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For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that every one who believes in him may not be lost, but have Immortal Life.
Everything that is written under divine inspiration is helpful for teaching, for refuting error, for giving guidance, and for training others in righteousness;
I entreat you, then, Brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, for this is your rational worship.
But the fruit produced by the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindliness, generosity, trustfulness, gentleness, self-control.
For it is by God's loving-kindness that you have been saved, through your faith. It is not due to yourselves; the gift is God's.
But we do know that God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love him-those who have received the Call in accordance with his purpose.
Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the Faith of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Do not conform to the fashion of this world; but be transformed by the complete change that has come over your minds, so that you may discern what God's will is--all that is good, acceptable, and perfect.
Jesus answered: "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one ever comes to the Father except through me.
But you shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit shall have descended upon you, and shall be witnesses for me not only in Jerusalem, but throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
"Repent," answered Peter, "and be baptized every one of you in the Faith of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The wages of Sin are Death, but the gift of God is Immortal Life, through union with Christ Jesus, our Lord.
But to all who did receive him he gave power to become Children of God--to those who believe in his Name.
not as the result of any righteous actions that we had done, but in fulfillment of his merciful purposes. He saved us by that Washing which was a New Birth to us, and by the renewing power of the Holy Spirit,
For, if with your lips you acknowledge the truth of the Message that JESUS IS LORD, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.
And the Word became Man, and dwelt among us, (We saw his glory--the glory of the Only Son sent from the Father), full of love and truth.
But God puts his love for us beyond all doubt by the fact that Christ died on our behalf while we were still sinners.
And he it is who gave to the Church Apostles, Prophets, Missionaries, Pastors, and Teachers,
They devoted themselves to the teaching of the Apostles and to the Common Life of the Church, to the Breaking of the Bread and to the Prayers.
If we confess our sins, God may be trusted, in his righteousness, to forgive us our sins and purify us from all wickedness.
"In truth I tell you," exclaimed Jesus, "unless a man is reborn, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
The thief comes only to steal, to kill, and to destroy; I have come that they may have Life, and may have it in greater fullness.
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and through sin came death; so, also, death spread to all mankind, because all men had sinned.
Then he said to them: "Go into all the world, and proclaim the Good News to all creation.
And Salvation is in him alone; for there is no other Name in the whole world, given to men, to which we must look for our Salvation."
Therefore, if any one is in union with Christ, he is a new being! His old life has passed away; a new life has begun!
Then Jesus came up, and spoke to them thus: "All authority in heaven and on the earth has been given to me.
Therefore, having been pronounced righteous as the result of faith, let us enjoy peace with God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Do not be anxious about anything; but under all circumstances, by prayer and entreaty joined with thanksgiving, make your needs known to God.
There is, therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in union with Christ Jesus;
Two days after this there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and Jesus' mother was there.
In the course of the Festival at the close of the Harvest the disciples had all met together,
I have been crucified with Christ. So it is no longer I that live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and, as for my present earthly life, I am living it by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
For I am not ashamed of the Good News; it is the power of God which brings Salvation to every one who believes in Christ, to the Jew first, but also to the Greek.
I give you a new commandment--Love one another; love one another as I have loved you.
Do your utmost to show yourself true to God, a workman with no reason to be ashamed, accurate in delivering the Message of the Truth.
But first seek his Kingdom and the righteousness that he requires, and then all these things shall be added for you.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you always--the Spirit of Truth.
Seeing, therefore, that there is on every side of us such a throng of witnesses, let us also lay aside everything that hinders us, and the sin that clings about us, and run with patient endurance the race that lies before us,
Be watchful over yourselves, and over the whole flock, of which the Holy Spirit has placed you in charge, to shepherd the Church of God, which he won for himself at the cost of his life.
So, too, there is a revelation from Heaven of the Divine Wrath against every form of ungodliness and wickedness on the part of those men who, by their wicked lives, are stifling the Truth.
'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, For he has consecrated me to bring Good News to the poor, He has sent me to proclaim release to captives and restoration of sight to the blind, To set the oppressed at liberty,
"In truth I tell you," answered Jesus, "unless a man owes his birth to Water and Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
Now, when the Master heard that the Pharisees had been told that he was making and baptizing more disciples than John
God's Message is a living and active power, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing its way till it penetrates soul and spirit--not the joints only but the very marrow--and detecting the inmost thoughts and purposes of the mind.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be cured. Great is the power of a good man's fervent prayer.
The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him, and exclaimed: "Here is the Lamb of God, who is to take away the sin of the world!
Yet when he--The Spirit of Truth--comes, he will guide you into all Truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but he will speak of all that he hears; and he will tell you of the things that are to come.
Let every one obey the supreme Authorities. For no Authority exists except by the will of God, and the existing Authorities have been appointed by God.
Yes, and I say to you, Your name is 'Peter--a Rock, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the Powers of the Place of Death shall not prevail over it.
When the Son of Man has come in his glory and all the angels with him, then he 'will take his seat on his throne of glory';
Through him all things came into being, and nothing came into being apart from him.
These Jews of Beroea were better disposed than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the Message with great readiness, and daily examined the Scriptures to see if what was said was true.
But the Helper--the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my Name--he will teach you all things, and will recall to your minds all that I have said to you.
As for you, you are children of your Father the Devil, and you are determined to do what your father loves to do. He was a murderer from the first, and did not stand by the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he does what is natural to him; because he is a liar, and the father of lying.
He came as a witness--to bear witness to the Light that through him all men might believe.
Do not think that I have come to do away with the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to do away with them, but to complete them.
For the future, find strength in your union with the Lord, and in the power which comes from his might.
His answer was: "'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.'
For Christ is the very incarnation of the invisible God-- First-born and Head of all creation;
I am the Vine, you are the branches. He that remains united to me, while I remain united to him--he bears fruit plentifully; for you can do nothing apart from me.
In truth I tell you that he who listens to my Message and believes him who sent me, has Immortal Life, and does not come under condemnation, but has already passed out of Death into Life.
In conclusion, Brothers, wherever you find anything true or honorable, righteous or pure, lovable or praiseworthy, or if 'virtue' and 'honour' have any meaning, there let your thoughts dwell.
But without faith it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe that God exists, and that he rewards those who seek for him.
while we are awaiting our Blessed Hope--the Appearing in glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.
And so we gather, faith is a result of teaching, and the teaching comes in the Message of Christ.
So he made a whip of cords, and drove them all out of the Temple Courts, and the sheep and bullocks as well; he scattered the money of the money-changers, and overturned their tables,
My Brothers, whatever may be the temptations that beset you from time to time, always regard them as a reason for rejoicing,
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with strange 'tongues' as the Spirit prompted their utterances.
He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he who refuses to believe will be condemned.
"Believe in Jesus, our Lord," they replied, "and you shall be saved, you and your household too."
If one of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask wisdom from the God who gives freely to every one without reproaches, and it will be given to him.
"I am the Resurrection and the Life," said Jesus. "He that believes in me shall live, though he die;
So those who accepted his teaching were baptized, and about three thousand people joined the disciples on that day alone.
No sooner had Jesus said this than he was caught up before their eyes, and a cloud received him from their sight.
On the first day of the week, when we had met for the Breaking of Bread, Paul, who was intending to leave the next day, began to address those who were present, and prolonged his address till midnight.
Revere the Christ as Lord in your hearts; always ready to give an answer to any one who asks your reason for the hope that you cherish, but giving it humbly and in all reverence,
And the Immortal Life is this--to know thee the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent as thy Messenger.
Do not you know that wrong-doers will have no share in God's Kingdom? Do not be deceived. No one who is immoral, or an idolater, or an adulterer, or licentious, or a sodomite,
A woman of Samaria came to draw water; and Jesus said to her- - "Give me some to drink,"
For ever since the creation of the universe God's invisible attributes-his everlasting power and divinity-are to be seen and studied in his works, so that men have no excuse;
But you are 'a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, God's own People,' entrusted with the proclamation of the goodness of him who called you out of Darkness into his wonderful Light.
God, who, of old, at many times and in many ways, spoke to our ancestors, by the Prophets,
There was once a rich man, who dressed in purple robes and fine linen, and feasted every day in great splendor.
I am standing at the door and knocking! If any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in, and will feast with him, and he shall feast with me.
Not every one who says to me 'Master! Master!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven.
The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes, or where it goes; it is the same with every one that owes his birth to the Spirit."
"I have no one, Sir," the afflicted man answered, "to put me into the Bath when there is a troubling of the water, and, while I am getting to it, some one else steps down before me."
So Jesus went on to say to those Jews who had believed him: "If you remain constant to my Message, you are truly my disciples;
He who believes in him escapes condemnation, while he who does not believe in him is already condemned, because he has not believed in the only Son of God.
Do not let your conduct be ruled by the love of money. Be content with what you have, for God himself has said-- 'I will never forsake you, nor will I ever abandon you.'
Jesus again addressed the people. "I am the Light of the World," he said. "He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life."
Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
For ours is no struggle against enemies of flesh and blood, but against all the various Powers of Evil that hold sway in the Darkness around us, against the Spirits of Wickedness on high.
In order that you may be able to satisfy yourself of the accuracy of the story which you have heard from the lips of others.]
And, as it is ordained for men to die but once (death being followed by judgment),
We love you for the sake of that Truth which is always in our hearts; yes, and it will be ours for ever.
Ask, and your prayer shall be granted; search, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you.
Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
This man came to Jesus by night, and said to him: "Rabbi, we know that you are a Teacher come from God; for no one could give such signs as you are giving, unless God were with him."
Blessed is the God and Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who has blessed us on high with every spiritual blessing, in Christ.
It is you who are the Light of the world. A town that stands on a hill cannot be hidden.
The birth of Jesus Christ took place as follows:--His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but, before the marriage took place, she found herself to be with child by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Dear friends, do not trust every inspiration, but test each inspiration, to see whether it proceeds from God; because many false Prophets have gone out into the world.
All distinctions between Jew and Greek, slave and freeman, male and female, have vanished; for in union with Christ Jesus you are all one.
If any one of you is ill, let him send for the Officers of the Church, and let them pray over him, after anointing him with oil in the name of the lord.
Just then a Student of the Law came forward to test Jesus further. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do if I am to 'gain Immortal Life'?"
We do not wish you to remain in ignorance, Brothers, with regard to those who have passed to their rest, that your grief may not be like that of others, who have no hope.
Every good thing given us, and every perfect gift, is from above, and comes down to us from the Maker of the Lights in the heavens, who is himself never subject to change or to eclipse.
Him who never knew sin God made to be Sin, on our behalf; so that we, through union with him, might become the Righteousness of God.
I have spoken to you in this way, so that in me you may find peace. In the world you will find trouble; yet, take courage! I have conquered the world."
And you, too, by your union with him, after you had heard the Message of the Truth, the Good News of your Salvation--you believed in him and were sealed as his by receiving the holy Spirit, which he had promised.
Husbands, love your wives, just as the Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for her,
The Lord is not slow to fulfil his promise, as some count slowness; but he is forbearing with you, as it is not his will that any of you should perish, but that all should be brought to repentance.
"The Holy Spirit shall descend upon you," answered the angel, "and the Power of the Most High shall overshadow you; and therefore the child will be called 'holy,' and 'Son of God.'
That religious observance which is pure and spotless in the eyes of God our Father is this--to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the world.
He who believes in the Son has Immortal Life, while he who rejects the Son will not even see that Life, but remains under 'God's displeasure.'
If your Brother does wrong, go to him and convince him of his fault when you and he are alone. If he listens to you, you have won your Brother.
And said: "Men of Galilee, why are you standing here looking up into the heavens? This very Jesus, who has been taken from you into the heavens, will come in the very way in which you have seen him go into the heavens."
Therefore, repent and turn, that your sins may be wiped away; so that happier times may come from the Lord himself,
For we are God's handiwork, created, by our union with Christ Jesus, for the good actions in doing which God had pre-arranged that we should spend our lives.
My Brothers, what is the good of a man's saying that he has faith, if he does not prove it by actions? Can such faith save him?
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
Or can it be that you do not know that all of us, who were baptized into union with Christ Jesus, in our baptism shared his death?
You, therefore, should pray thus--'Our Father, who art in Heaven, May thy name be held holy,
So, too, that the older women should be reverent in their demeanor, and that they should avoid scandal, and beware of becoming slaves to drink;
What are we to say, then? Are we to continue to sin, in order that God's loving-kindness may be multiplied?
Do not drink wine to excess, for that leads to profligacy; but seek to be filled with the Spirit of God, and speak to one another in psalms and hymns and sacred songs.
Then I saw new heavens and a new earth. The former heavens and the former earth had passed away; and the sea has ceased to be.
But a time is coming, indeed it is already here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father spiritually and truly; for such are the worshipers that the Father desires.
About that time an edict was issued by the Emperor Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole Empire.
There is but one God, and one mediator between God and men--the man, Christ Jesus,
Then Jesus was led up into the Wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the Devil.
You search the Scriptures, because you think that you find in them Immortal Life;
For in him, and through the shedding of his blood, we have found redemption in the pardon of our offenses.
Do not wonder at this; for the time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice,
But, if our lives are lived in the Light, as God himself is in the Light, we have communion with one another, and the Blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
No man has ever yet seen God; God the Only Son, who is ever with the Father--He has revealed him.
I urge you, then--I who am a prisoner in the Master's cause-- to live lives worthy of the Call that you have received;
For at the very beginning of my teaching I gave you the account which I had myself received-that Christ died for our sins (as the Scriptures had foretold),
No one can give greater proof of love than by laying down his life for his friends.
Those men belong to the world; and therefore they speak as the world speaks, and the world listens to them.
This is what I have to say--Let your steps be guided by the Spirit, and then you will never gratify the cravings of your earthly nature.
You, however, are not earthly but spiritual, since the Spirit of God lives within you. Unless a man has the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ;
In the evening of the same day--the first day of the week-- after the doors of the room, in which the disciples were, had been shut for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said: "Peace be with you";
will come and ask scoffingly-- 'Where is his promised Coming? Ever since our fathers passed to their rest, everything remains just as it was when the world was first created!'
"No one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draws him to me; and I will raise him up at the Last Day.
For in him was created all that is in Heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible--Angels and Archangels and all the Powers of Heaven.
And, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up;
Go in by the small gate. Broad and spacious is the road that leads to destruction, and those that go in by it are many;
True, God looked with indulgence on the days of men's ignorance, but now he is announcing to every one everywhere the need for repentance,
"How can a man," asked Nicodemus, "be born when he is old? Can he be born a second time?"
Since, therefore, you were raised to Life with the Christ, seek for the things that are above; for it is there that the Christ is 'seated at the right hand of God.'
For those whom God chose from the first he also destined from the first to be transformed into likeness to his Son, so that his Son might be the eldest among many Brothers.
Put that Message into practice, and do not merely listen to it--deceiving yourselves.
Therefore, as God's People, consecrated and dear to him, clothe yourselves with tenderness of heart, kindliness, humility, gentleness, forbearance;
And let us not, as some do, cease to meet together; but, on the contrary, let us encourage one another, and all the more, now that you see the Day drawing near.
For Christ himself died to atone for sins once for all--the good on behalf of the bad--that he might bring you to God; his body being put to death, but his spirit entering upon new Life.
About this time, when the number of the disciples was constantly increasing, complaints were made by the Jews of foreign birth against the native Jews, that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.
Peace be with you! My own peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, or dismayed.
For he that asks receives, he that searches finds, and to him that knocks the door shall be opened.
And he 'himself carried our sins' in his own body to the cross, so that we might die to our sins, and live for righteousness. 'His bruising was your healing.'
Yet I am only telling you the truth; it is for your good that I should go away. For otherwise the Helper will never come to you, but, if I leave you, I will send him to you.
Our High Priest is not one unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has in every way been tempted, exactly as we have been, but without sinning.
It is you who are the Salt of the earth; but, if the salt should lose its strength, what will you use to restore its saltiness? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown away, and trampled underfoot.
For he is the radiance of the Glory of God and the very expression of his Being, upholding all creation by the power of his word; and, when he had made an expiation for the sins of men, he 'took his seat at the right hand' of God's Majesty on high,
Exercise self-control, be watchful. Your adversary, the Devil, like a roaring lion, is prowling about, eager to devour you.
So, also, the Spirit supports us in our weakness. We do not even know how to pray as we should; but the Spirit himself pleads for us in sighs that can find no utterance.
Dear friends, let us love one another, because Love comes from God; and every one who loves has received the new Life from God and knows God.
All those whom the Father gives me will come to me; and no one who comes to me will I ever turn away.
Do not love the world or what the world can offer. When any one loves the world, there is no love for the Father in him;
But, when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of Truth, who comes from the Father--he will bear testimony to me;
Think what love the Father has shown us in allowing us to be called 'Children of God'; as indeed we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it has not learned to know him.
On the first day of the week, early in the morning, while it was still dark, Mary of Magdala went to the tomb, and saw that the stone had been removed.
Then Peter began. "I see, beyond all doubt," he said, "that 'God does not show partiality,'
And to all present he said: "If any man wishes to walk in my steps, let him renounce self, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
"Twenty pounds' worth of bread," answered Philip, "would not be enough for each of them to have a little."
On one occasion, as Jesus was going, on a Sabbath into the house of one of the leading Pharisees to dine, they were watching him closely.
Coming to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, Jesus, as was his custom, went on the Sabbath into the Synagogue, and stood up to read the Scriptures.
My reason for leaving you in Crete was that you might put in order what had been left unsettled, and appoint Officers of the Church in the various towns, as I myself directed you.
So Jesus made this further reply: "In truth I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself; he does only what he sees the Father doing; whatever the Father does, the Son does also.
After the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem in Judea, in the reign of King Herod, some Astrologers from the East arrived in Jerusalem, asking:
Let the Message of the Christ dwell in your minds in all its wealth, bringing all wisdom with it. Teach and admonish one another with psalms, and hymns, and sacred songs, full of the loving- kindness of God, lifting your hearts in song to him.
But first be assured of this:--There is no prophetic teaching found in Scripture that can be interpreted by man's unaided reason;
But it is not only for them that I am interceding, but also for those who believe in me through their Message,
My children, I am writing to you to keep you from sinning; but if any one should sin, we have one who can plead for us with the Father--Jesus Christ, the Righteous--
On the last and greatest day of the Festival, Jesus, who was standing by, exclaimed: "If any one thirsts, let him come to me, and drink.
The sins of our earthly nature are unmistakable. They are sins like these--unchastity, impurity, indecency,
"If you knew of the gift of God," replied Jesus, "and who it is that is saying to you 'Give me some water,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you 'living water'."
It is for freedom that Christ set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not again be held under the yoke of slavery.
That very night the Brethren sent Paul and Silas off to Beroea; and on reaching that place, they went to the Jewish Synagogue.
For I am persuaded that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Archangels, nor the Present, nor the Future, nor any Powers,
Let your light so shine before the eyes of your fellow men, that, seeing your good actions, they may praise your Father who is in Heaven.
The first account which I drew up, Theophilus, dealt with all that Jesus did and taught from the very first,
Afterwards Jesus found the man in the Temple Courts, and said to him: "You are cured now; do not sin again, for fear that something worse may befall you."
What are we to say, then, in the light of all this? If God is on our side, who can there be against us?
For of this I am confident, that he who began a good work in you will complete it in readiness for the Day of Jesus Christ.
Before the Passover Festival began, Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave the world and go to the Father. He had loved those who were his own in the world, and he loved them to the last.
for no prophetic teaching ever came in the old days at the mere wish of man, but men, moved by the Holy Spirit, spoke direct from God.
Consequently, through sharing his death in our baptism, we were buried with him; that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by a manifestation of the Father's power, so we also may live a new Life.
Did you go through so much to no purpose?--if indeed it really was to no purpose!
As they continued their journey, Jesus came to a village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him to her house.
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always been obedient in the past, so now work out your own Salvation with anxious care, not only when I am with you, but all the more now that I am absent.
And he, when he comes, will bring conviction to the world as to Sin, and as to Righteousness, and as to Judgment;
And you are deferential to the man who is wearing grand clothes, and say--"There is a good seat for you here," but to the poor man--"You must stand; or sit down there by my footstool,"
"Whoever loves me," Jesus answered, " will lay my Message to heart; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
If we say that there is no sin in us, we are deceiving ourselves, and the Truth has no place in us.
Beware of false Teachers--men who come to you in the guise of sheep, but at heart they are ravenous wolves.
Love is long-suffering, and kind; Love is never envious, never boastful, never conceited, never behaves unbecomingly;
Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has, in his great mercy, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
One day Jesus was at a certain place praying, and, when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him: "Master, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."
For he chose us in our union with Christ before the creation of the universe, that we might be holy and blameless in his sight, living in the spirit of love.
Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and never despair.
In my Father's Home there are many dwellings. If it had not been so, I should have told you, for I am going to prepare a place for you.
But, when the full time came, God sent his Son--born a woman's child, born subject to Law--
If, then, any encouragement comes through union with Christ, if there is any persuasive power in love, if there is any communion with the Spirit, if there is any tenderness or pity,
Do not enter into inconsistent relations with those who reject the Faith. For what partnership can there be between righteousness and lawlessness? or what has light to do with darkness?
One day, when great crowds of people were walking with Jesus, he turned and said to them:
our eyes fixed upon Jesus, the Leader and perfect Example of our faith, who, for the joy that lay before him, endured the cross, heedless of its shame, and now 'has taken his seat at the right hand' of the throne of God.
When breakfast was over, Jesus said to Simon Peter: "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than the others?" "Yes, Master," he answered, "you know that I am your friend." "Feed my lambs," said Jesus.
"I am the Life-giving Bread," Jesus said to them; "he that comes to me shall never be hungry, and he that believes in me shall never thirst again.
That is why I say to you, Do not be anxious about your life here--what you can get to eat or drink; nor yet about your body-- what you can get to wear. Is not life more than food, and the body than its clothing?
He made all races of the earth's surface--fixing a time for their rise and fall, and the limits of their settlements--
She shall give birth to a son; and you shall give him the name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins."
Again, do not you know that your body is a shrine of the Holy Spirit that is within you-the Spirit which you have from God?
And God placed 'all things under Christ's feet,' and gave him to the Church as its supreme Head;
Upon this the Jews asked Jesus: "What sign are you going to show us, since you act in this way?"
It is of what has been in existence from the Beginning, of what we have heard, of what we have seen with our eyes, of what we watched reverently and touched with our hands--it is about the Word who is the Life that we are now writing.
Meanwhile Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the High Priest,
I do not count the sufferings of our present life worthy of mention when compared with the Glory that is to be revealed and bestowed upon us.
But the man who had been restored did not know who it was; for Jesus had moved away, because there was a crowd there.
That, I say, is why God abandoned them to degrading passions. Even the women among them perverted the natural use of their bodies to the unnatural;
To him who, through his power which is at work within us, is able to do far more than anything that we can ask or conceive--
For God has rescued us from the tyranny of Darkness, and has removed us into the Kingdom of his Son, who is the embodiment of his love,
And teaching them to lay to heart all the commands that I have given you; and, remember, I myself am with you every day until the close of the age."
And among these nations are you-you who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ.
Men of Israel, listen to what I am saying. Jesus of Nazareth, a man whose mission from God to you was proved by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God showed among you through him, as you know full well--
On returning from the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was led by the power of the Spirit through the Wilderness for forty days, tempted by the Devil.
Again Jesus said to them: "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me as his Messenger, so I am sending you."
At this some of his disciples said to one another: "What does he mean by saying to us 'In a little while you will not see me, and then in a little while you will see me indeed'; and by saying 'Because I am going to the Father'?
One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to dine with him, so Jesus went to his house and took his place at table.
Dear friends, we are God's Children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is that, when it is revealed, we shall be like Christ; because we shall see him as he is.
Then I saw a great white throne, and him who was seated on it. 'The earth and the heavens fled from his presence; no place was left for them.'
"The time has come, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe the Good News."
"The man who cured me," he answered, "said to me 'Take up your mat and walk about.'"
[To his Excellency, Theophilus. Many attempts have been already made to draw up an account of those events which have reached their conclusion among us,
After this, the Master appointed seventy-two other disciples, and sent them on as his Messengers, two and two, in advance, to every town and place that he was himself intending to visit.
On seeing the crowds of People, Jesus went up the hill; and, when he had taken his seat, his disciples came up to him;
But they had no child, Elizabeth being barren; and both of them were advanced in years.
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will attach himself to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
No temptation has come upon you that is not common to all mankind. God will not fail you, and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength; but, when he sends the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, so that you may have strength to endure.
[Then Jesus said: "Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing."] His clothes they divided among them by casting lots.
But very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb, taking with them the spices that they had prepared.
We have, then, in Jesus, the Son of God, a great High Priest who has passed into the highest Heaven; let us, therefore, hold fast to the Faith which we have professed.
Judah of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez of Hezron, Hezron of Ram,
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you, and I appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that should remain, so that the Father might grant you whatever you ask in my Name.
"Ananias," Peter exclaimed, "how is it that Satan has so taken possession of your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit, and kept back a part of the money paid for the land?
Next, Brothers, I would remind you of the Good News which I told you, and which you received-the Good News on which you have taken your stand,
Take care not to perform your religious duties in public in order to be seen by others; if you do, your Father who is in Heaven has no reward for you.
and that, from your childhood, you have known the Sacred Writings, which can give you the wisdom that, through belief in Christ Jesus, leads to Salvation.
After John had been committed to prison, Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming the Good News of God--
When the people heard this, they were conscience-smitten, and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles: "Brothers, what can we do?"
And my God, out of the greatness of his wealth, will, in glory, fully satisfy your every need, through your union with Christ Jesus.
Then I saw that Heaven lay open. There appears a white horse; its rider is called 'Faithful' and 'True'; righteously does he judge and make war.
In truth I tell you, he who believes in me will himself do the work that I am doing; and he will do greater work still, because I am going to the Father.
Do to others whatever you would wish them to do to you; for that is the teaching of both the Law and the Prophets.
You have condemned, you have murdered, the Righteous One! Must not God be opposed to you?
Moreover these signs shall attend those who believe. In my Name they shall drive out demons; they shall speak with 'tongues';
But Jesus answered: "Scripture says--'It is not on bread alone that man is to live, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
Though the divine nature was his from the beginning, yet he did not look upon equality with God as above all things to be clung to,
Brothers, even if a man should be caught committing a sin, you who are spiritually minded should, in a gentle spirit, help him to recover himself, taking care lest any one of you also should be tempted.
No; the gift that God gives is for a nobler end; and that is why it is said--'God is opposed to the haughty, but gives help to the humble.'
But to you who hear I say--Love your enemies, show kindness to those who hate you,
Take care there is not some one who will carry you away by his 'philosophy'--a hollow sham!--following, as it does, mere human traditions, and dealing with puerile questions of this world, and not with Christ.
And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the world as a witness to all nations; and then will come the end.
'It shall come about in the last days,' God says, 'That I will pour out my Spirit on all mankind; your sons and your daughters shall become Prophets, your young men shall see visions, and your old men dream dreams;
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.'
'Behold! the virgin shall be with child and shall give birth to a son, And they will give him the name Immanuel'--a word which means 'God is with us.'
The ground of his condemnation is this, that though the Light has come into the world, men preferred the darkness to the Light, because their actions were wicked.
Try earnestly to live at peace with every one, and to attain to that purity without which no one will see the Lord.
For, with a loud summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the trumpet-call of God, the Lord himself will come down from Heaven.
Whatever was written in the Scriptures in days gone by was written for our instruction, so that, through patient endurance, and through the encouragement drawn from the Scriptures, we might hold fast to our hope.
But the Spirit distinctly says that in later times there will be some who will fall away from the Faith, and devote their attention to misleading spirits, and to the teaching of demons,
Unfaithful people! Do not you know that to be friends with the world means to be at enmity with God? Therefore whoever chooses to be friends with the world makes himself an enemy to God.
But now, quite apart from Law, the Divine Righteousness stands revealed, and to it the Law and the Prophets bear witness--
It is by this that every one will recognize you as my disciples--by your loving one another."
Give, and others will give to you. A generous measure, pressed and shaken down, and running over, will they pour into your lap; For the measure that you mete will be meted out to you in return."
Though I speak in the 'tongues' of men, or even of angels, yet have not Love, I have become mere echoing brass, or a clanging cymbal!
It follows, then, that you are no longer strangers and aliens, but are fellow-citizens with Christ's People and members of God's Household.
And once, when he had gathered them together, he charged them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the fulfillment of the Father's promise-- "that promise," he said, "of which you have heard me speak;
All joy be yours at all times in your union with the Lord. Again I repeat--All joy be yours.
The Message of the Cross is indeed mere folly to those who are in the path to Ruin, but to us who are in the path of Salvation it is the very power of God.
And I give them Immortal Life, and they shall not be lost; nor shall any one snatch them out of my hands.
I am astonished at your so soon deserting him, who called you through the love of Christ, for a different 'Good News,'
The story, I mean, of Jesus of Nazareth, and how God consecrated him his Christ by enduing him with the Holy Spirit and with power; and how he went about doing good and curing all who were under the power of the Devil, because God was with him.
Then he will say to those on his left 'Go from my presence, accursed, into the 'aeonian fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels.'
Mark this, my dear Brothers--Let every one be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry;
and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but for those of the whole world besides.
One day, when Zechariah was officiating as priest before God, during the turn of his Division,
Among the members of the Church at Antioch there were several Prophets and Teachers--Barnabas, Simeon who was known by the name of 'Black', Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, foster-brother of Prince Herod, and Saul.
Then Jesus took some bread, and, after saying the thanksgiving, broke it and gave to them, with the words: "This is my body, [which is now to be given on your behalf. Do this in memory of me."
And he is the Head of the Church, which is his Body. The First-born from the dead, he is to the Church the Source of its Life, that he, in all things, may stand first.
For his divine power has given us everything that is needful for a life of piety, as we advance in the knowledge of him who called us by a glorious manifestation of his goodness.
Let no one say, when he is tempted, "It is God who is tempting me!" For God, who cannot be tempted to do wrong, does not himself tempt any one.
Meanwhile an angel of the Lord had said to Philip: "Set out on a journey southwards, along the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (It is now deserted).
Blessed is the man who remains firm under temptation, for, when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of Life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him.
And so from one man--and that when his powers were dead--there sprang a people as numerous 'as the stars in the heavens or the countless grains of sand upon the shore.'
For just as the human body is one whole, and yet has many parts, and all its parts, many though they are, form but one body, so it is with the Christ;
For the Spirit which God gave us was not a spirit of cowardice, but a spirit of power, love, and self-control.
Another time, speaking to people who were satisfied that they were religious, and who regarded every one else with scorn, Jesus told this parable--
Seeing that, while we were still powerless, Christ, in God's good time, died on behalf of the godless.
For it is as though a man, going on his travels, called his servants, and gave his property into their charge.
But as for cowards, unbelievers, the degraded, murderers, the impure, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars--their place will be in the burning lake of fire and sulphur. That is the Second Death.'
That they all may be one--that as thou, Father, art in union with us--and so the world may believe that thou hast sent me as thy Messenger.
Ram of Amminadab, Amminadab of Nashon, Nashon of Salmon,
Once, when the people were pressing round Jesus as the listened to God's Message, he happened to be standing by the shore of the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats close to the shore.
It is a part of your Faith, is it not, that there is one God? Good; yet even the demons have that faith, and tremble at the thought.
But there were false prophets also in the nation, just as there will be false teachers among you, men who will secretly introduce ruinous divisions, disowning even the Lord who bought them, and bringing speedy Ruin upon themselves.
If any of you is in trouble, let him pray; if any one is happy, let him sing hymns.
