Now in those days, when the disciples were growing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews against the native Hebraic Jews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

This went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.

So after sending two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, he himself stayed on for a while in the province of Asia.

From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus, telling the elders of the church to come to him.

Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.

and do not present your members to sin as instruments to be used for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead and your members to God as instruments to be used for righteousness.

But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is your life because of righteousness.

when I go to Spain. For I hope to visit you when I pass through and that you will help me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.

Therefore after I have completed this and have safely delivered this bounty to them, I will set out for Spain by way of you,

Now I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea,

For this reason, I have sent Timothy to you, who is my dear and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.

Two or three prophets should speak and the others should evaluate what is said.

Now if Christ is being preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead?

Now God who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your supply of seed and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow.

They were only hearing, "The one who once persecuted us is now proclaiming the good news of the faith he once tried to destroy."

Now before faith came we were held in custody under the law, being kept as prisoners until the coming faith would be revealed.

From Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the overseers and deacons.

Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be encouraged by hearing news about you.

though I am confident in the Lord that I too will be coming to see you soon.

As I urged you when I was leaving for Macedonia, stay on in Ephesus to instruct certain people not to spread false teachings,

As I urged you when I was leaving for Macedonia, stay on in Ephesus to instruct certain people not to spread false teachings, nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies. Such things promote useless speculations rather than God's redemptive plan that operates by faith.

They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or the things they insist on so confidently.

But here is why I was treated with mercy: so that in me as the worst, Christ Jesus could demonstrate his utmost patience, as an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life.

Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanks be offered on behalf of all people,

So I want the men to pray in every place, lifting up holy hands without anger or dispute.

Likewise also their wives must be dignified, not slanderous, temperate, faithful in every respect.

I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you

I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you in case I am delayed, to let you know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God, because it is the church of the living God, the support and bulwark of the truth. read more. And we all agree, our religion contains amazing revelation: He was revealed in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the later times some will desert the faith and occupy themselves with deceiving spirits and demonic teachings, influenced by the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared. read more. They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creation of God is good and no food is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.

For "physical exercise has some value, but godliness is valuable in every way. It holds promise for the present life and for the life to come."

Until I come, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

Honor widows who are truly in need.

(Stop drinking just water, but use a little wine for your digestion and your frequent illnesses.)

For we have brought nothing into this world and so we cannot take a single thing out either.

For the love of money is the root of all evils. Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains.

Command those who are rich in this world's goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.

to Timothy, my dear child. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord!

He is the one who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not based on our works but on his own purpose and grace, granted to us in Christ Jesus before time began,

They have strayed from the truth by saying that the resurrection has already occurred, and they are undermining some people's faith.

Finally the crown of righteousness is reserved for me. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will award it to me in that day -- and not to me only, but also to all who have set their affection on his appearing.

When you come, bring with you the cloak I left in Troas with Carpas and the scrolls, especially the parchments.

Erastus stayed in Corinth. Trophimus I left ill in Miletus.

The reason I left you in Crete was to set in order the remaining matters and to appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife, with faithful children who cannot be charged with dissipation or rebellion. read more. For the overseer must be blameless as one entrusted with God's work, not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain.

For there are many rebellious people, idle talkers, and deceivers, especially those with Jewish connections,

and not pay attention to Jewish myths and commands of people who reject the truth.

he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit,

This saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on such truths, so that those who have placed their faith in God may be intent on engaging in good works. These things are good and beneficial for all people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, quarrels, and fights about the law, because they are useless and empty.

But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, quarrels, and fights about the law, because they are useless and empty.

When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.

When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.

At the same time also, prepare a place for me to stay, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given back to you.

Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Then Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia, but John left them and returned to Jerusalem.

After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let's return and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord to see how they are doing." Barnabas wanted to bring John called Mark along with them too, read more. but Paul insisted that they should not take along this one who had left them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work. They had a sharp disagreement, so that they parted company. Barnabas took along Mark and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and set out, commended to the grace of the Lord by the brothers and sisters.

who was appointed the Son-of-God-in-power according to the Holy Spirit by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.

turn this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God!"

As I urged you when I was leaving for Macedonia, stay on in Ephesus to instruct certain people not to spread false teachings,

As I urged you when I was leaving for Macedonia, stay on in Ephesus to instruct certain people not to spread false teachings, nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies. Such things promote useless speculations rather than God's redemptive plan that operates by faith.

nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies. Such things promote useless speculations rather than God's redemptive plan that operates by faith.

I put this charge before you, Timothy my child, in keeping with the prophecies once spoken about you, in order that with such encouragement you may fight the good fight.

Because of this I remind you to rekindle God's gift that you possess through the laying on of my hands.

You, however, have followed my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance,

Make every effort to come before winter. Greetings to you from Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters.