by whom we have an introduction through faith into this state of God's favor, in which we safely stand; and let us continue exulting in the hope of enjoying the glorious presence of God.

For we were saved in such a hope.

ever happy in hope, always patient in suffering, ever persistent in prayer,

And so these three, faith, hope, and love endure, but the greatest of them is love.

by having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, so that you may know what the hope is to which He calls you, how glorious rich God's portion in His people is,

At that time you were without any connection with Christ; you were aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the sacred compacts made by God's promise, with no hope, and no God in the world.

There is but one body and one Spirit, just as there is but one hope resulting from the call you have received;

to whom God has chosen to make known how glorious are the riches of this open secret among the heathen, namely, Christ in you the hope of your glorification.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope,

while we are waiting for the realization of our blessed hope at the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Christ Jesus,

let us, without ever wavering, keep on holding to the hope that we profess, for He is to be trusted who has made the promise,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In accordance with His great mercy He has begotten us anew to an ever living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead;

but in your hearts be consecrated to Christ as Lord, and always be ready to make your defense to anyone who asks a reason for the hope you have. But you must do it in gentleness and reverence,

And everyone who has this hope in him tries to make himself as pure as He is.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.

But as your first duty keep on looking for His standard of doing right, and for His will, and then all these things will be yours besides.

He told another story: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to yeast which a woman took and worked into a bushel of flour until it all had risen."

And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the nations of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky in overwhelming power and splendor.

but those who are considered worthy to attain that other world and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are married.

Stop being surprised at this, for the time is coming when all that are in the graves will listen to His voice,

My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them and they follow me,

If anyone serves me, he must continue to follow me, and my servant also must go wherever I go. If anyone serves me, my Father will show him honor.

In my Father's house there are many dwelling places; if there were not, I would have told you, for I am going away to make ready a place for you.

In my Father's house there are many dwelling places; if there were not, I would have told you, for I am going away to make ready a place for you.

just as you have given Him authority over all mankind to give eternal life to all whom you have given Him.

Father, I want to have those whom you have given me right where I am, in order that they may see the glory which you have given me, because you loved me before the creation of the world.

and said to them, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This very Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come back in just the way you have seen Him go up into heaven."

"Fellow Israelites, listen to what I say. Jesus of Nazareth, as you yourselves well know, a man accredited to you by God through mighty deeds and wonders and wonder-works which God performed through Him right here among you, this very Jesus, I say, after He was betrayed, in accordance with the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you had wicked men kill by nailing Him to a cross; read more. but God raised Him up by loosing Him from the pangs of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held by the power of death. For David says of Him: 'I always kept my eyes upon the Lord, for He is at my right hand, so that I may not be removed. So my heart is glad and my tongue exults, and my body still lives in hope. For you will not forsake my soul to Hades. Nor will you let your Holy One experience decay. You have made known to me the ways of life, and you will fill me with delight in your presence.' "Brothers, I may confidently say to you about the patriarch David, that he died and was buried, and that his grave is here among us to this very day. So, as he was a prophet and knew that God with an oath had promised to put one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw the resurrection of the Christ and told of it, for He was not forsaken to Hades, and His body did not undergo decay. I mean Jesus whom God raised from the dead, to which fact we are all witnesses, So He has been exalted to God's right hand and has received from His Father, as promised, and poured out upon us the Holy Spirit, as you see and hear. For David did not go up to heaven, but he himself says: 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, Until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet."' "Therefore, let all the descendants of Israel understand beyond a doubt that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ."

But in this way God fulfilled what He by the lips of all the prophets foretold, that the Christ should suffer. So now repent and turn to Him, to have your sins wiped out, that times of revival may come from the presence of the Lord, read more. and He may send back Jesus, the Christ who long ago was appointed for you. Yet heaven must retain Him till the time for the universal restoration of which God in the early ages spoke through the lips of His holy prophets.

