For it is the ripe time for the judgment to begin with the house of God; but, if first with us, what shall be the end of them who yield not unto the glad-message of God?

When God speaks of “A new covenant,” He makes the first one obsolete. And whatever is becoming obsolete (out of use, annulled) and growing old is ready to disappear.

The soil produces a crop by itself—first the blade, then the head, and then the ripe grain on the head.

Another angel came out from the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Send forth your sickle, and reap; for the hour to reap has come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe."

Another angel came out from the altar, he who has power over fire, and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Send forth your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for it's grapes are fully ripe."

and the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as the fig-tree sheddeth her early ripe figs when shaken by a mighty wind:

And what if God, though wishing to display His anger and make known His power, yet, has most patiently borne with the objects of His anger, already ripe for destruction,

But when the grain is ripe, he immediately starts cutting with his sickle because the harvest time has come."

The ripe fruit of your soul's desire has gone from you, all your luxury and splendor have perished from your hands, and people will never find them again.

"The time is ripe and the kingdom of God is near; repent and believe in the good news."

He was saying to them, “The harvest is abundant [for there are many who need to hear the good news about salvation], but the workers [those available to proclaim the message of salvation] are few. Therefore, [prayerfully] ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.

Go up to the feast yourselves. I am not going up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.”

who, in God's power, are being guarded through faith unto salvation - ready to be revealed in the last ripe time:

Yet we do speak wisdom among those spiritually mature [believers who have teachable hearts and a greater understanding]; but [it is a higher] wisdom not [the wisdom] of this present age nor of the rulers and leaders of this age, who are passing away;

& 23] Vanished the ripe fruit of thy soul's desire! Perished thy luxury and splendour! Never again to be seen.

Do you not say, 'It wants four months yet to the harvest'? But look round, I tell you, and observe these plains-- they are already ripe for the sickle.

harvest of the earth is ripe." so he that sat on the cloud, stretch'd out his sickle to the earth; and the earth was reaped.

Epaphras, who is one of you and a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. [He is] always striving for you in his prayers, praying with genuine concern, [pleading] that you may [as people of character and courage] stand firm, [spiritually mature] and fully assured in all the will of God.

Brethren, do not prove yourselves to be children in your minds. As regards evil, indeed, be utter babes, but as regards your minds prove yourselves to be men of ripe years.

for the government of the world when the times are ripe for it--the purpose which He has cherished in His own mind of restoring the whole creation to find its one Head in Christ; yes, things in Heaven and things on earth, to find their one Head in Him.

And first seats in synagogues, and first place at tables in first meals:

He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.

And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more.

Many who are first shall be last, and many who are last shall be first.

So the last shall be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.

Now when he came back from the dead early on the first day of the week, he went first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had sent out seven evil spirits.

Beware of the scribes, who delight to walk in long robes, and love salutations in the markets, and the first seats in the synagogues, and the first places at feasts;

Many that are first, shall be last. And the last, first."

So keep in mind where you were at first, and be changed in heart and do the first works; or I will come to you, and will take away your light from its place, if your hearts are not changed.

In my vision, when the Lamb broke the first of the seven seals, I heard the first of the four animals say with a voice like thunder, "Come!"

And dearly love the first couch in the chief meals, and the first seats in the synagogues,

Now I will give you my opinion on this matter. For this is for your interest, because you were not only the first to do anything about it, but the first to want to do so; you started it a year ago.

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.

So they went out, and ran from the tomb, for they were trembling and amazed; and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid??9 Now after his resurrection, early on the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had driven out seven demons.

This is the first resurrection. Happy and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on these the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

And every one that has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundred fold, and shall inherit eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

No domestic can serve two masters; for he will either hate the first and love the other, or he will adhere to the first and despise the other. You cannot serve God and riches.

The first account which I drew up, Theophilus, dealt with all that Jesus did and taught from the very first,

But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me].

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.

And having come through the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city; which opened to them of its own accord: and having come out, they came on to the first street; and the angel immediately departed from him.

and what heightens his love, was this, that it was not we who first loved God, but it was he that first loved us, and sent his son to expiate our sins.

so that we who were the first to hope in Christ [who first put our confidence in Him as our Lord and Savior] would exist to the praise of His glory.

Now on the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread [i.e., the first day of Passover week], His disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover meal?"

"Every person who divorces his wife and marries another woman becomes sexually unfaithful to her [i.e., because he is still regarded by God as married to his first wife. See Matt. 19:9]. And the person who marries someone who has been divorced by her husband commits sexual sin with her [i.e., because she is still rightfully married to her first husband].

As for you, let what you were told at the first be always in your thoughts. If, then, what you were told at the first is always in your thoughts, you yourselves will maintain your union both with the Son and with the Father.

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the first, and love the other, or he will adhere to the first, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and riches.

[But] how can they appeal to Him if they have not [first] believed in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have not [first] heard [about Him]? And how can they hear [about Him] if there is no preacher?

(But what does "He ascended" mean if not that He also [first] descended to the lower parts of the earth [i.e., to the earth below]? [Note: Of the three principal interpretations given to this verse: a) Christ descended to earth, b) Christ descended to the grave, c) Christ descended to Mary's womb. The first is to be preferred. See John 3:13; 6:38, 62].

[And] by being given [power] to perform these signs in the sight of the [first] beast, he deceived the people on earth. He told them to make a statue to [honor] the [first] beast, who had been wounded by a sword and yet lived [through it].

Now the [second] beast was given [the power] to give breath to the statue of the [first] beast, so that it could both speak and cause all those who refused to worship the statue of the [first] beast to be killed.

And God hath also ordained in the congregation, first the apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, then them that do miracles; after that, the gifts of healing, helpers, governors, diversity of tongues.

Now indeed even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service, and an earthly sanctuary.

For a tabernacle was prepared. In the first part were the lampstand, the table, and the show bread; which is called the Holy Place.

Now there were seven brothers. And the first brother married a wife and died childless.

Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services,

However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience, for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life.

The Holy Spirit is indicating this, that the way into the Holy Place was not yet revealed while the first tabernacle was still standing;

When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last,

But first, he will have to undergo much and be put on one side by this generation.

I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings, be made for all men:

For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

For this reason he is the mediator of a New Covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

NOW on the first day of the week, at the earliest dawn of day, they came to the sepulchre, bringing the aromatics which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

Therefore even the first covenant has not been dedicated without blood.

knowing this first, that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking and walking after their own lusts,

"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: "The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life says these things:

For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb.

Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

Avoid a factious man after a first and second warning;

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, without hypocrisy.

And when you hear of wars and tumults, never be panic-stricken. For this has to take place first, but the end will not come all at once."

"I know your works, your love, faith, service, patient endurance, and that your last works are more than the first.

Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.

then he has said, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He takes away the first, that he may establish the second,

And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.

If any revelation be made to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.

Now there were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and dying, left no child;

The first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth, and it became a harmful and evil sore on the people who had the mark of the beast, and who worshiped his image.

And one of the scribes came, and heard them reasoning together; and perceiving that he had answered them well, he asked him: Which is the first commandment of all?

And Jesus answered him: The first commandment of all is, Hear, Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.

And you shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with your whole mind, and with your whole strength. This is the first commandment.

For first of all, I delivered unto you that which I received: how that Christ died for our sins, agreeing to the scriptures,

In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety towards their own family, and to repay their parents, for this is acceptable in the sight of God.

After these things I looked and saw a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, like a trumpet speaking with me, was one saying, "Come up here, and I will show you the things which must happen after this."

having condemnation, because they have rejected their first pledge.

The first living creature was like a lion, and the second living creature like a calf, and the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and is become the first fruits of them that slept.

how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?which at the first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard;

and every man in his own order: The first is Christ, then they that are Christ's at his coming.

Doth our law judge a man, except it first hear from himself and know what he doeth?

And the first came before him, saying, Lord, your pound has made ten pounds.

But when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

As it is written, "The first man Adam was made a living soul," and the last Adam was made a quickening spirit:

Howbeit, that is not first which is spiritual: but that which is natural, and then that which is spiritual.

The first man is of the earth, earthy: The second man is the Lord, from heaven.

having been reminded of the unfeigned faith that is in you; which lived first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and, I am persuaded, in you also.