From that day Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, the Reign of heaven is near."

"Blessed are those who feel poor in spirit! the Realm of heaven is theirs.

Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of goodness! the Realm of heaven is theirs.

For I tell you, unless your goodness excels that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the Realm of heaven.

Now when John heard in prison what the Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, "Are you the Coming One? Or are we to look out for someone else?" read more. Jesus answered them, "Go and report to John what you hear and see: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised. And blessed is he who is repelled by nothing in me!"

I tell you truly, no one has arisen among the sons of women who is greater than John the Baptist, and yet the least in the Realm of heaven is greater than he is.

He replied, "Any plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.

I tell you truly, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death till they see the Son of man coming himself to reign."

and said, "I tell you truly, unless you turn and become like children, you will never get into the Realm of heaven at all.

Jesus said to them, "I tell you truly, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me shall also sit on twelve thrones to govern the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jesus said to them, "I tell you truly, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me shall also sit on twelve thrones to govern the twelve tribes of Israel.

Tell me what you think. A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard to-day'; he replied, 'I will go, sir,' but he did not go. read more. The man went to the second and said the same to him; he replied, 'I will not,' but afterwards he changed his mind and did go. Which of the two did the will of the father?" They said, "The last." Jesus said to them, "I tell you truly, the taxgatherers and harlots are going into the Realm of God before you. For John showed you the way to be good and you would not believe him; the taxgatherers and harlots believed him, and even though you saw that, you would not change your mind afterwards and believe him.

I tell you therefore that the Realm of God will be taken from you and given to a nation that bears the fruits of the Realm.

Then Jesus again addressed them in parables. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "may be compared to a king who gave a marriage-banquet in honour of his son. read more. He sent his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they would not come. Once more he sent some other servants, saying, 'Tell the invited guests, here is my supper all prepared, my oxen and fat cattle are killed, everything is ready; come to the marriage-banquet.' But they paid no attention and went off, one to his estate, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants and ill-treated them and killed them. The king was enraged; he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, 'The marriage-banquet is all ready, but the invited guests did not deserve it. So go to the byeways and invite anyone you meet to the marriage-banquet.' And those servants went out on the roads and gathered all they met, bad and good alike. Thus the marriage-banquet was supplied with guests. Now when the king came in to view his guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in a wedding-robe. So he said to him, 'My man, how did you get in here without a wedding-robe?' The man was speech less. Then said the king to his servants, 'Take him hand and foot, and throw him outside, out into the darkness; there men will wail and gnash their teeth. For many are invited but few are chosen.'"

Jesus replied, "Take care that no one misleads you; for many will come in my name, saying 'I am the Christ,' and they will mislead many. read more. You will hear of wars and rumours of wars; see and do not be alarmed. These have to come, but it is not the end yet. For nation will rise against nation, and realm against realm; there will be famines and earthquakes here and there. All that is but the beginning of the trouble. Then men will hand you over to suffer affliction, and they will kill you; you will be hated by all the Gentiles on account of my name. And many will be repelled then, they will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise and mislead many. And in most of you love will grow cold by the increase of iniquity; but he will be saved who holds out to the very end. This gospel of the Reign shall be preached all over the wide world as a testimony to all the Gentiles, and then the end will come. So when you see the appalling Horror spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing erect in the holy place (let the reader note this), then let those who are in Judaea fly to the hills; a man on the housetop must not go down to fetch what is inside his house, and a man in the field must not turn back to get his coat. Woe to women with child and to women who give suck in those days! Pray that you may not have to fly in winter or on the sabbath, for there will be sore misery then, such as never has been from the beginning of the world till now ??no and never shall be. Had not those days been cut short, not a soul would be saved alive; however, for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short. If anyone tells you at that time, 'Here is the Christ!' or, 'there he is!' do not believe it; for false Christs and false prophets will rise and bring forward great signs and wonders, so as to mislead the very elect, ??if that were possible. (I am telling you this beforehand.) If they tell you, 'Here he is in the desert,' do not go out; 'here he is in the chamber,' do not believe it. For like lightning that shoots from east to west, so will be the arrival of the Son of man. Wherever the body lies, there will the vultures gather. Immediately after the misery of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not yield her light, the stars will drop from heaven and the orbs of the heavens will be shaken.

Immediately after the misery of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not yield her light, the stars will drop from heaven and the orbs of the heavens will be shaken.

Immediately after the misery of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not yield her light, the stars will drop from heaven and the orbs of the heavens will be shaken. Then the Sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven; then all tribes on earth will wail, they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with great power and glory.

Then the Sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven; then all tribes on earth will wail, they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with great power and glory. He will despatch his angels with a loud trumpet call to muster his elect from the four winds, from the verge of heaven to the verge of earth.

He will despatch his angels with a loud trumpet call to muster his elect from the four winds, from the verge of heaven to the verge of earth.

I tell you, after this I will never drink this produce of the vine till the day I drink it new with you in the Realm of my Father."

I tell you, after this I will never drink this produce of the vine till the day I drink it new with you in the Realm of my Father."

Now as he passed along the sea of Galilee he saw Simon and Simon's brother Andrew netting fish in the sea ??for they were fishermen;

And he said, "It is with the Realm of God as when a man has sown seed on earth; he sleeps at night and rises by day, and the seed sprouts and shoots up ??he knows not how. read more. (For the earth bears crops by itself, the blade first, the ear of corn next, and then the grain full in the ear.) But whenever the crop is ready, he has the sickle put in at once, as harvest has come."

not so with you. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever of you wants to be first must be your slave;

truly I tell you, I will never drink the produce of the vine again till the day I drink it new within the Realm of God."

And Zechariah his father was filled with the holy Spirit; he prophesied in these words, "Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, for he has cared for his people and wrought them redemption; read more. he has raised up a strong saviour for us in the house of his servant David as he promised of old by the lips of his prophets to save us from our foes and from the hand of all who hate us, to deal mercifully with our fathers and to be mindful of his holy covenant, of the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that freed from fear and from the hand of our foes we should worship him in holiness and uprightness all our days within his presence. And you, my child, shall be called a prophet of the Most High; for you shall go in front of the Lord to make his ways ready, to bring his people the knowledge of salvation through the remission of their sins by the tender mercy of our God, who will make the Dawn visit us from on high, to shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our steps into the way of peace."

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Symeon, an upright and devout man, who was on the outlook for the Consolation of Israel. The holy Spirit was upon him; indeed it had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he was not to see death before he had seen the Lord messiah. read more. By an inspiration of the Spirit he came to the temple, and when the parents of the child Jesus carried him in to perform the customary regulations of the law for him, then Symeon took him in his arms, blessed God, and said, "Now, Master, thou canst let thy servant go, and go in peace, as thou didst promise; for mine eyes have seen thy saving power which thou hast prepared before the face of all the peoples, to be a light of revelation for the Gentiles and a glory to thy people Israel." His father and mother were astonished at these words about him, but Symeon blessed them, and to his mother Mary he said, "This child is destined for the downfall as well as for the rise of many a one in Israel; destined to be a Sign for man's attack ??35 to bring out the secret aims of many a heart. And your own soul will be pierced by a spear."

There was also a prophetess, Hannah the daughter of Phanuel, who belonged to the tribe of Asher; she was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her girlhood and having been a widow for eighty-four years. She was never away from the temple; night and day she worshipped, fasting and praying. read more. Now at that very hour she came up, and she offered praise to God and spoke of him to all who were on the outlook for the redemption of Jerusalem.

No, when you are invited, go and recline in the lowest place, so that when your host comes in he will tell you, 'Move higher up, my friend.' Then you will be honoured before your fellow guests. For everyone who uplifts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be uplifted." read more. He also said to his host, "When you give a dinner or supper, do not ask your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your rich neighbours, in case they invite you back again and you get repaid. No, when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind. Then you will be blessed; for as they have no means of repaying you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just." Hearing this, one of his fellow guests said to him, "Blessed is he who feasts in the Realm of God!" Jesus said to him, "There was a man who was giving a large supper, to which he had invited a number of guests. At the hour for supper he sent his servant to tell the guests, 'Come, things are all ready.' But they all alike proceeded to decline. The first said to him, 'I have bought a farm and I am obliged to go and look at it. Pray consider me excused.' The second said, 'I have bought five pair of oxen and I am going to try them. Pray consider me excused.' Another said, 'I have married a wife; that is why I cannot come.' The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house was enraged, and said to his servant, 'Quick, go out to the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the maimed, the blind, and the lame.' When the servant announced, 'Your order has been carried out, sir, but there is still room,' the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the roads and hedges and make people come in, to fill up my house. For I tell you that not one of those who were invited shall taste my supper.'"

On being asked by the Pharisees when the Reign of God was coming, he answered them, "The Reign of God is not coming as you hope to catch sight of it;

On being asked by the Pharisees when the Reign of God was coming, he answered them, "The Reign of God is not coming as you hope to catch sight of it;

So too he gave them the cup after supper, saying, "This cup means the new covenant ratified by my blood shed for your sake.

while the Law was given through Moses, grace and reality are ours through Jesus Christ.

Jesus replied, "Truly, truly I tell you, no one can see God's Realm unless he is born from above."

Jesus replied, "Truly, truly I tell you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter God's Realm.

He said to them, "You are from the world below, I am from the world above: you belong to this world, I do not belong to this world.

you will understand the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Jesus said to him, "I am the real and living way: no one comes to the Father except by means of me.

Consecrate them by thy truth: thy word is truth.

Jesus replied, "My realm does not belong to this world; if my realm did belong to this world, my men would have fought to prevent me being handed over to the Jews. No, my realm lies elsewhere."

