter is from Paul. I am a missionary for Jesus Christ. God wanted me to work for Him. This letter is to those who belong to Christ in the city of Ephesus and to you who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.


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Let us honor and thank the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has already given us a taste of what heaven is like.


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Even before the world was made, God chose us for Himself because of His love. He planned that we should be holy and without blame as He sees us.


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God already planned to have us as His own children. This was done by Jesus Christ. In His plan God wanted this done.


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Because of the blood of Christ, we are bought and made free from the punishment of sin. And because of His blood, our sins are forgiven. His loving-favor to us is so rich.


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God told us the secret of what He wanted to do. It is this: In loving thought He planned long ago to send Christ into the world.


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The plan was for Christ to gather us all together at the right time. If we are in heaven or still on earth, He will bring us together and will be head over all.


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The truth is the Good News. When you heard the truth, you put your trust in Christ. Then God marked you by giving you His Holy Spirit as a promise.


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The Holy Spirit was given to us as a promise that we will receive everything God has for us. God's Spirit will be with us until God finishes His work of making us complete. God does this to show His shining-greatness.


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I pray that the great God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ may give you the wisdom of His Spirit. Then you will be able to understand the secrets about Him as you know Him better.


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I pray that your hearts will be able to understand. I pray that you will know about the hope given by God's call. I pray that you will see how great the things are that He has promised to those who belong to Him.


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It is the same power that raised Christ from the dead. This same power put Christ at God's right side in heaven.


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This place was given to Christ. It is much greater than any king or leader can have. No one else can have this place of honor and power. No one in this world or in the world to come can have such honor and power.


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God has put all things under Christ's power and has made Him to be the head leader over all things of the church.


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You followed the sinful ways of the world and obeyed the leader of the power of darkness. He is the devil who is now working in the people who do not obey God.


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At one time all of us lived to please our old selves. We gave in to what our bodies and minds wanted. We were sinful from birth like all other people and would suffer from the anger of God.


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Even when we were dead because of our sins, He made us alive by what Christ did for us. You have been saved from the punishment of sin by His loving-favor.


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God raised us up from death when He raised up Christ Jesus. He has given us a place with Christ in the heavens.


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He did this to show us through all the time to come the great riches of His loving-favor. He has shown us His kindness through Christ Jesus.


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For by His loving-favor you have been saved from the punishment of sin through faith. It is not by anything you have done. It is a gift of God.


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We are His work. He has made us to belong to Christ Jesus so we can work for Him. He planned that we should do this.


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Do not forget that at one time you did not know God. The Jews, who had gone through the religious act of becoming a Jew by man's hands, said you were people who do not know God.


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You were living without Christ then. The Jewish people who belonged to God had nothing to do with you. The promises He gave to them were not for you. You had nothing in this world to hope for. You were without God.


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But now you belong to Christ Jesus. At one time you were far away from God. Now you have been brought close to Him. Christ did this for you when He gave His blood on the cross.


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We have peace because of Christ. He has made the Jews and those who are not Jews one people. He broke down the wall that divided them.


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He stopped the fighting between them by His death on the cross. He put an end to the Law. Then He made of the two people one new kind of people like Himself. In this way, He made peace.


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He brought both groups together to God. Christ finished the fighting between them by His death on the cross.


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Then Christ came and preached the Good News of peace to you who were far away from God. And He preached it to us who were near God.


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From now on you are not strangers and people who are not citizens. You are citizens together with those who belong to God. You belong in God's family.


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This family is built on the teachings of the missionaries and the early preachers. Jesus Christ Himself is the cornerstone, which is the most important part of the building.


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When you read this, you will understand how I know about the things that are not easy to understand about Christ.


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Long ago men did not know these things. But now they have been shown to His missionaries and to the early preachers by the Holy Spirit.


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Let me tell you that the Good News is for the people who are not Jews also. They are able to have life that lasts forever. They are to be a part of His church and family, together with the Jews. And together they are to receive all that God has promised through Christ.


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God asked me to preach this Good News. He gave me the gift of His loving-favor. He gave me His power to preach it.


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Of all those who belong to Christ, I am the least important. But this loving-favor was given to me to preach to the people who are not Jews. I was to tell them of the great riches in Christ which do not come to an end.


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I was to make all men understand the meaning of this secret. God kept this secret to Himself from the beginning of the world. And He is the One Who made all things.


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This was done so the great wisdom of God might be shown now to the leaders and powers in the heavenly places. It is being done through the church.


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I pray that because of the riches of His shining-greatness, He will make you strong with power in your hearts through the Holy Spirit.


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I pray that you will be able to understand how wide and how long and how high and how deep His love is.


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I pray that you will know the love of Christ. His love goes beyond anything we can understand. I pray that you will be filled with God Himself.


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May we see His shining-greatness in the church. May all people in all time honor Christ Jesus. Let it be so.


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I am being held in prison because of working for the Lord. I ask you from my heart to live and work the way the Lord expected you to live and work.


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Live and work without pride. Be gentle and kind. Do not be hard on others. Let love keep you from doing that.


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There is one God. He is the Father of us all. He is over us all. He is the One working through us all. He is the One living in us all.


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The Holy Writings say, "When Christ went up to heaven, He took those who were held with Him. He gave gifts to men." <n>Psalm 68:18</n>


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When they say, "He went up," what does it mean but that He had first gone down to the deep parts of the earth?


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Christ Who went down into the deep also went up far above the heavens. He did this to fill all the world with Himself.


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Christ gave gifts to men. He gave to some the gift to be missionaries, some to be preachers, others to be preachers who go from town to town. He gave others the gift to be church leaders and teachers.


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These gifts help His people work well for Him. And then the church which is the body of Christ will be made strong.


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All of us are to be as one in the faith and in knowing the Son of God. We are to be full-grown Christians standing as high and complete as Christ is Himself.


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Then we will not be as children any longer. Children are like boats thrown up and down on big waves. They are blown with the wind. False teaching is like the wind. False teachers try everything possible to make people believe a lie,


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but we are to hold to the truth with love in our hearts. We are to grow up and be more like Christ. He is the leader of the church.


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Christ has put each part of the church in its right place. Each part helps other parts. This is what is needed to keep the whole body together. In this way, the whole body grows strong in love.


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I tell you this in the name of the Lord: You must not live any longer like the people of the world who do not know God. Their thoughts are foolish.


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Their minds are in darkness. They are strangers to the life of God. This is because they have closed their minds to Him and have turned their hearts away from Him.


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They do not care anymore about what is right or wrong. They have turned themselves over to the sinful ways of the world and are always wanting to do every kind of sinful act they can think of.


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put away the old person you used to be. Have nothing to do with your old sinful life. It was sinful because of being fooled into following bad desires.


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You must become a new person and be God-like. Then you will be made right with God and have a true holy life.


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Anyone who steals must stop it! He must work with his hands so he will have what he needs and can give to those who need help.


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Watch your talk! No bad words should be coming from your mouth. Say what is good. Your words should help others grow as Christians.


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Do not make God's Holy Spirit have sorrow for the way you live. The Holy Spirit has put a mark on you for the day you will be set free.


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Put out of your life all these things: bad feelings about other people, anger, temper, loud talk, bad talk which hurts other people, and bad feelings which hurt other people.


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You must be kind to each other. Think of the other person. Forgive other people just as God forgave you because of Christ's death on the cross.


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Live with love as Christ loved you. He gave Himself for us, a gift on the altar to God which was as a sweet smell to God.


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Do not let sex sins or anything sinful be even talked about among those who belong to Christ. Do not always want everything.


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Do not be guilty of telling bad stories and of foolish talk. These things are not for you to do. Instead, you are to give thanks for what God has done for you.


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Be sure of this! No person who does sex sins or who is not pure will have any part in the holy nation of Christ and of God. The same is true for the person who always wants what other people have. This becomes a god to him.


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Do not let anyone lead you in the wrong way with foolish talk. The anger of God comes on such people because they choose to not obey Him.


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At one time you lived in darkness. Now you are living in the light that comes from the Lord. Live as children who have the light of the Lord in them.


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The Holy Writings say, "Wake up, you who are sleeping. Rise from the dead and Christ will give you light." <n>Isaiah 60:1</n>


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Tell of your joy to each other by singing the Songs of David and church songs. Sing in your heart to the Lord.


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For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. It is His body <n>(the church)</n> that He saves.


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Christ did this so He could set the church apart for Himself. He made it clean by the washing of water with the Word.


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Christ did this so the church might stand before Him in shining-greatness. There is to be no sin of any kind in it. It is to be holy and without blame.


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No man hates himself. He takes care of his own body. That is the way Christ does. He cares for His body which is the church.


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For this reason, a man must leave his father and mother when he gets married and be joined to his wife. The two become one.


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The promise is this: If you respect your father and mother, you will live a long time and your life will be full of many good things.


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Fathers, do not be too hard on your children so they will become angry. Teach them in their growing years with Christian teaching.


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You servants who are owned by someone must obey your owners. Work for them as hard as you can. Work for them the same as if you were working for Christ.


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Do not work hard only when your owner sees you. You would be doing this just to please men. Work as you would work for Christ. Do what God wants you to do with all your heart.


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Remember this, whatever good thing you do, the Lord will pay you for it. It is the same to the Lord if you are a servant owned by someone or if you work for pay.


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Owners, do the right thing for those who work for you. Stop saying that you are going to be hard on them. Remember that your Owner and their Owner is in heaven. God does not respect one person more than another.


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Our fight is not with people. It is against the leaders and the powers and the spirits of darkness in this world. It is against the demon world that works in the heavens.


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Because of this, put on all the things God gives you to fight with. Then you will be able to stand in that sinful day. When it is all over, you will still be standing.


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So stand up and do not be moved. Wear a belt of truth around your body. Wear a piece of iron over your chest which is being right with God.


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Most important of all, you need a covering of faith in front of you. This is to put out the fire-arrows of the devil.


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The covering for your head is that you have been saved from the punishment of sin. Take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.


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You must pray at all times as the Holy Spirit leads you to pray. Pray for the things that are needed. You must watch and keep on praying. Remember to pray for all Christians.


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Pray for me also. Pray that I might open my mouth without fear. Pray that I will use the right words to preach that which is hard to understand in the Good News.


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This is the reason I was sent out. But now I am in chains for preaching the Good News. I want to keep on speaking for Christ without fear the way I should.


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May all the Christian brothers have peace and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


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This letter is from Paul and Timothy. We are servants owned by Jesus Christ. This letter is to all who belong to Christ Jesus who are living in the city of Philippi and to the church leaders and their helpers also.


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I am sure that God Who began the good work in you will keep on working in you until the day Jesus Christ comes again.


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It is right for me to feel like this about all of you. It is because you are very dear to me. While I was in prison and when I was proving that the Good News is true, you all shared God's loving-favor with me.


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God knows what I am saying. He knows how much I love you all with a love that comes from Jesus Christ.


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And this is my prayer: I pray that your love will grow more and more. I pray that you will have better understanding and be wise in all things.


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I pray that you will know what is the very best. I pray that you will be true and without blame until the day Christ comes again.


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And I pray that you will be filled with the fruits of right living. These come from Jesus Christ, with honor and thanks to God.


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Christian brothers, I want you to know that what has happened to me has helped spread the Good News.


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Everyone around here knows why I am in prison. It is because I preached about Jesus Christ. All the soldiers who work for the leader of the country know why I am here.


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Because of this, most of my Christian brothers have had their faith in the Lord made stronger. They have more power to preach the Word of God without fear.


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Some are preaching because they are jealous and want to make trouble. Others are doing it for the right reason.


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The others preach about Christ for what they get out of it. Their hearts are not right. They want to make me suffer while I am in prison.


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What difference does it make if they pretend or if they are true? I am happy, yes, and I will keep on being happy that Christ is preached.


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I hope very much that I will have no reason to be ashamed. I hope to honor Christ with my body if it be by my life or by my death. I want to honor Him without fear, now and always.


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If I keep on living here in this body, it means that I can lead more people to Christ. I do not know which is better.


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There is a strong pull from both sides. I have a desire to leave this world to be with Christ, which is much better.


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Live your lives as the Good News of Christ says you should. If I come to you or not, I want to hear that you are standing true as one. I want to hear that you are working together as one, preaching the Good News.


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Do not be afraid of those who hate you. Their hate for you proves they will be destroyed. It proves you have life from God that lasts forever.


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Are you strong because you belong to Christ? Does His love comfort you? Do you have joy by being as one in sharing the Holy Spirit? Do you have loving-kindness and pity for each other?


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Then give me true joy by thinking the same thoughts. Keep having the same love. Be as one in thoughts and actions.


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Nothing should be done because of pride or thinking about yourself. Think of other people as more important than yourself.


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He put aside everything that belonged to Him and made Himself the same as a servant who is owned by someone. He became human by being born as a man.


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Because of this, God lifted Jesus high above everything else. He gave Him a name that is greater than any other name.


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So when the name of Jesus is spoken, everyone in heaven and on earth and under the earth will bow down before Him.


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My Christian friends, you have obeyed me when I was with you. You have obeyed even more when I have been away. You must keep on working to show you have been saved from the punishment of sin. Be afraid that you may not please God.


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Be glad you can do the things you should be doing. Do all things without arguing and talking about how you wish you did not have to do them.


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In that way, you can prove yourselves to be without blame. You are God's children and no one can talk against you, even in a sin-loving and sin-sick world. You are to shine as lights among the sinful people of this world.


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Take a strong hold on the Word of Life. Then when Christ comes again, I will be happy that I did not work with you for nothing.


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Even if I give my life as a gift on the altar to God for you, I am glad and share this joy with you.


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I hope by the help of the Lord Jesus that I can send Timothy to you soon. It will comfort me when he brings news about you.


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You know how Timothy proved to be such a true friend to me when we preached the Good News. He was like a son helping his father.


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I thought it was right that I send Epaphroditus back to you. You helped me by sending him to me. We have worked together like brothers. He was like a soldier fighting beside me.


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It is true, he was sick. Yes, he almost died, but God showed loving-kindness to him and to me. If he had died, I would have had even more sorrow.


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This is all the more reason I have sent him to you. When you see him, you will be glad and I will have less sorrow.


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He came close to death while working for Christ. He almost died doing things for me that you could not do.


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So now, my Christian brothers, be happy because you belong to Christ. It is not hard for me to write the same things to you. It is good for you.


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Watch out for false teachers. Watch out for sinful men. They want you to depend on the religious act of becoming a Jew for your hope.


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The act of becoming a Jew has nothing to do with us becoming Christians. We worship God through His Spirit and are proud of Jesus Christ. We have no faith in what we ourselves can do.


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I could have reason to trust in the flesh. If anyone could feel that the flesh could do something for him, I could.


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I went through the religious act of becoming a Jew when I was eight days old. I was born a Jew and came from the family group of Benjamin. I was a Jewish son of Jewish parents. I belonged to the group of the proud religious law-keepers.


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I followed my religion with all my heart and did everything I could to make it hard for the church. No one could say anything against the way I obeyed the Law.


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Even more than that, I think of everything as worth nothing. It is so much better to know Christ Jesus my Lord. I have lost everything for Him. And I think of these things as worth nothing so that I can have Christ.


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I want to be as one with Him. I could not be right with God by what the Law said I must do. I was made right with God by faith in Christ.


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I want to know Him. I want to have the same power in my life that raised Jesus from the dead. I want to understand and have a share in His sufferings and be like Christ in His death.


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I do not say that I have received this or have already become perfect. But I keep going on to make that life my own as Christ Jesus made me His own.


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No, Christian brothers, I do not have that life yet. But I do one thing. I forget everything that is behind me and look forward to that which is ahead of me.


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My eyes are on the prize. I want to win the race and get the prize of God's call from heaven through Christ Jesus.


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All of us who are full-grown Christians should think this way. If you do not think this way, God will show it to you.


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Christian brothers, live your lives as I have lived mine. Watch those who live as I have taught you to live.


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There are many whose lives show they hate the cross of Christ. I have told you this before. Now I tell you again with tears in my eyes.


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Their god is their stomach. They take pride in things they should be ashamed of. All they think about are the things of this world. In the end they will be destroyed.


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But we are citizens of heaven. Christ, the One Who saves from the punishment of sin, will be coming down from heaven again. We are waiting for Him to return.


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He will change these bodies of ours of the earth and make them new. He will make them like His body of shining-greatness. He has the power to do this because He can make all things obey Him.


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So, my dear Christian brothers, you are my joy and prize. I want to see you. Keep on staying true to the Lord, my dear friends.


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My true helper, I ask you to help these women who have worked with me so much in preaching the Good News to others. Clement helped also. There are others who worked with me. Their names are in the book of life.


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The peace of God is much greater than the human mind can understand. This peace will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.


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Christian brothers, keep your minds thinking about whatever is true, whatever is respected, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever can be loved, and whatever is well thought of. If there is anything good and worth giving thanks for, think about these things.


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Keep on doing all the things you learned and received and heard from me. Do the things you saw me do. Then the God


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The Lord gives me a reason to be full of joy. It is because you are able to care for me again. I know you wanted to before but you did not have a way to help me.


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I know how to get along with little and how to live when I have much. I have learned the secret of being happy at all times. If I am full of food and have all I need, I am happy. If I am hungry and need more, I am happy.


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You Philippians also know that when I first preached the Good News, you were the only church that helped me. It was when I left for the country of Macedonia.


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I have everything I need and more than enough. I am taken care of because Epaphroditus brought your gift. It is a sweet gift. It is a gift that cost you something. It is the kind of gift God is so pleased with.


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This letter is from Paul, a missionary for Jesus Christ. God wanted me to work for Him. This letter is from brother Timothy also.


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I am writing to you who belong to Christ in the city of Colossae. May all the Christian brothers there have loving-favor and peace from God our Father.


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We give thanks to God for you because we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus. We thank God for your love for all those who belong to Christ.


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We thank God for the hope that is being kept for you in heaven. You first heard about this hope through the Good News which is the Word of Truth.


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The Good News came to you the same as it is now going out to all the world. Lives are being changed, just as your life was changed the day you heard the Good News. You understood the truth about God's loving-favor.


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You heard the Good News through our much-loved brother Epaphras who is taking my place. He is a faithful servant of Christ.


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This is why I have never stopped praying for you since I heard about you. I ask God that you may know what He wants you to do. I ask God to fill you with the wisdom and understanding the Holy Spirit gives.


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Then your lives will please the Lord. You will do every kind of good work, and you will know more about God.


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I pray that God's great power will make you strong, and that you will have joy as you wait and do not give up.


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I pray that you will be giving thanks to the Father. He has made it so you could share the good things given to those who belong to Christ who are in the light.


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Christ made everything in the heavens and on the earth. He made everything that is seen and things that are not seen. He made all the powers of heaven. Everything was made by Him and for Him.


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Christ is the head of the church which is His body. He is the beginning of all things. He is the first to be raised from the dead. He is to have first place in everything.


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Everything in heaven and on earth can come to God because of Christ's death on the cross. Christ's blood has made peace.


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At one time you were strangers to God and your minds were at war with Him. Your thoughts and actions were wrong.


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But Christ has brought you back to God by His death on the cross. In this way, Christ can bring you to God, holy and pure and without blame.


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This is for you if you keep the faith. You must not change from what you believe now. You must not leave the hope of the Good News you received. The Good News was preached to you and to all the world. And I, Paul, am one of Christ's missionaries.


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Now I am full of joy to be suffering for you. In my own body I am doing my share of what has to be done to make Christ's sufferings complete. This is for His body which is the Church.


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This great secret was hidden to the people of times past, but it is now made known to those who belong to Christ.


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God wants these great riches of the hidden truth to be made known to the people who are not Jews. The secret is this: Christ in you brings hope of all the great things to come.


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We preach Christ. We tell every man how he must live. We use wisdom in teaching every man. We do this so every man will be complete in Christ.


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I want you to know how hard I have worked for you and for the Christians in the city of Laodicea and for those who have never seen me.


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May their hearts be given comfort. May they be brought close together in Christian love. May they be rich in understanding and know God's secret. It is Christ Himself.


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Even if I am far away from you in body, I am with you in spirit. I am happy to learn how well you are getting along. It is good to hear that your faith is so strong in Christ.


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As you have put your trust in Christ Jesus the Lord to save you from the punishment of sin, now let Him lead you in every step.


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Have your roots planted deep in Christ. Grow in Him. Get your strength from Him. Let Him make you strong in the faith as you have been taught. Your life should be full of thanks to Him.


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Be careful that no one changes your mind and faith by much learning and big sounding ideas. Those things are what men dream up. They are always trying to make new religions. These leave out Christ.


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When you became a Christian, you were set free from the sinful things of the world. This was not done by human hands. You were set free from the sins of your old self by what was done in Christ's body.


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When you were baptized, you were buried as Christ was buried. When you were raised up in baptism, you were raised as Christ was raised. You were raised to a new life by putting your trust in God. It was God Who raised Jesus from the dead.


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When you were dead in your sins, you were not set free from the sinful things of the world. But God forgave your sins and gave you new life through Christ.


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We had broken the Law many ways. Those sins were held against us by the Law. That Law had writings which said we were sinners. But now He has destroyed that writing by nailing it to the cross.


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God took away the power of the leaders of this world and the powers of darkness. He showed them to the world. The battle was won over them through Christ.


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Do not let anyone tell you what you should or should not eat or drink. They have no right to say if it is right or wrong to eat certain foods or if you are to go to religious suppers. They have no right to say what you are to do at the time of the new moon or on the Day of Rest.


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Do not let anyone rob you of your prize. They will try to get you to bow down in worship of angels. They think this shows you are not proud. They say they were told to do this in a dream. These people are proud because of their sinful minds.


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Such people are not a part of Christ. Christ is the Head. We Christians make up His body. We are joined together as a body is held together. Our strength to grow comes from Christ.


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You have died with Christ and become dead to those old ways. Then why do you follow the old ways of worship? Why do you obey man-made rules?


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These rules say, "You must not put your hand on this." "Do not put this into your mouth." "You must not put your finger on that."


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It looks as if it is wise to follow these rules in an act of worship, because they are hard on the body. It looks as if they are done without pride, but they are worth nothing. They do not take away a man's desire to sin.


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If then you have been raised with Christ, keep looking for the good things of heaven. This is where Christ is seated on the right side of God.


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Destroy the desires to sin that are in you. These desires are: sex sins, anything that is not clean, a desire for sex sins, and wanting something someone else has. This is worshiping a god.


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Put out of your life these things also: anger, bad temper, bad feelings toward others, talk that hurts people, speaking against God, and dirty talk.


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You have now become a new person and are always learning more about Christ. You are being made more like Christ. He is the One Who made you.


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There is no difference in men in this new life. Greeks and Jews are the same. The man who has gone through the religious act of becoming a Jew and the one who has not are the same. There is no difference between nations. Men who are sold to work and those who are free are the same. Christ is everything. He is in all of us.


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God has chosen you. You are holy and loved by Him. Because of this, your new life should be full of loving-pity. You should be kind to others and have no pride. Be gentle and be willing to wait for others.


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Try to understand other people. Forgive each other. If you have something against someone, forgive him. That is the way the Lord forgave you.


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And to all these things, you must add love. Love holds everything and everybody together and makes all these good things perfect.


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Let the peace of Christ have power over your hearts. You were chosen as a part of His body. Always be thankful.


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Let the teaching of Christ and His words keep on living in you. These make your lives rich and full of wisdom. Keep on teaching and helping each other. Sing the Songs of David and the church songs and the songs of heaven with hearts full of thanks to God.


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Whatever you say or do, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus. Give thanks to God the Father through the Lord Jesus.


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You who are servants who are owned by someone, obey your owners. Work hard for them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Work for them as you would for the Lord because you honor God.


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Remember that you will get your reward from the Lord. He will give you what you should receive. You are working for the Lord Christ.


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Owners, give your servants what is right. Do the same for all. Remember that your Owner is in heaven.


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As you pray, be sure to pray for us also. Pray that God will open the door for us to preach the Word. We want to tell the secret of Christ. And this is the reason I am in prison.


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Tychicus will tell you how I am getting along. He is a much-loved brother and faithful helper. Both of us are owned by the Lord.


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This is the reason I have sent him to you. It is so you can know about us. He can also bring joy to your hearts.


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Onesimus is going with Tychicus. He is one of your own people. He is faithful and we love him very much. They will tell you about everything here.


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One of the men here in prison with me is Aristarchus. He greets you. Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, greets you. <n>(You have heard before that if he comes to you, you are to receive him and make him happy.)</n>


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Jesus Justus greets you also. These are the only Jewish workers helping me teach about the holy nation of God. What a help they have been to me!


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Epaphras greets you. He is one of your people and a servant of Jesus Christ. As he prays for you, he asks God to help you to be strong and to make you perfect. He prays that you will know what God wants you to do in all things.


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I can tell you for sure that he works hard for you and for the Christians in the cities of Laodicea and Hierapolis.


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Greet all the Christians in Laodicea. Greet Nympha and the Christians who gather for church in her house.


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When this letter has been read to you, have it read in the church in Laodicea also. Be sure you read the letter that is coming from Laodicea.


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I, Paul, am writing this last part with my own hand. Do not forget that I am in prison. May you have God's loving-favor.


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This letter is from Paul and Silas and Timothy. It is to you, the church, in the city of Thessalonica. You belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May you have His loving-favor and His peace.


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While praying to God our Father, we always remember your work of faith and your acts of love and your hope that never gives up in our Lord Jesus Christ.


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The Good News did not come to you by word only, but with power and through the Holy Spirit. You knew it was true. You also knew how we lived among you. It was for your good.


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You followed our way of life and the life of the Lord. You suffered from others because of listening to us. But you had the joy that came from the Holy Spirit.


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Because of your good lives, you are showing all the Christians in the countries of Macedonia and Greece how to live.


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The Word of the Lord has been spoken by you in the countries of Macedonia and Greece. People everywhere know of your faith in God without our telling them.


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The people themselves tell us how you received us when we came to you. They talk of how you turned to God from worshiping false gods. Now you worship the true and living God.


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They tell us how you are waiting for His Son Jesus to come down from heaven. God raised Him from the dead. It is Jesus Who will save us from the anger of God that is coming.


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Just before we came to you, we had been in the city of Philippi. You know how they worked against us and made us suffer. But God helped us preach the Good News to you without fear, even while many people hated us and made it hard for us.


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You remember what we said to you was true. We had no wrong desire in teaching you. We did not try to fool you.


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God has allowed us to be trusted with the Good News. Because of this, we preach it to please God, not man. God tests and proves our hearts.


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You know we never used smooth-sounding words. God knows we never tried to get money from you by preaching.


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We never looked for thanks from men, not from you or from anyone else. But because we were missionaries of Christ, we could have asked you to do much for us.


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We had such a strong desire to help you that we were happy to give you the Good News. Because we loved you so much, we were ready to give you our own lives also.


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You remember, Christian brothers, we worked night and day for our food and clothes while we preached the Good News to you. We did not want to make it hard for you.


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As a father helps his children, you know how we wanted to help you and give you comfort. We told you with strong words


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that you should live to please God. He is the One Who chose you to come into His holy nation and to share His shining-greatness.


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We always thank God that when you heard the Word of God from us, you believed it. You did not receive it as from men, but you received it as the Word of God. That is what it is. It is at work in the lives of you who believe.


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Christian brothers, you became just like the churches in the country of Judea. You had to suffer from the men in your country as those churches had to suffer from the Jews.


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It was the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the early preachers. The Jews made it hard for us and made us leave. They do not please God and are working against all men.


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They tried to keep us from preaching the Good News to the people who are not Jews. The Jews do not want them saved from the punishment of sin. The lives of the Jews are full of more sin all the time. But now God's anger has come to them at last.


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Christian brothers, because we have not been able to be with you, our hearts have been with you. We have wanted very much to see you.


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We wanted to come to you. I, Paul, have tried to come to you more than once but Satan kept us from coming.


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Who is our hope or joy or crown of happiness? It is you, when you stand before our Lord Jesus Christ when He comes again.


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And we sent Timothy to you. He works with us for God, teaching the Good News of Christ. We sent him to give strength and comfort to your faith.


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Even when we were with you, we told you that much trouble would come to us. It has come as you can see.


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For this reason, I could wait no longer. I sent Timothy to find out about your faith. I was afraid the devil had tempted you. Then our work with you would be wasted.


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But Timothy has come to us from you. He brought good news about your faith and love. It is good to know that you think well of us and that you would like to see us. We would like to see you also.


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Christian brothers, word about your faith has made us happy even while we are suffering and are in much trouble.


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We keep on praying night and day that we may see you again. We want to help your faith to be complete.


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May the Lord make you grow in love for each other and for everyone. We have this kind of love for you.


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May our God and Father make your hearts strong and without blame. May your hearts be without sin in God's sight when our Lord Jesus comes again with all those who belong to Him.


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Christian brothers, we ask you, because of the Lord Jesus, to keep on living in a way that will please God. I have already told you how to grow in the Christian life.


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No man should do wrong to his Christian brother in anything. The Lord will punish a person who does. I have told you this before.


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The one who turns away from this teaching does not turn away from man, but from God. It is God Who has given us His Holy Spirit.


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You do not need anyone to write to you about loving your Christian brothers. God has taught you to love each other.


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By doing this, you will be respected by those who are not Christians. Then you will not be in need and others will not have to help you.


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Christian brothers, we want you to know for sure about those who have died. You have no reason to have sorrow as those who have no hope.


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We believe that Jesus died and then came to life again. Because we believe this, we know that God will bring to life again all those who belong to Jesus.


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We tell you this as it came from the Lord. Those of us who are alive when the Lord comes again will not go ahead of those who have died.


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For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a loud call. The head angel will speak with a loud voice. God's horn will give its sounds. First, those who belong to Christ will come out of their graves to meet the Lord.


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Then, those of us who are still living here on earth will be gathered together with them in the clouds. We will meet the Lord in the sky and be with Him forever.


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You do not need anyone to write to tell you when and at what kind of times these things will happen.


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You know for sure that the day the Lord comes back to earth will be as a robber coming in the night.


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When they say, "Everything is fine and safe," then all at once they will be destroyed. It will be like pain that comes on a woman when a child is born. They will not be able to get away from it.


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Because we are men of the day, let us keep our minds awake. Let us cover our chests with faith and love. Let us cover our heads with the hope of being saved.


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God planned to save us from the punishment of sin through our Lord Jesus Christ. He did not plan for us to suffer from His anger.


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We ask you, Christian brothers, to respect those who work among you. The Lord has placed them over you and they are your teachers.


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We ask you, Christian brothers, speak to those who do not want to work. Comfort those who feel they cannot keep going on. Help the weak. Understand and be willing to wait for all men.


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Do not let anyone pay back for the bad he received. But look for ways to do good to each other and to all people.


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May the God of peace set you apart for Himself. May every part of you be set apart for God. May your spirit and your soul and your body be kept complete. May you be without blame when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.


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This letter is from Paul and Silas and Timothy. It is to the church in the city of Thessalonica that belongs to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


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We must give thanks to God for you always, Christian brothers. It is the right thing to do because your faith is growing so much. Your love for each other is stronger all the time.


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We are proud of you and tell the other churches about you. We tell them how your faith stays so strong even when people make it hard for you and make you suffer.


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He will help you and us who are suffering. This will happen when the Lord Jesus comes down from heaven with His powerful angels in a bright fire.


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He will punish those who do not know God and those who do not obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ.


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They will be punished forever and taken away from the Lord and from the shining-greatness of His power.


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On the day He comes, His shining-greatness will be seen in those who belong to Him. On that day, He will receive honor from all those who put their trust in Him. You believed what we had to say to you.


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For this reason, we always pray for you. We pray that our God will make you worth being chosen. We pray that His power will help you do the good things you want to do. We pray that your work of faith will be complete.


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In this way, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will be honored by you and you will be honored by Him. It is through the loving-favor of our God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.


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Our Lord Jesus Christ is coming again. We will be gathered together to meet Him. But we ask you, Christian brothers,


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do not be troubled in mind or worried by the talk you hear. Some say that the Lord has already come. People may say that I wrote this in a letter or that a spirit told them.


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Do not let anyone fool you. For the Lord will not come again until many people turn away from God. Then the leader of those who break the law will come. He is the man of sin.


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He works against and puts himself above every kind of god that is worshiped. He will take his seat in the house of God and say that he himself is God.


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You know the power that is keeping the man of sin back now. The man of sin will come only when his time is ready.


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For the secret power of breaking the law is already at work in the world. But that secret power can only do so much until the One Who keeps back the man of sin is taken out of the way.


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Then this man of sin will come. The Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of His mouth. The coming of Christ will put an end to him.


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Satan will use this man of sin. He will have Satan's power. He will do strange things and many powerful works that will be false.


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Those who are lost in sin will be fooled by the things he can do. They are lost in sin because they did not love the truth that would save them.


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Christian brothers, the Lord loves you. We always thank God for you. It is because God has chosen you from the beginning to save you from the punishment of sin. He chose to make you holy by the Holy Spirit and to give you faith to believe the truth.


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It was by our preaching the Good News that you were chosen. He chose you to share the shining-greatness of our Lord Jesus Christ.


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So then, Christian brothers, keep a strong hold on what we have taught you by what we have said and by what we have written.


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Our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father loves us. Through His loving-favor He gives us comfort and hope that lasts forever.


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My last words to you, Christian brothers, are that you pray for us. Pray that the Word of the Lord will go out over all the land and prove its power just as it did with you.


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We have faith in the Lord for you. We believe you are doing and will keep on doing the things we told you.


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Now this is what we tell you to do, Christian brothers. In the name of the Lord Jesus, keep away from any Christian who is lazy and who does not do what we taught you.


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You know you should follow the way of life we lived when we were with you. We worked hard while we were there.


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We did not eat anyone's food without paying for it. We worked hard night and day so none of you would have to give us anything.


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We hear that some are not working. But they are spending their time trying to see what others are doing.


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Our words to such people are that they should be quiet and go to work. They should eat their own food. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we say this.


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If anyone does not want to listen to what we say in this letter, remember who he is and stay away from him. In that way, he will be put to shame.


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This letter is from Paul, a missionary of Jesus Christ. I am sent by God, the One Who saves, and by our Lord Jesus Christ Who is our hope.


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I write to you, Timothy. You are my son in the Christian faith. May God the Father and Jesus Christ our Lord give you His loving-favor and loving-kindness and peace.


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When I left for the country of Macedonia, I asked you to stay in the city of Ephesus. I wanted you to stay there so you could tell those who are teaching what is not true to stop.


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They should not listen to stories that are not true. It is foolish for them to try to learn more about their early fathers. These only bring more questions to their minds and do not make their faith in God stronger.


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We want to see our teaching help you have a true love that comes from a pure heart. Such love comes from a heart that says we are not guilty and from a faith that does not pretend.


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Some of them want to be teachers of the Law. But they do not know what they are talking about even if they act as if they do.


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We must remember the Law is not for the person who is right with God. It is for those who do not obey anybody or anything. It is for the sinners who hate God and speak against Him. It is for those who kill their fathers and mothers and for those who kill other people.


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It is for those who do sex sins and for people who do sex sins with their own sex. It is for people who steal other people and for those who lie and for those who promise not to lie, but do. It is for everything that is against right teaching.


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The great Good News of our honored God is right teaching. God has trusted me to preach this Good News.


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I thank Christ Jesus our Lord for the power and strength He has given me. He trusted me and gave me His work to do.


