It was in this way:--Simon Peter, Thomas, who was called 'The Twin,' Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, Zebediah's sons, and two other disciples of Jesus, were together, when Simon Peter said:

The third time, Jesus said to him: "Simon, son of John, are you my friend?" Peter was hurt at his third question being 'Are you my friend?'; and exclaimed: "Master, you know everything! You can tell that I am your friend." "Feed my sheep," said Jesus.

Brothers, I can speak to you the more confidently about the Patriarch David, because he is dead and buried, and his tomb is here among us to this very day.

When the people heard this, they were conscience-smitten, and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles: "Brothers, what can we do?"

"A curse upon you and upon your money," Peter exclaimed, "for thinking that God's free gift can be bought with gold!

"How can I," the other answered, "unless some one will explain it to me?" and he invited Philip to get up and sit by his side.

"Can any one refuse the water for the baptism of these people, now that they have received the Holy Spirit as we did ourselves?"

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.

And to that the High Priest himself and all the Council can testify. For I had letters of introduction from them to our fellow Jews at Damascus, and I was on my way to that place, to bring those whom I might find there prisoners to Jerusalem for punishment.

For you can easily ascertain that it is not more than twelve days ago that I went up to worship at Jerusalem,

This is so, because what can be known about God is plain to them; for God himself has made it plain.

But what if our wrong-doing makes God's righteousness all the clearer? Will God be wrong in inflicting punishment? (I can but speak as a man.) Heaven forbid!

Otherwise how can God judge the world?

Or can it be that God is the God only of the Jews? Is not he also the God of the Gentiles?

While, as for the man who does not rely upon his obedience, but has faith in him who can pronounce the godless righteous, his faith is regarded by God as righteousness.

Heaven forbid! We became dead to sin, and how can we go on living in it?

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?

I can but speak as men do because of the weakness of your earthly nature. Once you offered every part of your bodies to the service of impurity, and of wickedness, which leads to further wickedness. Now, in the same way, offer them to the service of Righteousness, which leads to holiness.

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.

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.

What are we to say, then, in the light of all this? If God is on our side, who can there be against us?

Perhaps you will say to me-'How can any one still be blamed? For who withstands his purpose?'

I can testify that they are zealous for the honor of God; but they are not guided by true insight,

Who are you, that you should pass judgment on the servant of another? His standing or falling concerns his own master. And stand he will, for his Master can enable him to stand.

So that no one can say that you were baptized into my Faith.

For no man can lay any other foundation than the one already laid-Jesus Christ.

Can it be that, when one of you has a dispute with another, he dares to have his case tried before the heathen, instead of before Christ's People?

Can it be that there is not one man among you wise enough to decide between two of his Brothers?

How can you tell, wife, whether you may not save your husband? and how can you tell, husband, whether you may not save your wife?

If I tell the Good News, I have nothing to boast of, for I can but do so. Woe is me if I do not tell it!

Have you no houses in which you can eat and drink? Or are you trying to show your contempt for the Church of God, and to humiliate the poor? What can I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this matter I cannot praise you.

Therefore I tell you plainly that no one who speaks under the influence of the Spirit of God says 'JESUS IS ACCURSED,' and that no one can say 'JESUS IS LORD,' except under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Can every one be an Apostle? can every one be a Preacher? can every one be a Teacher? can every one have supernatural powers?

Can every one have power to cure diseases? can every one speak in 'tongues'? can every one interpret them?

Strive for the greater gifts. Yet I can still show you a way beyond all comparison the best.

Even with inanimate things, such as a flute or a harp, though they produce sounds, yet unless the notes are quite distinct, how can the tune played on the flute or the harp be recognized?

And so with you; unless, in using the gift of 'tongues,' you utter intelligible words, how can what you say be understood? You will be speaking to the winds!

If you bless God with your spirit only, how can the man in the congregation who is without your gift say 'Amen' to your thanksgiving? He does not know what you are saying!

For you can all preach in turn, so that all may learn some lesson and all receive encouragement.

This I say, Brothers-Flesh and blood can have no share in the Kingdom of God, nor can the perishable share the imperishable.

On the first day of every week each of you should put by what he can afford, so that no collections need be made after I have come.

You yourselves are our letter--a letter written on our hearts, and one which everybody can read and understand.

All can see that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, a letter written, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the Living God, not on 'tablets of stone,' but on 'tablets of human hearts.'

Can you not in return--I appeal to you as I should to children--open your hearts to us?

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?

What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial? or what can those who accept the Faith have in common with those who reject it?

What agreement can thee be between a temple of God and idols? And we are a temple of the Living God. That is what God meant when he said--'I will dwell among them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

I am glad that I can feel perfect confidence in you.

I can bear witness that to the full extent of their power, and even beyond their power, spontaneously,

On the present occasion, what you can spare may supply their need, so that at another time what they can spare may supply your need, and thus matters may be equalized.

God has power to shower all kinds of blessings upon you, so that, having, under all circumstances and on all occasions, all that you can need, you may be able to shower all kinds of benefits upon others.

Yet if I choose to boast, I shall not be a fool; for I shall be speaking no more than the truth. But I refrain, lest any one should credit me with more than he can see in me or hear from me, and because of the marvelous character of the revelations.

For my part, I will most gladly spend, and be spent, for your welfare. Can it be that the more intensely I love you the less I am to be loved?

But I hope that you will recognize that we can stand the test.

Can you be so foolish? After beginning with what is spiritual, do you now end with what is external?

What has become then, of your blessings? For I can bear witness that, had it been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me!

And above every name that can be named, whether in the present age, or in the age to come.

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--

Take no part in deeds of Darkness, from which no good can come; on the contrary, expose them.

It is Timothy, then, whom I hope to send, as soon as ever I can foresee how it will go with me.

And I can assure you that his illness very nearly proved fatal. But God had pity on him, and not on him only but also on me, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.

Though I, if any man, have cause to rely even upon them. If any one thinks he can rely upon external privileges, far more can I!

I can do everything in the strength of him who makes me strong!

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;

I can bear testimony to the deep interest he takes in you, as well as in the Brethren at Laodicea and at Hierapolis.

How can we thank God enough for all the happiness that you are giving us in the sight of our God?

If a man does not know how to rule his own household, how can he take charge of the Church of God?

who alone is possessed of immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or ever can see--to whom be ascribed honour and power for ever. Amen.

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.

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.

how can we, of all people, expect to escape, if we disregard so great a Salvation? It was the Master who at the outset spoke of this Salvation, and its authority was confirmed for us by those who heard him,

There is no created thing that can hide itself from the sight of God. Everything is exposed and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we have to give account.

Now no one can dispute that it is the superior who blesses the inferior.

The Law, though able to foreshadow the Better System which was coming, never had its actual substance. Its priests, with those sacrifices which they offer continuously year after year, can never make those who come to worship perfect.

Every other priest stands day after day at his ministrations, and offers the same sacrifices over and over again--sacrifices that can never take sins away.

Remember, if we sin willfully after we have gained a full knowledge of the Truth, there can be no further sacrifice for sin;

And through faith the Righteous man shall find his Life, But, if a man draws back, my heart can find no pleasure in him.'

Therefore we may say with confidence-- 'The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?'

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?

No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless plague! It is charged with deadly poison!

Can a fig tree, my Brothers, bear olives? or a vine bear figs? No, nor can a brackish well give good water.

What credit can you claim when, after doing wrong, you take your punishment for it patiently? But, on the other hand, if, after doing right, you take your sufferings patiently, that does win the approval of God.

But first be assured of this:--There is no prophetic teaching found in Scripture that can be interpreted by man's unaided reason;

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--

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;

for all that the world can offer--the gratification of the earthly nature, the gratification of the eye, the pretentious life--belongs, not to the Father, but to the world.

You all know--But I am not writing to you because you do not know the Truth, but because you do know it, and because nothing false can come from the Truth.

But, if any one has worldly possessions, and yet looks on while his Brother is in want, and steels his heart against him, how can it be said that the love of God is within him?

These men are always murmuring, and complaining of their lot; they follow where their passions lead them; they have arrogant words upon their lips; and they flatter men for the sake of what they can get from them.

But one of the Councillors said to me--'Do not weep. The Lion conquered--the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Scion of David--and can therefore open the book with its seven seals.'

for the great Day of their Wrath is come, and who can stand to meet it?'

But those who were left of mankind, who had not perished through these Curses, did not repent and turn away from what their own hands had made; they would not abandon the worship of 'demons, and of idols made of gold or silver or brass or stone or wood, which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk';

and men worshiped the Dragon, because he had given his dominion to the Beast; while, as they worshiped the Beast, they said-- 'Who can compare with the Beast? and who can fight with it?'

and seeing the smoke from the burning city, cried-- 'What city can compare with the Great City?'