The whole body of those who had become believers in Christ were of one heart and mind. Not one of them claimed any of his goods as his own, but everything was held for the common use.
And that is why he is able to save perfectly those who come to God through him, living for ever, as he does, to intercede of their behalf.
So, when the Apostles had met together, they asked Jesus this question--"Master, is this the time when you intend to re-establish the Kingdom for Israel?"
For even the Son of Man came, not be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
So let the whole nation of Israel know beyond all doubt, that God has made him both Lord and Christ--this very Jesus whom you crucified."
"If any man comes to me and does not hate his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes and his very life, he can be no disciple of mine.
"Have I been all this time among you," said Jesus, "and yet you, Philip, have not recognized me? He who has seen me has seen the Father, how can you say, then, 'Show us the Father'?
The Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely, to see if he would work cures on the Sabbath, so that they might find a charge to bring against him.
If you remain united to me, and my teaching remains in your hearts, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be yours.
All that owes its birth to human nature is human, and all that owes its birth to the Spirit is spiritual.
"The first," answered Jesus, "is--'Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is the one Lord;
In fulfillment of the charge with which I have been entrusted, I bid every one of you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think, but to think till he learns to think soberly--in accordance with the measure of faith that God has allotted to each.
"This is what I told you," he said, "when I was still with you--that everything that had been written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms, must be fulfilled."
There was, however, a man named Ananias, who, with his wife Sapphira, sold some property,
After his rising again, early on the first day of the week, Jesus appeared first of all to Mary of Magdala, from whom he had driven out seven demons.
And fathers, do not irritate your children, but bring them up with Christian discipline and instruction.
After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary had gone to look at the grave,
"My kingly power," replied Jesus, "is not due to this world. If it had been so, my servants would be doing their utmost to prevent my being given up to the Jews; but my kingly power is not from the world."
Nothing should be done in a factious spirit or from vanity, but each of you should with all humility regard others as of more account than himself,
But the State of which we are citizens is in Heaven; and it is from Heaven that we are eagerly looking for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
When the Sabbath was over, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought some spices, so that they might go and anoint the body of Jesus.
I do not want many of you, my Brothers, to become teachers, knowing, as you do, that we who teach shall be judged by a more severe standard than others.
For in him we live and move and are. To use the words of some of your own poets--'His offspring, too, are we.'
"For you have had five husbands, and the man with whom you are now living is not your husband; in saying that, you have spoken the truth."
When Jesus had received the wine, he exclaimed: "All is finished!" Then, bowing his head, he resigned his spirit to God.
It was by this that the holy women of old, who rested their hopes on God, adorned themselves; submitting to their husbands,
"There is a boy here," said Andrew, another of his disciples, Simon Peter's brother,
These, then, are the Tidings that we have heard from him and now tell you-- 'God is Light, and Darkness has no place at all in him.'
As the sun rises, and the hot wind blows, 'the grass withers, its flower fades,' and all its beauty is gone. So is it with the rich man. In the midst of his pursuits he will come to an untimely end.
Whatever the gift that each has received, use it in the service of others, as good stewards of the varied bounty of God.
It happened that very day that two of the disciples were going to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem,
First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings should be offered for every one,
Do not imagine that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring, not peace, but the sword.
Christ ransomed us from the curse pronounced in the Law, by taking the curse on himself for us, for Scripture says--'Cursed is any one who is hanged on a tree.'
Our appeal to you was not based on a delusion, nor was it made from unworthy motives, or with any intention of misleading you.
Therefore, since human nature is the common heritage of 'the Children,' Jesus also shared it, in order that by death he might render powerless him whose power lies in death--that is, the Devil--
And the King will reply 'I tell you, as often as you did it to one of these my Brothers, however lowly, you did it to me.'
The young men got up, and, winding the body in a sheet, carried it out and buried it.
But his reply has been-- 'My help is enough for you; for my strength attains its perfection in the midst of weakness.' Most gladly, then, will I boast all the more of my weaknesses, so that the strength of the Christ may overshadow me.
and who were chosen in accordance with the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the consecration of the Spirit, to learn obedience, and to be purified by the sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ, from Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ. May blessing and peace be yours in ever-increasing measure.
I declare to all who hear the words of the prophecy contained in this book-- 'If anyone adds to it, God will add to his troubles the Curses described in this book;
Concerning his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord; who, as to his human nature, was descended from David,
Then came up one of the Teachers of the Law who had heard their discussions. Knowing that Jesus had answered them wisely, he asked him this question: "What is the first of all the commandments?"
Bearing fruit and growing, as it does, through all the world, just as it did among you, from the very day that you heard of God's loving-kindness, and understood what that loving-kindness really is.
It is the Spirit that gives Life; mere flesh is of no avail. In the teaching that I have been giving you there is Spirit and there is Life.
Everyone, therefore, that listens to this teaching of mine and acts upon it may be compared to a prudent man, who built his house upon the rock.
The Spirit himself unites with our spirits in bearing witness to our being God's children,
We have learned to know what love is from this--that Christ laid down his life on our behalf. Therefore we also ought to lay down our lives on behalf of our Brothers.
And Jesus answered: "I tell you, this very day you shall be with me in Paradise."
This I say, Brothers-Flesh and blood can have no share in the Kingdom of God, nor can the perishable share the imperishable.
But, in his loving-kindness, are being freely pronounced righteous through the deliverance found in Christ Jesus.
For I myself received from the Lord the account which I have in turn given to you-how the Lord Jesus, on the very night of his betrayal, took some bread,
But whoever once drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst any more; but the water that I will give him shall become a spring welling up within him--a source of Immortal Life."
To all in Rome who are dear to God and have been called to become Christ's People, From Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, who has been called to become an Apostle, and has been set apart to tell God's Good News.
After this, in my vision, I saw a vast throng which no man could number, of men from every nation and of all tribes, and peoples, and languages. They stood in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, robed in white, holding palm branches in their hands.
In truth I tell you, whoever does not go into the sheepfold through the door, but climbs up at some other place, that man is a thief and a robber;
Let marriage be honoured by all and the married life be pure; for God will judge those who are immoral and those who commit adultery.
How true is that saying! When a man aspires to be a Presiding-Officer in the Church, he is ambitious for a noble task.
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland districts of Roman Asia, and went to Ephesus. There he found some disciples, of whom he asked:
And, when you pray, you are not to behave as hypocrites do. They like to pray standing in the Synagogues and at the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. There, I tell you, is their reward!
You have heard that it was said--'Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thy enemy.'
Remember, Brothers, to you the Call came to give you freedom. Only do not make your freedom an opportunity for self-indulgence, but serve one another in a loving spirit.
Then the great Dragon, the primeval Serpent, known as the 'Devil' and 'Satan,' who deceives all the world, was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him.
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do everything to the honor of God.
For thus you will be given a triumphant admission into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Whatever you do, do it with all your heart, as if working for the Master and not for men,
For you know that it was not by perishable things, such as silver and gold, that you were Ransomed from the aimless way of living which was handed down to you from your ancestors,
Then I saw thrones, and to those who took their seats upon them authority was given to act as judges. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony to Jesus and because of the Message of God, for they had refused to worship the Beast or its image, and had not received the brand on their foreheads and on their hands. They were restored to life, and they reigned with the Christ for a thousand years.
Pray in spirit at all times. Be intent upon this, with unwearying perseverance and supplication for all Christ's People- -
But these have been recorded that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God--and that, through your belief in his Name, you may have Life.
Again, you married women should submit to your husbands, so that if any of them reject the Message, they may, apart from the Message, be won over, by the conduct of their wives,
You who judge those that do such things and yet are yourself guilty of them-do you suppose that you of all men will escape God's judgment?
Then Peter came up, and said to Jesus: "Master, how often am I to forgive my Brother when he wrongs me? As many as seven times?"
And, when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And so it came about that, for a whole year, they attended the meetings of the Church there, and taught a large number of people; and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called 'Christians.'
It fell to him by lot, in accordance with the practice among the priests, to go into the Temple of the Lord and burn incense;
No one has ascended to Heaven, except him who descended from Heaven--the Son of Man himself.
For in order that the purpose of God, working through selection, might not fail-a selection depending, not on obedience, but on his Call-Rebecca was told, before her children were born and before they had done anything either right or wrong,
After the baptism of Jesus, and just as he came up from the water, the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending, like a dove, and alighting upon him,
On the other hand, we read in that passage-- ' They shall never enter upon my Rest.'
"How is it," replied the Samaritan woman, "that you who are a Jew ask for water from a Samaritan woman like me?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans).
While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and, after saying the blessing, broke it and, as he gave it to his disciples, said: "Take it and eat it; this is my body."
Some days later, when Jesus came back to Capernaum, the news spread that he was in a house there;
Then Jesus said to his disciples: "If any man wishes to walk in my steps, let him renounce self, and take up his cross, and follow me.
On coming into the neighborhood of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples this question-- "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
"Teacher," a man in the crowd said to Jesus, "tell my brother to share the property with me."
Then I saw an angel coming down from Heaven, with the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Now a man named Lazarus, of Bethany, was lying ill; he belonged to the same village as Mary and her sister Martha.
For in baptism you were buried with Christ; and in baptism you were also raised to Life with him, through your faith in the omnipotence of God, who raised him from the dead.
And, by reading what I have written, you will be able to judge how far I understand this hidden purpose of God in Christ.
This is the Christ whom we proclaim, warning every one, and instructing every one, with all the wisdom that we possess, in the hope of bringing every one into God's presence perfected by union with Christ.
For a man who has laid the Law, as a whole, to heart, but has failed in one particular, is liable for breaking all its provisions.
and is based on the hope of Immortal Life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began,
Every one who lives sinfully is living in violation of Law. Sin is violation of Law.
It is he who has my commands and lays them to heart that loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him."
If your hand proves a snare to you, cut it off. It would be better for you to enter the Life maimed, than to have both your hands and go into the Pit, into the inextinguishable fire.
My Brothers, are you really trying to combine faith in Jesus Christ, our glorified Lord, with the worship of rank?
But certain persons came down from Judea, and began to teach the Brethren that, unless they were circumcised, in accordance with the custom enjoined by Moses, they could not be saved.
Men whose minds have been blinded by the God of this Age, unbelievers as they are, so that the light from the Good News of the glory of the Christ, who is the very incarnation of God, should not shine for them.
And do not grieve God's Holy Spirit; for it was through that Spirit that God sealed you as his, against the Day of Redemption.
And now why wait any longer: Be baptized at once, wash away your sins, and invoke his Name.
So do not be afraid, my little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom.
And, as Jesus was resuming his journey, a man came running up to him, and threw himself on his knees before him. "Good Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to gain Immortal Life?"
Therefore destroy all that is earthly in you--immorality, uncleanness, passions, evil desires, and that greed which is idolatry.
He was in the world; and through him the world came into being--yet the world did not know him.
But how, it may be asked, are they to invoke one in whom they have not learned to believe? And how are they to believe in one whose words they have not heard? And how are they to hear his words unless some one proclaims him?
The tax-gatherers and the outcasts were all drawing near to Jesus to listen to him;
For it was to this that you were called! For Christ, too, suffered--on your behalf--and left you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
And all of us, with faces from which the veil is lifted, seeing, as if reflected in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into his likeness, from glory to glory, as it is given by the Lord, the Spirit.
And therefore I say to you 'Have faith that whatever you ask for in prayer is already granted you, and you will find that it will be.'
Asking that, if he be willing, I may some day at last find the way open to visit you.
Calling the people and his disciples to him, Jesus said: "If any man wishes to walk in my steps, let him renounce self, take up his cross, and follow me.
There is but one Body and one Spirit, just as there was but one hope set before you when you received your Call.
To all Christ's People at Philippi, with the Presiding Officers and Assistants, from Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus.
But holding the truth in a spirit of love, we shall grow into complete union with him who is our Head--Christ himself.
Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
The God who made the world and all things that are in it-- he, Lord as he is of Heaven and Earth, does not dwell in temples made by hands,
Yet there are some few among you at Sardis who did not soil their robes; they shall walk with me, robed in white, for they are worthy.
All this accords with the loving-kindness which God lavished upon us, accompanied by countless gifts of wisdom and discernment,
I write this to you, that you may realize that you have found Immortal Life--you who believe in the Name of the Son of God.
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, ready to forgive one another, just as God, in Christ, forgave you.
'We wipe off the very dust of your town which has clung to Our feet; still, be assured that the Kingdom of God is close at Hand.'
As for the older men among you, who bear office in the Church, I, their fellow-Officer, and a witness to the sufferings of the Christ, who shall also share in the glory that is to be revealed--
And that testimony is that God gave us Immortal Life, and that this Life is in his Son.
Yet God, in his abundant compassion, and because of the great love with which he loved us,
and he will wipe away all tears from their eyes. There will be no more death, nor will there be any more grief or crying or pain. The old order has passed away.'
This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, calling: "These men are servants of the most high God, and they are bringing you news of a way to Salvation."
Then I saw another angel, flying in mid-heaven. He had the Good News, decreed from eternity, to announce to those who dwell on the earth--to men of every nation, and tribe, and language, and people;
And do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; rather be afraid of him who is able to destroy both soul and body in the Pit.
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus told them to meet him;
And therefore we, from the very day that we heard this, have never ceased praying for you, or asking that you may possess that deeper knowledge of the will of God, which comes through all true spiritual wisdom and insight.
With abundant proofs, he showed himself to them, still living, after his death; appearing to them from time to time during forty days, and speaking of all that related to the Kingdom of God.
Do not, then, allow any one to take you to task on questions of eating or drinking, or in the matter of annual or monthly or weekly festivals.
For in it there is a revelation of the Divine Righteousness resulting from faith and leading on to faith; as Scripture says- -'Through faith the righteous man shall find Life.'
'He is coming among the clouds!' Every eye shall see him, even those who pierced him; 'and all the nations of the earth shall wail for fear of him.' So shall it be. Amen.
And the Lord daily added to their company those who were in the path of Salvation.
For you did not receive the spirit of a slave, to fill you once more with fear, but the spirit of a son which leads us to cry 'Abba, Our Father.'
Now about that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
In him, I say, for by our union with him we became God's Heritage, having from the first been destined for this in the intention of him who, in all that happens, is carrying out his own fixed purpose;
When one says 'I follow Paul,' and another 'I follow Apollos,' are not you like other men?
and the Devil, their deceiver, was hurled into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the Beast and the false Prophet already were, and they will be tortured day and night for ever and ever.
Let us never tire of doing right, for at the proper season we shall reap our harvest, if we do not grow weary.
I, indeed, baptize you with water to teach repentance; but He who is Coming after me is more powerful than I, and I am not fit even to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
since your new Life has come, not from perishable, but imperishable, seed, through the Message of the Everliving God.
When beginning his work, Jesus was about thirty years old. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, whose ancestors were--Eli,
His reply was--"'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thou dost thyself.'"
And this is the confidence with which we approach him, that whenever we ask anything that is in accordance with his will, he listens to us.
Yes, and confessedly wonderful are the deep truths of our religion; for-- 'He was revealed in our nature, pronounced righteous in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up into glory.'
Who is there to separate us from the love of the Christ? Will trouble, or difficulty, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword?
Keep before you, as an example of sound teaching, all that you learnt from me as you listened with that faith and love which come from union with Christ Jesus.
And that is why God raised him to the very highest place, and gave him the Name which stands above all other names,
Never let any foul word pass your lips, but only such good words as the occasion demands, that they may be a help to those who hear them.
But about that Day and Hour, no one knows--not even the angels of Heaven, nor yet the Son--but only the Father himself.
And now I am myself about to send upon you that which my Father has promised. But you must remain in the city until you have been invested with power from above."
"Do not hold me," Jesus said; "for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my Brothers, and tell them that I am ascending to him who is my Father and their Father, my God and their God."
After saying this, Jesus raised his eyes heaven-wards, and said: "Father, the hour has come; honor thy Son, that thy Son may honor thee;
What is the cause of the fighting and quarreling that goes on among you? Is not it to be found in the desires which are always at war within you?
Just at that time some people had come to tell Jesus about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
And, whatever you say or do, do everything in the Name of the Lord Jesus; and through him offer thanksgiving to God the father.
You have heard that to our ancestors it was said--'Thou shalt not commit murder,' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to answer for it to the Court.'
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Make your hands clean, you sinners; and your hearts pure, you vacillating men!
and advance in the love and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. All glory be to him now and for ever.
My Children, these are the last days. You were told that an Anti-Christ was coming; and many Anti-Christ's have already arisen. By that we know that these are the last days.
As soon, then, as you see 'the Foul Desecration,' mentioned by the Prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place," (the reader must consider what this means)
I left nothing undone to show you that, laboring as I labored, you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said himself-- 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
And every one that listens to this teaching of mine and does not act upon it may be compared to a foolish man, who built his house on the sand.
Blessed is the God and Father of Jesus Christ our Lord, the all-merciful Father, the God ever ready to console,
For I tell you, until the heavens and the earth disappear, not even the smallest letter, nor one stroke of a letter, shall disappear from the Law until all is done.
And that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed on his authority to all the nations--beginning at Jerusalem.
The Day of the Lord will come like a thief; and on that day the heavens will pass away with a crash, the elements will be burnt up and dissolved, and the earth and all that is in it will be disclosed.
Remember, therefore, that you were once Gentiles yourselves, as your bodies showed; you were called 'The Uncircumcised' by those who were called 'The Circumcised'--circumcised only by the hand of man!
And, moreover, we have learned to know, and have accepted as a fact, the love which God has for us. God is Love; and he who lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
It is just what you learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow- servant, who, as a minister of the Christ, faithfully represents us,
In these colonnades a large number of afflicted people were lying--blind, lame, and crippled.
I solemnly charge you, in the sight of God and of Christ Jesus, who will one day judge the living and the dead--I charge you by his Appearing and by his Kingdom:--
James, a Servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, greets The Twelve Tribes that are living abroad.
May the blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion with the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
Therefore let us not sleep as others do. No, let us be watchful and self-controlled.
And still stronger is the assurance that we have in the teaching of the Prophets; to which you will do well to pay attention (as if it were a lamp shining in a gloomy place), until the Day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts.
Put on the full armor of God, so that you may be able to stand your ground against the stratagems of the Devil.
This made the Jews all the more eager to kill him, because not only was he doing away with the Sabbath, but he actually called God his own Father--putting himself on an equality with God.
Yet even if we--or if an angel from Heaven were to tell you any other 'Good News' than that which we told you, may he be accursed!
For a time will come when people will not tolerate sound teaching. They will follow their own wishes, and, in their itching for novelty, procure themselves a crowd of teachers.
They seized upon these words and discussed with one another what this 'rising from the dead' meant.
Therefore, Brothers, since we may enter the Sanctuary with confidence, in virtue of the blood of Jesus,
The world cannot receive this Spirit, because it does not see him or recognize him, but you recognize him, because he is always with you, and is within you.
In the fifteenth year of the reign of the Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was Governor of Judea, Herod Ruler of Galilee, his brother Philip Ruler of the territory comprising Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias Ruler of Abilene,
In that same country-side were shepherds out in the open fields, watching their flocks that night,
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
God, to whom I offer the worship of my soul as I tell the Goodness of his Son, is my witness how constantly I mention you when I pray,
To fit his People for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the Body of the Christ.
Indeed, when I came among you, I was weak, and full of fears, and in great anxiety.
For, when these virtues are yours, in increasing measure, they prevent your being indifferent to, or destitute of, a fuller knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, let us draw near boldly to the Throne of Love, to find pity and love for the hour of need.
For it was through this that he gave us what we prize as the greatest of his promises, that through them you might participate in the divine nature, now that you have fled from the corruption in the world, resulting from human passions.
Do not let any one look down on you because you are young, but, by your conversation, your conduct, your love, your faith, and your purity, be an example to those who hold the Faith.
For at the Bar of the Christ we must all appear in our true characters, that each may reap the results of the life which he has lived in the body, in accordance with his actions--whether good or worthless.
Then Peter, surrounded by the eleven other Apostles, stood up, and, raising his voice, addressed the crowd. "Men of Judea," he began, "and all you who are staying in Jerusalem, let me tell you what this means. Mark well my words.
I urge you, Brothers, to be on your guard against people who, by disregarding the teaching which you received, cause divisions and create difficulties; dissociate yourselves from them.
Owe nothing to any one except brotherly love; for he who loves his fellow men has satisfied the Law.
who holds doctrine that can be relied on as being in accordance with the accepted Teaching; so that he may be able to encourage others by sound teaching, as well as to refute our opponents.
For, while John baptized with water, you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit before many days have passed."
This, then, is the confidence in regard to God that we have gained through the Christ.
Yet even my companion, Titus, though a Greek, was not compelled to be circumcised.
Obey your Leaders, and submit to their control, for they are watching over your souls, as men who will have to render an account, so that they may do it with joy, and not in sorrow. That would not be to your advantage.
Do not you know that you are God's Temple, and that God's Spirit has his home in you?
Then, raising his eyes and looking at his disciples, Jesus spoke as follows: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.
For it was by one Spirit that we were all baptized to form one Body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free men, and were all imbued with one Spirit.
They all united in devoting themselves to Prayer, and so did some women, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
He who lives sinfully belongs to the Devil, for the Devil has sinned from the first. It was for this that the Son of God appeared, that he might undo the Devil's work.
So we placed our faith in Christ Jesus, in order that we might be pronounced righteous, as the result of faith in Christ, and not of obedience to Law; for such obedience 'will not result in even one soul's being pronounced righteous.'
It is what Scripture speaks of as-'What eye never saw, nor ear ever heard, what never entered the mind of man-even all that God has prepared for those who love him.'
He, I say, in accordance with God's definite plan and with his previous knowledge, was betrayed, and you, by the hands of lawless men, nailed him to a cross and put him to death.
Oh! the unfathomable wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments, how untraceable his ways! Yes--
And a man came up to Jesus, and said: "Teacher, what good thing must I do to obtain Immortal life?"
But I count my life of no value to myself, if only I may complete the course marked out for me, and the task that was allotted me by the Lord Jesus--which was to declare the Good News of the Love of God.
And, since I go and prepare a place for you, I shall return and take you to be with me, so that you may be where I am;
and from Jesus Christ, ' the faithful Witness, the First-born from the dead, and the Ruler of all the Kings of the earth.' To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his own blood--
And, if their falling away has enriched the world, and their failure has enriched the Gentiles, how much more will result from their full restoration!
Why say 'possibly'?" Jesus replied. "Everything is possible for one who has faith."
Proclaim the Message, be ready in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, encourage, never failing to instruct with forbearance.
For 'no human being will be pronounced righteous before God' as the result of obedience to Law; for it is Law that shows what sin is.
One day, as we were on our way to the Place of Prayer, we were met by a girl possessed by a divining spirit, who made large profits for her masters by fortune-telling.
From Miletus, however, he sent to Ephesus and invited the Officers of the Church to meet him;
Listen, I will tell you God's hidden purpose! We shall not all have passed to our rest, but we shall all be transformed-in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
Every one, therefore, who shall acknowledge me before his fellow men, I, too, will acknowledge before my Father who is in Heaven;
Then indeed I shall know Christ, and the power of his resurrection, and all that it means to share his sufferings,
Before Peter had finished saying these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the Message.
Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the Temple Courts, and to the Breaking of Bread at their homes, while they partook of their food in simple-hearted gladness, praising God, and winning the good-will of all the people.
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May God himself, the giver of peace, make you altogether holy; and may your spirits, souls, and bodies be kept altogether faultless until the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
To the Angel of the Church in Laodicaea write:-- "These are the words of the Unchanging One, 'the Witness faithful and true, the Beginning of the Creation of God':--
My advice, then, to those who are not married, and to widows, is this: It would be well for them to remain as I am myself.
And that 'hope never disappoints.' For the love of God has filled our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given us;
Because, although they learned to know God, yet they did not offer him as God either praise or thanksgiving. Their speculations about him proved futile, and their undiscerning minds were darkened.
John, also, was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there were many streams there; and people were constantly coming and being baptized.
I came to cast fire upon the earth; and what more can I wish, if it is already kindled?
And not for the mere gratification of his passions, like the Gentiles who know nothing of God;
And about three Jesus called out loudly: "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabacthani"--that is to say, 'O my God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?'
There is no fear in love. No! Love, when perfect, drives out fear, for fear implies punishment, and the man who feels fear has not attained to perfect love.
In the reign of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the Division called after Abijah. His wife, whose name was Elizabeth, was also a descendant of Aaron.
Indeed, under the Law, almost everything is purified with blood; and, unless blood is shed, no forgiveness is to be obtained.
but in case I should be delayed, I want you to know what your conduct ought to be in the Household of God, which is the Church of the Living God--the pillar and stay of the Truth.
I want you to know, Brothers, that I have many times intended coming to see you-but until now I have been prevented-that I might find among you some fruit of my labors, as I have already among the other nations.
Presently, as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the Treasurer exclaimed: "Look! here is water; what is to prevent my being baptized?"
Therefore concentrate your minds, with the strictest self-control, and fix your hopes on the blessing that is coming for you at the Appearing of Jesus Christ.
The merely intellectual man rejects the teaching of the Spirit of God; for to him it is mere folly; he cannot grasp it, because it is to be understood only by spiritual insight.
Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You pay tithes on mint, fennel, and caraway seed, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law--justice, mercy, and good faith. These last you ought to have put into practice, without neglecting the first.
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ about you all, because the report of your faith is spreading throughout the world.
Remember it is God who, in his kindness, is at work within you, enabling you both to will and to work.
You possess endurance, and have borne much for my Name, and have never grown weary.
But they will have to answer for their conduct to him who is ready to judge both the living and the dead.
For God set him before the world, to be, by the shedding of his blood, a means of reconciliation through faith. And this God did to prove his righteousness, and because, in his forbearance, he had passed over the sins that men had previously committed;
But, when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for man were revealed, he saved us,
For the Father loves his Son, and shows him everything that he is doing; and he will show him still greater things--so that you will be filled with wonder.
Since, therefore, you have received Jesus, the Christ, as your Lord, live your lives in union with him--
For all of you who were baptized into union with Christ clothed yourselves with Christ.
And Jesus grew in wisdom as he grew in years, and 'gained the blessing of God and men.'
'Come,' say the Spirit and the Bride; and let him who hears say 'Come.' Let him who thirsts come; let him who will take the Water of Life freely.
Let your love for the Brethren continue. :24 Give our greeting to all your Leaders, and to all Christ's People. Our friends from Italy send their greetings to you.
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead, was living.
Reassuring the minds of the disciples, urging them to remain true to the Faith, and showing that it is only through many troubles that we can enter the Kingdom of God.
There will be signs, too, in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth despair among the nations, in their dismay at the roar of the sea and the surge.
And said to the pigeon-dealers: "Take these things away. Do not turn my Father's House into a market-house."
For, if you forgive others their offences, your heavenly Father will forgive you also;
I was circumcised when eight days old; I am an Israelite by race, and of the tribe of Benjamin; I am a Hebrew, and the child of Hebrews. As to the Law, I was a Pharisee;
Again, think of ships. Large as they are, and even when driven by fierce winds, they are controlled by a very small rudder and steered in whatever direction the man at the helm may determine.
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God; so that they may receive pardon for their sins, and a place among those who have become God's People, by faith in me.'
Moved by the power of the Spirit, Jesus returned to Galilee. Reports about him spread through all that neighborhood;
If those to whom God's word were addressed were said to be 'gods'--and Scripture cannot be set aside--
Look at my hands and my feet, and you will know that it is I. Feel me, and look at me, for a spirit has not flesh and bones, as you see that I have."
Therefore, let us leave behind the elementary teaching about the Christ and press on to perfection, not always laying over again a foundation of repentance for a lifeless formality, of faith in God--
Whatever you ask, in my Name, I will do, that the Father may be honored in the Son.
One day, as Peter and John were going up into the Temple Courts for the three o'clock Prayers, a man, who had been lame from his birth, was being carried by.
'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord, the God who is, and who was, and who shall be, the Almighty.
After this, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee--otherwise called the Lake of Tiberias.
For he gave himself on our behalf, to deliver us from all wickedness, and to purify for himself a People who should be peculiarly his own and eager to do good.
You heard me say that I was going away and would return to you. Had you loved me, you would have been glad that I was going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I.
and what you learnt from me, in the presence of many listeners, entrust to reliable men, who will be able in their turn to teach others.
You, my Children, come from God, and you have successfully resisted such men as these, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Then a battle took place in the heavens. Michael and his angels fought with the Dragon. But though the Dragon, with his angels, fought,
Therefore God abandoned them to impurity, letting them follow the cravings of their hearts, till they dishonored their own bodies;
For it was a great joy to me, when some Brothers came and testified to your fidelity to the Truth--I know that your own life is guided by the Truth.
And they are singing a new song--'Thou art worthy to take the book and break its seals, for thou wast sacrificed, and with thy blood thou didst buy for God men of every tribe, and language, and people, and nation,
Then the King will say to those on his right 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, enter upon possession of the Kingdom prepared for you ever since the beginning of the world.
And by this we know that we have learned to know him--by our laying his commands to heart.
Because of the share that you have had in spreading the Good News, from the first day that you received it until now.
'Worthy art thou, our Lord and God, to receive all praise, and honour, and power, for thou didst create all things, and at thy bidding they came into being and were created.'
I am the Door; he who goes in through me will be safe, and he will go in and out and find pasture.
"How can that be?" asked Nicodemus.
I tell you that the doom of Sodom will be more bearable on 'That Day' than the doom of that town.
But about 'That Day,' or 'The Hour,' no one knows--not even the angels in Heaven, nor yet the Son--but only the Father.
Remind your hearers to respect and obey the Powers that be, to be ready for every kind of good work, to speak ill of no one, to avoid quarreling,
There was then in Caesarea a man named Cornelius, a Captain in the regiment known as the 'Italian Regiment,'
Then they began questioning one another which of them it could be that was going to do this.
In just the same way faith, if not followed by actions, is, by itself, a lifeless thing.
has in these latter days spoken to us by the Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
Now after the baptism of all the people, and when Jesus had been baptized and was still praying, the heavens opened,
And then he added: "Take care to keep yourselves free from every form of covetousness; for even in the height of his prosperity a man's true Life does not depend on what he has."
And these last will go away 'into aeonian punishment,' but the righteous 'into aeonian life.'"
The child shall be great and shall be called 'Son of the Most High,' and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David,
What our eyes do see is Jesus, who was made for a while lower than angels, now, because of his sufferings and death, crowned with glory and honour; so that his tasting the bitterness of death should, in God's loving-kindness, be on behalf of all mankind.
Since our gifts differ in accordance with the particular charge entrusted to us, if our gift is to preach, let our preaching correspond to our faith;
After this, Jesus went with his disciples into the country parts of Judea; and there he stayed with them, and baptized.
But I appeal to you, Brothers, by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree in what you profess, and not to allow divisions to exist among you, but to be united-of one mind and of one opinion.
As the days before his being taken up to Heaven were growing few, Jesus set his face resolutely in the direction of Jerusalem; and he sent on messengers in advance.
This, then, as one in union with the Lord, I say to you and urge upon you: Do not continue to live such purposeless lives as the Gentiles live,
Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ has received the new Life from God; and every one who loves him who gave that Life loves him who has received it.
May God, who inspires our hope, grant you perfect happiness and peace in your faith, till you are filled with this hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
('I will come quickly. I bring my rewards with me, to give to each man what his actions deserve.
Some of the people were bringing little children to Jesus, for him to touch them; but the disciples found fault with those who had brought them.
About eight days after speaking these words, Jesus went up the mountain to pray, taking with him Peter, John, and James.