So now we are bringing you the good news about the promise that was made to our forefathers,

since He has set a day on which He will justly judge the world through a man whom He has appointed. He has made this credible to all by raising Him from the dead."

Because Paul knew that part of them were Sadducees and part of them Pharisees, he began to cry out in the council chamber, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a Pharisee's son, and now I am on trial for the hope of the resurrection of the dead."

And now it is for the hope of the promise made by God to our forefathers that I stand here on trial,

As I have gotten help from God clear down to this very day, I stand here to testify to high and low alike, without adding a syllable to what Moses and the prophets said should take place,

Now it is for this reason that I invited you to come, namely, to see you and speak with you, for it is on account of Israel's hope that I am wearing this chain."

proved to be God's Son in power by the resurrection from the dead -- I mean, Jesus Christ, our Lord,

Since we have been given right standing with God through faith, then let us continue enjoying peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have an introduction through faith into this state of God's favor, in which we safely stand; and let us continue exulting in the hope of enjoying the glorious presence of God.

by whom we have an introduction through faith into this state of God's favor, in which we safely stand; and let us continue exulting in the hope of enjoying the glorious presence of God.

by whom we have an introduction through faith into this state of God's favor, in which we safely stand; and let us continue exulting in the hope of enjoying the glorious presence of God. And not only that, but this too: let us continue exulting in our sufferings, for we know that suffering produces endurance,

And not only that, but this too: let us continue exulting in our sufferings, for we know that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, tested character, and tested character, hope,

and endurance, tested character, and tested character, hope, and hope never disappoints us; for through the Holy Spirit that has been given us, God's love has flooded our hearts.

and hope never disappoints us; for through the Holy Spirit that has been given us, God's love has flooded our hearts.

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirits that we are God's children; and if children, then also heirs, heirs of God and fellow-heirs with Christ if in reality we share His sufferings, so that we may share His glory too. read more. For I consider all that we suffer in this present life is nothing to be compared with the glory which by-and-by is to be uncovered for us. For all nature is expectantly waiting for the unveiling of the sons of God.

For all nature is expectantly waiting for the unveiling of the sons of God.

For all nature is expectantly waiting for the unveiling of the sons of God. For nature did not of its own accord give up to failure; it was for the sake of Him who let it thus be given up, in the hope

For nature did not of its own accord give up to failure; it was for the sake of Him who let it thus be given up, in the hope that even nature itself might finally be set free from its bondage to decay, so as to share the glorious freedom of God's children.

that even nature itself might finally be set free from its bondage to decay, so as to share the glorious freedom of God's children. Yes, we know that all nature has gone on groaning in agony together till the present moment.

Yes, we know that all nature has gone on groaning in agony together till the present moment. Not only that but this too, we ourselves who enjoy the Spirit as a foretaste of the future, even we ourselves, keep up our inner groanings while we wait to enter upon our adoption as God's sons at the redemption of our bodies.

Not only that but this too, we ourselves who enjoy the Spirit as a foretaste of the future, even we ourselves, keep up our inner groanings while we wait to enter upon our adoption as God's sons at the redemption of our bodies. For we were saved in such a hope.

For we were saved in such a hope. But a hope that is seen is not real hope, for who hopes for what he actually sees? But if we hope for something we do not see, we keep on patiently waiting for it.

But a hope that is seen is not real hope, for who hopes for what he actually sees? But if we hope for something we do not see, we keep on patiently waiting for it.

But a hope that is seen is not real hope, for who hopes for what he actually sees? But if we hope for something we do not see, we keep on patiently waiting for it.

May the hope-inspiring God so fill you with perfect joy and peace through your continuing faith, that you may bubble over with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

May the hope-inspiring God so fill you with perfect joy and peace through your continuing faith, that you may bubble over with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

May the hope-inspiring God so fill you with perfect joy and peace through your continuing faith, that you may bubble over with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

so that there is no spiritual gift in which you consciously come short, while you are waiting for the unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ,

And so these three, faith, hope, and love endure, but the greatest of them is love.

And so these three, faith, hope, and love endure, but the greatest of them is love.

After that comes the end, when He will turn the kingdom over to God His Father, when He will put an end to all other government, authority, and power; for He must continue to be king until He puts all His enemies under His feet. read more. Death is the last enemy to be stopped, for He has put everything in subjection under His feet. But when He says that everything has been put in subjection to Him, He Himself is evidently excepted who put it all in subjection to Him. And when everything has been put in subjection to Him, then the Son Himself will also become subject to Him who has put everything in subjection to Him, so that God may be everything to everybody.

But someone will ask, "How can the dead rise? With what kind of body do they come back?"

But this I tell you, brothers: Our physical bodies cannot take part in the kingdom of God; what is decaying will never take part in what is immortal.

And when this part once capable of dying puts on the body that can never die, then what the Scripture says will come true, "Death has been swallowed up in victory.

A curse upon anyone who does not love the Lord! Our Lord is coming.

My hope for you is well founded; because I know that just as you, brothers, are sharers of my sufferings, so you will be sharers of my comfort too. For I do not want you to be uninformed about the sorrow that I suffered in Asia, because I was so crushed beyond any power to endure that I was in dire despair of life itself. read more. Yes, I felt within my very self the sentence of death, to keep me from depending on myself instead of God who raises the dead. He saved me from a death so horrible, and He will save me again! He it is on whom I have set my hope that He will still save me,

But with Him it is always "Yes," for, as many as the promises of God may be, through Him they are always "Yes." This is why our "Amen" through Him is for the glory of God when spoken by us.

For I know that if this earthly tent in which I live is taken down, I have a building in heaven which comes from God, a house not built by human hands but eternal.

For we, by the Spirit, are awaiting the hoped-for blessing which our right standing with God will bring us.

For we, by the Spirit, are awaiting the hoped-for blessing which our right standing with God will bring us.

For we, by the Spirit, are awaiting the hoped-for blessing which our right standing with God will bring us.

You too, as you have heard the message of the truth, the good news that means your salvation, and as you have trusted in Him too, have been stamped with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit,

by having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, so that you may know what the hope is to which He calls you, how glorious rich God's portion in His people is, and how surpassingly great is His power for us who believe, measured by His tremendously mighty power read more. when He raised Christ from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in heaven, far above every other government, authority, power, and dominion, yea, far above every other title that can be conferred, not only in this world but in the world to come. And so He has put all things under His feet and made Him the supreme Head of the church, which is His body, that is being filled by Him who fills everything everywhere.

At that time you were without any connection with Christ; you were aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the sacred compacts made by God's promise, with no hope, and no God in the world.

So I, a prisoner for the Lord's sake, entreat you to live lives worthy of the call you have received, with perfect humility and gentleness, with patience, lovingly bearing with one another, read more. continuing with eager earnestness to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the tie of peace. There is but one body and one Spirit, just as there is but one hope resulting from the call you have received;

There is but one body and one Spirit, just as there is but one hope resulting from the call you have received;

that He might present the church to Himself as a splendid bride without a blot or wrinkle or anything like it, but to be consecrated and faultless.

in accordance with my eager expectation and hope that I shall never disgrace myself, but that now as always hitherto, by my all-conquering courage, whether by living or dying, Christ will be honored in me.

in accordance with my eager expectation and hope that I shall never disgrace myself, but that now as always hitherto, by my all-conquering courage, whether by living or dying, Christ will be honored in me.

This is why God has highly exalted Him, and given Him the name that is above every other name,

to hold up the message of life. That will give me ground for boasting on the day of Christ, because neither my career nor my labor has been a failure.