Jesus replied, "My realm does not belong to this world; if my realm did belong to this world, my men would have fought to prevent me being handed over to the Jews. No, my realm lies elsewhere." "So you are a king?" said Pilate, "you!" "Certainly," said Jesus, "I am a king. This is why I was born, this is why I came into the world, to bear testimony to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

"So you are a king?" said Pilate, "you!" "Certainly," said Jesus, "I am a king. This is why I was born, this is why I came into the world, to bear testimony to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

who must be kept in heaven till the period of the great Restoration. Ages ago God spoke of this by the lips of his holy prophets;

The Reign of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, it means righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Spirit;

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

What! do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the Realm of God? Make no mistake about it; neither the immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor catamites nor sodomites nor thieves nor the lustful nor the drunken nor the abusive nor robbers will inherit the Realm of God.

For he must reign until all his foes are put under his feet.

I know that if this earthly tent of mine is taken down, I get a home from God, made by no human hands, eternal in the heavens. It makes me sigh indeed, this yearning to be under the cover of my heavenly habitation, read more. since I am sure that once so covered I shall not be 'naked' at the hour of death. I do sigh within this tent of mine with heavy anxiety ??not that I want to be stripped, no, but to be under the cover of the other, to have my mortal element absorbed by life. I am prepared for this change by God, who has given me the Spirit as its pledge and instalment. Come what may, then, I am confident; I know that while I reside in the body I am away from the Lord (for I have to lead my life in faith, without seeing him): and in this confidence I would fain get away from the body and reside with the Lord. Hence also I am eager to satisfy him, whether in the body or away from it; for we have all to appear without disguise before the tribunal of Christ, each to be requited for what he has done with his body, well or ill.

envy, [murder], drinking bouts, revelry, and the like; I tell you beforehand as I have told you already, that people who indulge in such practices will never inherit the Realm of God.

which is the pledge and instalment of our common heritage, that we may obtain our divine possession and so redound to the praise of his glory.

Be sure of this, that no one guilty of sexual vice or impurity or lust (that is, an idolater) possesses any inheritance in the realm of Christ and God.

thanking the Father who has qualified us to share the lot of the saints in the Light, rescuing us from the power of the Darkness and transferring us to the realm of his beloved Son!

Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then it follows that by means of Jesus God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For we tell you, as the Lord has told us, that we the living, who survive till the Lord comes, are by no means to take precedence of those who have fallen asleep. read more. The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a loud summons, when the archangel calls and the trumpet of God sounds; the dead in Christ will rise first; then we the living, who survive, will be caught up along with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall be with the Lord for ever. Now then, encourage one another with these words.

With regard to the arrival of the Lord Jesus Christ and our muster before him, I beg you, brothers, not to let your minds get easily unsettled or excited by any spirit of prophecy or any declaration or any letter purporting to come from me, to the effect that the Day of the Lord is already here. read more. Let nobody delude you into this belief, whatever he may say. It will not come till the Rebellion takes place first of all, with the revealing of the Lawless One, the doomed One, the adversary who vaunts himself above and against every so-called god or object of worship, actually seating himself in the temple of God with the proclamation that he himself is God. Do you not remember I used to tell you this when I was with you? Well, you can recall now what it is that restrains him from being revealed before his appointed time. For the secret force of lawlessness is at work already; only, it cannot be revealed till he who at present restrains it is removed. Then shall the Lawless One be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of his lips and quell by his appearing and arrival ??9 that One whose arrival is due to Satan's activity, with the full power, the miracles and portents, of falsehood,

and with the full deceitfulness of evil for those who are doomed to perish, since they refuse to love the Truth that would save them. Therefore God visits them with an active delusion, till they put faith in falsehood, read more. so that all may be doomed who refuse faith in the Truth but delight in evil.

The Lord will rescue me from every assault of evil, he will bring me safe to his own realm in heaven. To him be glory for ever and ever! Amen.

By saying 'a new covenant,' he antiquates the first. And whatever is antiquated and aged is on the verge of vanishing.

By saying 'a new covenant,' he antiquates the first. And whatever is antiquated and aged is on the verge of vanishing.

You have come to mount Sion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to myriads of angels in festal gathering, to the assembly of the first-born registered in heaven, to the God of all as judge, to the spirits of just men made perfect, read more. to Jesus who mediates the new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood whose message is nobler than Abel's.

Therefore let us render thanks that we get an unshaken realm; and in this way let us worship God acceptably ??29 but with godly fear and awe, for our God is indeed a consuming fire.

My dear children, let us put our love not into words or into talk but into deeds, and make it real. Thus it is that we may be sure we belong to the truth and reassure ourselves

We know that the Son of God has come, and has given us insight to know Him who is the Real God; and we are in Him who is real, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the real God, this is life eternal.