As for those whose faith is weak, always receive them as friends, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on their scruples.
Now this world is on its trial. Now the Spirit that is ruling this world shall be driven out;
Immediately after the distress of those days, 'the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give her light, the stars will fall from the heavens,' and 'the forces of the heavens will be convulsed.'
Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. As a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains united to the vine; no more can you, unless you remain united to me.
For if those who were once for all brought into the Light, and learned to appreciate the gift from Heaven, and came to share in the Holy Spirit,
Not that I have already laid hold of it, or that I am already made perfect. But I press on, in the hope of actually laying hold of that for which indeed I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
They also appointed Officers for them in every Church, and, after prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had learned to believe.
Be patient, then, Brothers, till the Coming of the Lord. Even the farmer has to wait for the precious fruit of the earth, watching over it patiently, till it has had the spring and summer rains.
Faith enables us to perceive that the universe was created at the bidding of God--so that we know that what we see was not made out of visible things.
Immediately afterwards Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and cross over in advance of him, while he dismissed the crowds.
This is so, because what can be known about God is plain to them; for God himself has made it plain.
Jesus said to his disciples: "There was a rich man who had a steward; and this steward was maliciously accused to him of wasting his estate.
I have other sheep besides, which do not belong to this fold; I must lead them also, and they will listen to my voice; and they shall become one flock under 'one Shepherd.'
And baptism, which this foreshadowed, now saves you--not the mere cleansing of the body, but the search of a clear conscience after God--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Because he has fixed a day on which he intends to 'judge the world with justice,' by a man whom he has appointed--and of this he has given all men a pledge by raising this man from the dead."
There were standing there six stone water-jars, in accordance with the Jewish rule of 'purification,' each holding twenty or thirty gallons.
His love is seen in this--not in our having loved God, but in his loving us and sending his Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
He who believes in me--As Scripture says, Out of his heart shall flow rivers of 'Living Water.'"
And receive 'the helmet of Salvation,' and 'the sword of the Spirit'--which is the Message of God--always with prayer and supplication.
Or is not is said entirely for our sakes? Surely it was written for our sakes, for the ploughman ought not to plough, nor the thrasher to thrash, without expecting a share of the grain.
Brothers, for fear that you should think too highly of yourselves, I want you to recognize the truth, hitherto hidden, that the callousness which has come over Israel is only partial, and will continue only till the whole Gentile world has been gathered in.
and all whose names 'were not found written in the Book of Life' were hurled into the lake of fire.
Being once asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God was to come, Jesus answered: "The Kingdom of God does not come in a way that admits of observation,
His answer was: "It is not for you to know times or hours, for the Father has reserved these for his own decision;
Afterwards, when he had risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the passage of Scripture, and the words which Jesus had spoken.
One day the Pharisees and some of the Teachers of the Law who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus.
However, when they came to believe Philip, as he told them the Good News about the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
And so I told you that you would die in your sins, for, unless you believe that I am what I am, you will die in your sins."
Saul approved of his being put to death. On that very day a great persecution broke out against the Church which was in Jerusalem; and its members, with the exception of the Apostles, were all scattered over the districts of Judea and Samaria.
The Father himself does not judge any man, but has 'entrusted the work of judging entirely to his Son,'
What good will it do a man to gain the whole world, if he forfeits his life? or what will a man give that is of equal value with his life?
Then, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them all through the Scriptures the passages that referred to himself.
Now I am to be in this world no longer, but they are still to be in the world, and I am to come to thee. Holy Father, keep them by that revelation of thy Name which thou has given me, that they may be one, as we are.
But I think it my duty, as long as I live in this 'tent,' to rouse you by awakening memories of the past;
I earnestly pointed both Jews and Greeks to the repentance that leads to God, and to faith in Jesus, our Lord.
For a man is the Head of his wife, as the Christ is the Head of the Church--being indeed himself the Savior of his Body.
"It was on this mountain that our ancestors worshiped; and yet you Jews say that the proper place for worship is in Jerusalem."
Remember, if we sin willfully after we have gained a full knowledge of the Truth, there can be no further sacrifice for sin;
But you, dear friends, must never shut your eyes to the fact that, to the Lord, one day is the same as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
At that same time Jesus uttered the words: "I thank thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that, though thou has hidden these things from the wise and learned, thou hast revealed them to the child-like!
"This Temple," replied the Jews, "has been forty-six years in building, and are you going to 'raise it in three days'?"
For no distinction is made between the Jew and the Greek, for all have the same Lord, and he is bountiful to all who invoke him.
You have been built up upon the foundation laid by the Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus himself being 'the corner- stone.'
And now I commend you to the Lord and to the Message of his Love--a Message which has the power to build up your characters, and to give you your place among all those who have become Christ's People.
For false Christs and false Prophets will arise, and will display great signs and marvels, so that, were it possible, even God's People would be led astray.
And to you, who once were 'dead,' by reason of your sins and your uncircumcised nature--to you God gave Life in giving life to Christ! He pardoned all our sins!
So I wrote as I did, for fear that, if I had come, I should have been pained by those who ought to have made me glad; for I felt sure that it was true of you all that my joy was in every case yours also.
For you do not forget the loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ--how that for your sakes, although he was rich, he became poor, so that you also might become rich through his poverty.
To Christ's People [AT EPHESUS] who are faithful to him, from Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God.
While they were engaged in the worship of the Lord and were fasting, the Holy Spirit said: "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them."
For I, Brothers, do not regard myself as having yet laid hold of it. But this one thing I do--forgetting what lies behind, and straining every nerve for that which lies in front,
like newly born infants, crave pure spiritual milk, so that you may be enabled by it to grow till you attain Salvation--
Do not think that I am saying this under the pressure of want. For I, however I am placed, have learned to be independent of circumstances.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him to make known to his servants, concerning what must shortly take place, and which he sent and revealed by his angel to his servant John,
Do not let any one deceive you, whatever he may do. For it will not come until after the Great Apostasy, and the appearing of that Incarnation of Wickedness, that the Lost soul,
Because to be earthly-minded is to be an enemy to God, for such a mind does not submit to the Law of God, nor indeed can it do so.
What does he mean by 'In a little while'?" they said; "we do not know what he is speaking about."
Asa of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat of Jehoram, Jehoram of Uzziah,
Afterwards Jesus and his disciples went into the villages round Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples this question-- "Who do people say that I am?"
That we should enhance his glory--we who have been the first to rest our hopes on the Christ.
Much more, then, now that we have been pronounced righteous by virtue of the shedding of his blood, shall we be saved through him from the Wrath of God.
"In truth I tell you," answered Jesus, "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you have not Life within you.
So Paul took his stand in the middle of the Court, and said- -"Men of Athens, on every hand I see signs of your being very devout.
Come to Him, then, as to a living stone, rejected, indeed, by men, but in God's eyes choice and precious;
Another parable which Jesus told them was this-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
And, if the woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she is guilty of adultery."
For, just as in the human body there is a union of many parts, and each part has its own function,
"Because you have so little faith," he answered; "for, I tell you, if your faith were only like a mustard-seed, you could say to this mountain 'Move from this place to that!' and it would be moved; and nothing would be impossible to you."
I, however, say to you that any one who looks at a woman with an impure intention has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Even as I write, I have such confidence in your compliance with my wishes, that I am sure that you will do even more than I am asking.
If a man does not know how to rule his own household, how can he take charge of the Church of God?
Now at last I can rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf, and in my own person I supplement the afflictions endured by the Christ, for the sake of his Body, the Church;
because all that has received the new Life from God conquers the world. And this is the power that has conquered the world--our faith!
If you, then, naturally wicked though you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those that ask him!"
For at one time you lived in sin, following the ways of the world, in subjection to the Ruler of the Powers of the air--the Spirit who is still at work among the disobedient.
And it is because you are sons that God sent into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, with the cry--'Abba, our Father.'
and, as living stones, form yourselves into a spiritual House, to be a consecrated Priesthood, for the offering of spiritual sacrifices that will be acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
For just as woman came from man, so man comes by means of woman; and all things come from God.
"Have not you read," replied Jesus, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,'
I, however, say to you that any one who cherishes anger against his brother shall be liable to answer for it to the Court; and whoever pours contempt upon his brother shall be liable to answer for it to the High Council, while whoever calls down curses upon him shall be liable to answer for it in the fiery Pit.
And if children, then heirs-heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, since we share Christ's sufferings in order that we may also share his Glory.
And he who supplies 'seed to the sower, and bread for eating,' will supply you with seed, and cause it to increase, and will multiply 'the fruits of your righteousness').
In truth I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains solitary; but, if it dies, it becomes fruitful.
On the way to Jerusalem Jesus passed between Samaria and Galilee.
Jesus called the Twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all demons, as well as to cure diseases.
Just as the Son of Man came, not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
For we brought nothing into the world, because we cannot even carry anything out of it.
Jesus, however, said: "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for it is to the childlike that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs."
Therefore you have nothing to say in your own defense, whoever you are who set yourself up as a judge. In judging others you condemn yourself, for you who set yourself up as a judge do the very same things.
There were many other signs of his mission that Jesus gave in presence of the disciples, which are not recorded in this book;
And that was why the Jews began to persecute Jesus--because he did things of this kind on the Sabbath.
how much more will the blood of the Christ, who, through his eternal Spirit, offered himself up to God, as a victim without blemish, purify our consciences from a lifeless formality, and fit us for the service of the Living God!
We recognize the truth that our old self was crucified with Christ, in order that the body, the stronghold of Sin, might be rendered powerless, so that we should no longer be slaves to Sin.
About that time John the Baptist first appeared, proclaiming in the Wilderness of Judea:
Remember the saying--'Scanty sowing, scanty harvest; plentiful sowing, plentiful harvest.'
I can do nothing of myself; I judge as I am taught; and the judgment that I give is just, because my aim is not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.
Since, therefore, you have cast off what is false, 'you must every one of you speak the truth to your neighbors.' For we are united to one another like the parts of a body.
And whatever you ask for in your prayers will, if you have faith, be granted you."
Is not he the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? And are not his sisters, too, living here among us?" This proved a hindrance to their believing in him;
Devote yourselves to prayer. Give your whole mind to it, and also offer thanksgiving;
Or do you think lightly of his abundant kindness, patience, and forbearance, not realizing that his kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
While they were still talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, [and said "Peace be with you."]
And so I say to you--Ask, and your prayer shall be granted: search, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you.
Then the seventh angel blew; and loud voices were heard in Heaven saying-- 'The Kingdom of the World has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.'
I no longer call you 'servants,' because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have given you the name of 'friends,' because I made known to you everything that I learned from my Father.
Then Jesus, with a loud cry, said: "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit." And with these words he expired.
"Father," he said, "if it is thy pleasure, spare me this cup; only, not my will but thine be done."
For you learned with regard to your former way of living that you must cast off your old nature, which, yielding to deluding passions, grows corrupt;
God will bear me witness how I yearn over you all with the tenderness of Christ Jesus.
I am the Living Bread that has come down from Heaven. If any one eats of this Bread, he will live for ever; and the Bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I will give for the Life of the world."
Every chasm shall be filled, Every mountain and hill shall be leveled, The winding ways shall be straightened, The rough roads made smooth,
And, if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives within you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give Life even to your mortal bodies, through his Spirit living within you.
For he was one of our number and had his part allotted him in this work of ours."
And to this Simon Peter answered: "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God."
Bearing a rich harvest of that righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Every one of us, however, has been entrusted with some charge, each in accordance with the extent of the gift of the Christ.
They came to Jericho. When Jesus was going out of the town with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road-side.
Every one, high and low, paid attention to him. 'This man,' they used to say, 'must be that Power of God which men call "The Great Power."'
When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the sake of God's Message and for the testimony which they had borne.
This day there has been born to you, in the town of David, a Savior, who is Christ and Lord.
Another servant also came and said 'Sir, here are your ten pounds; I have kept them put away in a handkerchief.
But the people recognized him and followed him in crowds; and Jesus welcomed them and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God, while he cured those who were in need of help.
They next went through the Phrygian district of Galatia, but were restrained by the Holy Spirit from delivering the Message in Roman Asia.
Shortly afterwards, Jesus went on a journey through the towns and villages, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God. With him went the Twelve,
while of the Son he said-- 'God is thy throne for ever and ever; The scepter of his Kingdom is the scepter of Justice;
Never avenge yourselves, dear friends, but make way for the Wrath of God; for Scripture declares--'"It is for me to avenge, I will requite," says the Lord.'
Foolish Galatians! Who has been fascinating you--you before whose very eyes Jesus Christ was depicted upon the cross?
But the President of the Synagogue, indignant that Jesus had worked the cure on the Sabbath, interposed and said to the people: "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come to be cured on one of those, and not on the Sabbath."
Let every one give as he has determined before hand, not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves 'a cheerful giver.'
"Scripture says that the Christ should suffer, and that he should rise again from the dead on the third day,
From John, to the seven Churches which are in Roman Asia. Blessing and peace be yours from him who is, and who was, and who shall be, and from the seven Spirits that are before his throne,
He will himself show you a large upstairs room, set out ready; and there make preparations for us."
When they reached Jerusalem, they went to the upstairs room, where they were staying. There were there Peter, John, James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.
And one of the Presidents asked Jesus this question--"Good Teacher, what must I do if I am to gain Immortal Life?"
Take no part in deeds of Darkness, from which no good can come; on the contrary, expose them.
Again, those of you who are married men should live considerately with their wives, showing due regard to their sex, as weaker than their own, and not forgetting that they share with you in the gift of Life. Then you will be able to pray without hindrance.
There was, you remember, a time when we ourselves were foolish, disobedient, misled, slaves to all kinds of passions and vices, living in a spirit of malice and envy, detested ourselves and hating one another.
I also desire that women should adorn themselves with appropriate dress, worn quietly and modestly, and not with wreaths or gold ornaments for the hair, or pearls, or costly clothing,
Then I saw, 'rising out of the sea, a wild Beast with ten horns' and seven heads. On its horns were ten diadems, and on its heads were blasphemous names.
Among them was a woman, named Lydia, belonging to Thyatira, a dealer in purple cloth, who was accustomed to join in the worship of God. The Lord touched this woman's heart, so that she gave attention to the Message delivered by Paul,
Remember, I have given you the power to 'trample upon serpents and scorpions,' and to meet all the strength of the Enemy. Nothing shall ever harm you in any way.
For not to natural conception, nor to human instincts, nor to will of man did they owe the new Life, but to God.
Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
for I know that the time for this 'tent' of mine to be put away is soon coming, as our Lord Jesus Christ himself assured me.
And to the people he said: "Is it allowable to do good on the Sabbath--or harm? to save a life, or destroy it?"
For you know that every one will be rewarded by the Master for any honest work that he has done, whether he is a slave or a freeman.
Shortly after, Jesus went to a town called Nain, his disciples and a great crowd going with him.
Now we know that everything said in the Law is addressed to those who are under its authority, in order that every mouth may be closed, and the whole world become liable to the judgment of God.
And, at three, Jesus called out loudly: ??Eloi, Eloi, lama sabacthani?'" which means 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?'
Now about that time, Jesus went out, up the hill, to pray, and spent the whole night in prayer to God.
You were once making good progress! Who has hindered you from obeying the Truth?
The love of God was revealed to us by his sending his only Son into the world, that we might find Life through him.
Remember, God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them down to Tartarus, and committed them to caverns of darkness, to be kept under guard for judgment.
They did so, and enclosed such a great shoal of fish that their nets began to break.
Again, I tell you that, if but two of you on earth agree as to what they shall pray for, whatever it be, it will be granted them by my Father who is in Heaven.
Jesus, however, knew what was in the their minds, and said to the man whose hand was withered: "Stand up and come out into the middle." The man stood up;
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain alone by themselves. There his appearance was transformed before their eyes,
Therefore we must give still more heed to what we were taught, for fear we should drift away.
A man is in every case tempted by his own passions--allured and enticed by them.
Yes, and for this very reason do your best to supplement your faith by goodness, goodness by knowledge,
for that will be 'a time of great distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of the world down to the present time'--no, nor ever will again.
To the People of God who are living abroad, dispersed throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Roman Asia, and Bithynia,
Hezekiah of Manasseh, Manasseh of Ammon, Ammon of Josiah,
What follows, then? Are we Jews in any way superior to others? Not at all. Our indictment against both Jews and Greeks was that all alike were in subjection to sin.
Who among you claims to be wise and intelligent? Let him show that his actions are the outcome of a good life lived in the humility of true wisdom.
To whom it was his pleasure to make known the surpassing glory of that hidden Truth when proclaimed among the Gentiles--'Christ among you! Your Hope of glory!'
These words were read by many of the Jews, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and they were written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek.
Then he said to the man. "Stretch out your hand." The man stretched it out; and it had become as sound as the other.
On hearing this, the Gentiles were glad and extolled God's Message; and all those who had been enrolled for Immortal Life became believers in Christ;
"How can I be sure of this?" Zechariah asked the angel. "For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years."
It is of what we have seen and heard that we now tell you, so that you may have communion with us. And our communion is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
Love of money is a source of all kinds of evil; and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the Faith, and have been pierced to the heart by many a regret.
But all this is the work of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the Ministry of Reconciliation--
To him it is that all the Prophets bear witness, when they say that every one who believes in him receives through his Name forgiveness of sins."
Do not you know that on a race-course, though all run, yet only one wins the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, and the brothers James and John, and led them up a high mountain alone.
To which Jesus replied: "A man was once going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him of everything, and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead.
About this time, at a meeting of the Brethren, when there were about a hundred and twenty present, Peter rose to speak.
So, while Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came up to him privately and said: "Tell us when this will be, and what will be the sign of your Coming, and of the close of the age."
In brotherly love, be affectionate to one another; in showing respect, set an example of deference to one another;
Remember, I am sending you out as my Messengers like sheep among wolves. So be as wise as serpents, and as blameless as doves.
For I myself am a man under the orders of others, with soldiers under me; and, if I say to one of them 'Go,' he goes, and to another 'Come,' he comes, and to my slave 'Do this,' he does it."
Because he so willed, he gave us Life, through the Message of the Truth, so that we should be, as it were, an earnest of still further creations.
For, when I was hungry, you gave me food; when I was thirsty, you gave me drink; when I was a stranger, you took me to your homes;
How true the saying is, and worthy of the fullest acceptance, that 'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners'! And there is no greater sinner than I!
For this is my Covenant blood, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
And now do thou honor me, Father, at thy own side, with the honor which I had at thy side before the world began.
They are to be men of irreproachable character, who are faithful husbands, whose children are Christians and have never been charged with dissolute conduct or have been unruly.
"Have no fear," the angel said. "For I bring you good news of a great joy in store for all the nation.
I know that, after my departure, merciless wolves will get in among you, who will not spare the flock;
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The Devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tempted, and may undergo persecution for ten days. Be faithful even to death, and I will give you the Crown of Life.
And now, you shall be with child and give birth to a son, and you shall give him the name Jesus.
"Believe me," replied Jesus, "a time is coming when it will be neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem that you will worship the Father.
Dear friends, I urge you, as pilgrims and strangers upon earth, to refrain from indulging the cravings of your earthly nature, for they make war upon the soul.
In the next place, Brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant about spiritual gifts.
But, when one of you prays, let him go into his own room, shut the door, and pray to his Father who dwells in secret; and his Father, who sees what is secret, will recompense him.
While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and, after saying the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said: "Take it; this is my body."
More than that, I count everything as loss, for the sake of the exceeding value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. And for his sake I have lost everything, and count it as refuse, if I may but gain Christ and be found in union with him;
Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo much suffering, and that he must be rejected by the Councillors, and the Chief Priests, and the Teachers of the Law, and be put to death, and rise again after three days.
After this, Jesus went down to Capernaum--he, his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; but they stayed there only a few days.
Soon after this Mary set out, and made her way quickly into the hill-country, to a town in Judah;
So the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into Heaven, and sat at the right hand of God.
The Divine Righteousness which is bestowed, through faith in Jesus Christ, upon all, without distinction, who believe in him.
So they laid hold of him and took him to the Court of Areopagus. "May we hear," they asked, "what new teaching this is which you are giving?
They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be taken prisoners to every land, and 'Jerusalem will be under the heel of the Gentiles,' until their day is over--as it shall be.
But Jesus looked at them, and said: "With men this is impossible, but with God everything is possible." Then Peter turned and said to Jesus:
Meanwhile near the cross of Jesus were standing his mother and his mother's sister, as well as Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary of Magdala.
Therefore, as I said, we do not lose heart. No, even though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
And the 'Lord' is the Spirit, and, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
While Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his heart was stirred at seeing the whole city full of idols.
Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in the heavens; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the heavens,' with power and great glory;
Slaves, obey your earthly masters, with anxious care, giving them ungrudging service, as if obeying the Christ;
"When you pray," Jesus answered, "say--'Father, May thy named be held holy, thy Kingdom come.
But you, by your union with Christ Jesus, belong to God; and Christ, by God's will, became not only our Wisdom, but also our Righteousness, Holiness, and Deliverance,
Some fell on rocky ground, where it had not much soil, and, having no depth of soil, sprang up at once;