He will so change the outward appearance of our lowly bodies that they will be like His glorious body, by the exertion of the power He has to subject everything to Himself.

because of your hope of what is laid up for you in heaven. Long ago you heard of this hope through the message of the good news

because of your hope of what is laid up for you in heaven. Long ago you heard of this hope through the message of the good news

as you learned it from Epaphras, our dearly loved fellow-slave. As a faithful minister of Christ for me

Yes, He is the Head of the church as His body. For He is the beginning, the first-born among the dead, so that He alone should stand first in everything.

if indeed you continue well grounded and firm in faith and never shift from the hope inspired by the good news you heard, which has been preached all over the world, and of which I, Paul, have been made a minister.

to whom God has chosen to make known how glorious are the riches of this open secret among the heathen, namely, Christ in you the hope of your glorification. We are proclaiming Him, warning everyone and teaching everyone with ample wisdom, in order to present to God everyone mature through union with Christ.

So if you have been raised to life in fellowship with Christ, keep on seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Practice occupying your minds with the things above, not with the things on earth; read more. for you have died, and your life is now hidden in God through your fellowship with Christ. When Christ, who is our life, appears, you too will appear to be glorified in fellowship with Him.

When Christ, who is our life, appears, you too will appear to be glorified in fellowship with Him.

For I can testify how great his toiling for you is and for the brothers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

for we can never for a moment before our God forget your energizing faith, your toiling love, and your enduring hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

For the people themselves tell us what a welcome you gave us, and how you turned from idols to the true God, to serve the God who lives on and is real,

Also we do not want you to have any misunderstanding, brothers, about those who are falling asleep, so as to keep you from grieving over them as others do who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then through Jesus, God will bring back with Him those who have fallen asleep. read more. For on the Lord's own authority we say that those of us who may be left behind and are still living when the Lord comes back, will have no advantage at all over those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself, at the summons sounded by the archangel's call and by God's trumpet, will come down from heaven, and first of all the dead in union with Christ will rise,

For the Lord Himself, at the summons sounded by the archangel's call and by God's trumpet, will come down from heaven, and first of all the dead in union with Christ will rise, then those of us who are still living will be caught up along with them on clouds in the air to meet the Lord, and so we shall be with the Lord forever. read more. So continue encouraging one another with this truth.

We always ought to be thanking God for you, brothers, as it is right to do so, because your faith is growing so much and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope,

in the hope of eternal life which God, who never lies, promised ages ago

while we are waiting for the realization of our blessed hope at the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Christ Jesus,

while we are waiting for the realization of our blessed hope at the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Christ Jesus,

For when God made His promise to Abraham, He took an oath by Himself, since He had no one greater by whom He could take it, saying: "I will certainly bless you over and over again, I will extensively increase your numbers." read more. And so by patiently waiting he obtained what God had promised him. For it is a custom among men to take oath by something greater than themselves, and an oath taken for confirmation settles any dispute among them. Therefore, because God wanted to make the strongest demonstration of the unchangeable character of His purpose, He interposed with an oath, so that by these two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to prove false, we who have taken refuge with Him may have encouragement strong enough to make us seize upon the hope that lies ahead of us.

so that by these two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to prove false, we who have taken refuge with Him may have encouragement strong enough to make us seize upon the hope that lies ahead of us.

so that by these two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to prove false, we who have taken refuge with Him may have encouragement strong enough to make us seize upon the hope that lies ahead of us.

(6:19) where Jesus has blazed the way for us and became a High Priest with the rank of Melchizedek.

from that time waiting till His enemies should be made the footstool of His feet.

let us continue to draw near to God with sincere hearts and perfect faith; with our hearts cleansed from the sense of sin, and our bodies bathed in clean water;

But you must continue to remember those earlier days when first you received the light and then endured so great a struggle with persecution, partly by being exposed as a public spectacle to insults and violent sufferings, and partly by showing yourselves ready to share with those who were living in this condition. read more. For you showed sympathy with those who were in prison and cheerfully submitted to the violent seizure of your property, for you knew that you had in yourselves and in heaven one that was lasting. So you must never give up your confident courage, for it holds a rich reward for you. Indeed, to carry out the will of God and to receive the blessing He has promised, you need endurance, for:

These people all died victoriously as a result of their faith, although they did not receive the blessings promised; that is, because they really saw them in the far-off future and welcomed them, and so professed to be only foreigners and strangers here on earth. For people who make such a profession as this show that they are in search of a country of their own. read more. And if they had been cherishing the memory of the country they had left, they would have had an opportunity to go back. But in reality they were aspiring for a better country, I mean, a heavenly one. This is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

Women by a resurrection received their dead again; others endured tortures, because they would not accept release, that they might rise to a better life.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In accordance with His great mercy He has begotten us anew to an ever living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead;

So we have the message of the prophets more certainly guaranteed. Please pay attention to this message as to a lamp that is shining in a dismal place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;

Dearly beloved, we are now God's children, but what we are going to be has not been unveiled. We know that if it is unveiled, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.

So when I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He laid His right hand upon me and said: "Do not be afraid any more. I am the First and the Last;

Then one of the elders addressed me and said, "Who are these people clothed in white robes, and where did they come from?" I answered him, "You know, my lord." He said to me: "These are the people who are coming through the great persecution, who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

I answered him, "You know, my lord." He said to me: "These are the people who are coming through the great persecution, who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. This is why they are before the throne of God, and day and night serve Him in His temple, and He who is seated on His throne will shelter them in His tent.

This is why they are before the throne of God, and day and night serve Him in His temple, and He who is seated on His throne will shelter them in His tent. They will never again be hungry or thirsty, and never again will the sun strike them, or any scorching heat,

They will never again be hungry or thirsty, and never again will the sun strike them, or any scorching heat, because the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will be their Shepherd, and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."

because the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will be their Shepherd, and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and loud voices were heard in heaven, saying, "The sovereignty of the world has come into the possession of our Lord and His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever." Then the twenty-four elders who were seated on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, read more. saying: "We give you thanks, Lord God Almighty, who are and were, because you have assumed your great power and begun to reign. The heathen were enraged, but now your anger has come, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for you to reward your slaves the prophets and your people, great and small, who revere your name, and to destroy the destroyers of the earth."

They will make war upon the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them, and His chosen, elect, and faithful followers will conquer with Him, too, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings."

Permission has been granted her to dress in clean, brilliant linen, for linen signifies the upright deeds of God's people." Then he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are they who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.' These," he said to me, "are the true words of God."

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. And I saw the new Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride to join her husband. read more. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne say: "See! God's dwelling place is with men, and He will live with them, and He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no death any longer, no sorrow, no crying, no pain. The first order of things has passed away." Then He who was seated on the throne said, "See! I am making everything new." He continued, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." He further said to me: "They have come true. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I myself, without cost, will give to anyone who is thirsty water from the springs of living water. Whoever conquers will come into possession of these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so as to have a right to the tree of life and to enter the gates of the city.

For we were saved in such a hope. But a hope that is seen is not real hope, for who hopes for what he actually sees? But if we hope for something we do not see, we keep on patiently waiting for it.

to whom God has chosen to make known how glorious are the riches of this open secret among the heathen, namely, Christ in you the hope of your glorification.

Also we do not want you to have any misunderstanding, brothers, about those who are falling asleep, so as to keep you from grieving over them as others do who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then through Jesus, God will bring back with Him those who have fallen asleep. read more. For on the Lord's own authority we say that those of us who may be left behind and are still living when the Lord comes back, will have no advantage at all over those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself, at the summons sounded by the archangel's call and by God's trumpet, will come down from heaven, and first of all the dead in union with Christ will rise, then those of us who are still living will be caught up along with them on clouds in the air to meet the Lord, and so we shall be with the Lord forever. So continue encouraging one another with this truth.

Paul, a slave of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to stimulate faith in God's chosen people and to lead them on to a full knowledge of religious truth,

so that by these two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to prove false, we who have taken refuge with Him may have encouragement strong enough to make us seize upon the hope that lies ahead of us. This hope we have as an anchor for our souls, secure and safe, which reaches up behind the heavenly veil,