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Before He chose me, I talked bad about Christ. I made His followers suffer. I hurt them every way I could. But God had loving-kindness for me. I did not understand what I was doing for I was not a Christian then.


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What I say is true and all the world should receive it. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners from their sin and I am the worst sinner.


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And yet God had lovingkindness for me. Jesus Christ used me to show how long He will wait for even the worst sinners. In that way, others will know they can have life that lasts forever also.


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We give honor and thanks to the King Who lives forever. He is the One Who never dies and Who is never seen. He is the One Who knows all things. He is the only God. Let it be so.


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Timothy, my son, here is my word to you. Fight well for the Lord! God's preachers told us you would.


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Keep a strong hold on your faith in Christ. May your heart always say you are right. Some people have not listened to what their hearts say. They have done what they knew was wrong. Because of this, their faith in Christ was wrecked.


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This happened to Hymenaeus and Alexander. I gave them over to Satan to teach them not to speak against God.


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Pray for kings and all others who are in power over us so we might live quiet God-like lives in peace.


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He wants all people to be saved from the punishment of sin. He wants them to come to know the truth.


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He gave His life for all men so they could go free and not be held by the power of sin. God made this known to the world at the right time.


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This is why I was chosen to be a teacher and a missionary. I am to teach faith and truth to the people who do not know God. I am not lying but telling the truth.


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I want men everywhere to pray. They should lift up holy hands as they pray. They should not be angry or argue.


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Christian women should not be dressed in the kind of clothes and their hair should not be combed in a way that will make people look at them. They should not wear much gold or pearls or clothes that cost much money.


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Instead of these things, Christian women should be known for doing good things and living good lives.


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But women will be saved through the giving of birth to children if they keep on in faith and live loving and holy lives.


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A church leader must be a good man. His life must be so no one can say anything against him. He must have only one wife and must be respected for his good living. He must be willing to take people into his home. He must be willing to learn and able to teach the Word of God.


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He must not get drunk or want to fight. Instead, he must be gentle. He must not have a love for money.


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A church leader must not be a new Christian. A new Christian might become proud and fall into sin which is brought on by the devil.


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A church leader must be respected by people who are not Christians so nothing can be said against him. In that way, he will not be trapped by the devil.


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Church helpers must also be good men and act so people will respect them. They must speak the truth. They must not get drunk. They must not have a love for money.


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They must first be tested to see if they are ready for the work as church helpers. Then if they do well, they may be chosen as church helpers.


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The wives of church helpers must be careful how they act. They must not carry stories from one person to another. They must be wise and faithful in all they do.


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Church helpers must have only one wife. They must lead their home well and their children must obey them.


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Those who work well as church helpers will be respected by others and their own faith in Christ Jesus will grow.


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because it may be awhile before I get there. I wanted you to know how you should act among people in the church which is the house of the living God. The church holds up the truth.


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It is important to know the secret of Godlike living, which is: Christ came to earth as a Man. He was pure in His Spirit. He was seen by angels. The nations heard about Him. Men everywhere put their trust in Him. He was taken up into heaven.


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The Holy Spirit tells us in plain words that in the last days some people will turn away from the faith. They will listen to what is said about spirits and follow the teaching about demons.


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Those who teach this tell it as the truth when they know it is a lie. They do it so much that their own hearts no longer say it is wrong.


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They will say, "Do not get married. Do not eat some kinds of food." But God gave these things to Christians who know the truth. We are to thank God for them.


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Everything God made is good. We should not put anything aside if we can take it and thank God for it.


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If you keep telling these things to the Christians, you will be a good worker for Jesus Christ. You will feed your own soul on these words of faith and on this good teaching which you have followed.


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Growing strong in body is all right but growing in God-like living is more important. It will not only help you in this life now but in the next life also.


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Because of this, we work hard and do our best because our hope is in the living God, the One Who would save all men. He saves those who believe in Him.


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Let no one show little respect for you because you are young. Show other Christians how to live by your life. They should be able to follow you in the way you talk and in what you do. Show them how to live in faith and in love and in holy living.


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Be sure to use the gift God gave you. The leaders saw this in you when they laid their hands on you and said what you should do.


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Watch yourself how you act and what you teach. Stay true to what is right. If you do, you and those who hear you will be saved from the punishment of sin.


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Do not speak sharp words to an older man. Talk with him as if he were a father. Talk to younger men as brothers.


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If a woman whose husband has died has children or grandchildren, they are the ones to care for her. In that way, they can pay back to their parents the kindness that has been shown to them. God is pleased when this is done.


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Women whose husbands have died are alone in this world. Their trust is in the Lord. They pray day and night.


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But the one who lives only for the joy she can receive from this world is the same as dead even if she is alive.


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Anyone who does not take care of his family and those in his house has turned away from the faith. He is worse than a person who has never put his trust in Christ.


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A woman over sixty years old whose husband has died may receive help from the church. To receive this help, she must have been the wife of one man.


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She must be known for doing good things for people and for being a good mother. She must be known for taking strangers into her home and for washing the feet of Christians. She must be known for helping those who suffer and for showing kindness.


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Do not write the names of younger women whose husbands have died together with the names of others who need help. They will turn away from Christ because of wanting to get married again.


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They will waste their time. They will go from house to house carrying stories. They will find fault with people and say things they should not talk about.


