And now I am going to be with you, and I am saying these things while still in the world, that the joy which I experience may be fully experienced in their own souls.

Righteous Father, although the world did not know you, I did know you, and these men have come to know that you sent me,

On saying these things He went out with His disciples across the Ravine of Cedars to a place where there was a garden, and He went into it with His disciples.

Jesus answered, "I have already told you that I am He; so if you are really looking for me, let these men go."

But these have been recorded, in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life, as bearers of His name.

After they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, are you more devoted to me than you are to these things?" Peter answered Him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I tenderly love you." Jesus said to him, "Then feed my lambs."

This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down, and we know that his testimony is true.

"So one of these men who have been associated with us all the time the Lord Jesus came and went among us,

And they prayed, saying, "Lord, you who know the hearts of all, show us which one of these two men you have chosen

They were perfectly astounded, and in bewilderment they continued to say, "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?

These men are not drunk as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning.

Yes, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel down, have also foretold these days.

and repeated, "What shall we do with these men? For it is evident to everybody living in Jerusalem that an unmistakable wonder-work has been done by them; and we cannot deny it.

When Ananias heard these words, he fell dead, and a strange awe seized everybody who heard it.

We and the Holy Spirit that God has given to those who practice obedience to Him are witnesses to these things."

then he said to them: "Fellow Israelites, take care as to what you are about to do to these men.

So in the present case, I warn you, stay away from these men, let them alone. For, if this program or movement has its origin in men, it will go to pieces,

They presented these men to the apostles, and after they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them.

The high priest asked, "Are these statements true?"

While Peter was still speaking these truths, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message.

"No one can refuse the use of water, can he, for these to be baptized, since they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did ourselves?"

And the Spirit told me to go with them without any hesitation at all. These six brothers, too, went with me, and we all went into the man's house.

With his hand he motioned to them to be quiet, and then he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He added, "Tell all these things to James and the brothers." Then he left them and went somewhere else.

and shouted, "Men, why are you doing this? We are merely men with natures like your own, who are telling you the good news, so that you may turn from these foolish things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and all that they contain.

Then why do you now try to test God by putting on these disciples' necks a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we could bear?

Then the apostles and elders in cooperation with the whole church passed a resolution to select and send some men of their number with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. These were Judas, who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers.

For the Holy Spirit and we have decided not to lay upon you any burden but these essential requirements,

that you abstain from everything that is offered to idols, from tasting blood, from the meat of animals that have been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves free from these things, you will prosper. Good-by."

There Paul had a vision one night: a man from Macedonia kept standing and pleading with him in these words, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!"

This girl kept following Paul and the rest of us, shrieking, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, and they are proclaiming to you a way of salvation."

and brought them to the chiefs of the police court. They said, "These men are Jews; they continue to make great disturbance in our town

They stopped at Jason's house and tried to bring them out to the people. So, as they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the town magistrates, shouting, "These fellows, who have turned the world topsy-turvy, have come here too,

but as it is questions about words and titles and your own law, you will have to see to it yourselves. I refuse to act as judge in these matters."

After these events had been brought to a close, Paul under the guidance of the Spirit decided to pass through Macedonia and Greece on his way to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have gone there I must see Rome too."

For you have brought these men here, although they are not guilty of sacrilege or of abusive speech against our goddess.

With these words he dismissed the assembly.

You know yourselves that these hands of mine provided for my own needs and for my companions.

While I was performing these duties they found me just as I had completed the rites of my purification in the temple; however, there was no crowd with me and no disturbance at all.

Or let these men themselves tell what wrong they found in me when I appeared before the council --

Then Festus, as he wanted to ingratiate himself with the Jews, said to Paul, "Will you go up to Jerusalem and be tried on these charges before me there?"

If I am guilty and have done anything that deserves death, I am not begging to keep from dying, but if there is nothing in the charges which these men make against me, no one can give me up as a favor to them. I appeal to the emperor."

I was at a loss how to investigate such matters and so asked Paul if he would go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters.

For these very things the Jews arrested me in the temple and kept on trying to kill me.

Paul answered, "In brief or at length, I would to God that not only you but all my hearers today were what I am -- excepting these chains!"

Paul said to the colonel and his soldiers, "Unless these sailors remain on the ship, you cannot be saved."

Now we know that God's judgment justly falls on those who practice such sins as these.

Now really it is not I that am doing these things, but it is sin which has its home within me.

But if I do the things that I do not want to do, it is really not I that am doing these things, but it is sin which has its home within me.

What are we then to say to facts like these? If God is for us, who can be against us?

And yet in all these things we keep on gloriously conquering through Him who loved us.

I beg you, therefore, brothers, through these mercies God has shown you, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies as a living sacrifice, devoted and well-pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.

These truths we are setting forth, not in words that man's wisdom teaches but in words that the Spirit teaches, in this way fitting spiritual words to spiritual truths.

And these are just the characters some of you used to be. But now you have washed yourselves clean, you have been consecrated, you are now in right standing with God, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God.

Only, everybody must continue to live in the station which the Lord assigned to him, in that in which God called him. These are my orders in all the churches.

But I myself have never used any of these rights. And I am not writing this just to make it so in my case, for I had rather die than do that. No one shall rob me of this ground of boasting.

Now all these things occurred as warnings to us, to keep us from hankering after what is evil, in the ways they did.

But as I am giving you these instructions I cannot approve of your meetings, because they do not turn out for the better but for the worse.

But the one and same Spirit accomplishes all these achievements, and apportions power to each of us as He chooses.

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

I beg you to put yourselves under leaders like these, and under anyone who cooperates with you, and labors hard.

So, since we have such promises as these, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles our bodies and spirits, and in reverence to God carry on our consecration to completeness.

As for Titus, he is my partner and comrade in the work for you, while these brothers of ours, the representatives of the churches, will bring glory to Christ.

So I have thought it necessary to urge these brothers to visit you ahead of me and get your promised love-offering ready beforehand, so as to have it ready as a real love-offering, not as one grasped and grudgingly given.

Those who were looked upon as leaders -- what they were makes no difference to me -- God pays no attention to outward appearances these leaders added nothing new to me.

and the law has nothing to do with faith, but it says, "It is the man who does these things that will live by doing them."

These men are paying you special attention, but not sincerely. They want to shut you off from me, so that you may keep on paying them special attention.

This is spoken as an allegory. For these women are two covenants, one coming from Mount Sinai, bearing children that are to be slaves;

I almost wish that these men who are upsetting you would go all the way, and have themselves mutilated.

For the cravings of the lower nature are just the opposite to those of the Spirit, and the cravings of the Spirit are just the opposite of those of the lower nature; these two are opposed to each other, so that you cannot do anything you please.

These men who are trying to force you to let yourselves be circumcised simply want to make a fine outward show, only to keep you from being persecuted for the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Stop letting anyone deceive you with groundless arguments about these things, for it is because of these very sins that God's anger comes down upon the disobedient.

Besides all these, take on the shield which faith provides, for with it you will be able to put out all the fire-tipped arrows shot by the evil one,

though I too might rely on these. If anyone thinks that he can rely on outward privileges, far more might I do so:

These were but the shadow of what was coming; the reality belongs to Christ.

It is on account of these very sins that God's anger is coming.

You too used to practice these sins, when you used to live that sort of life.

And over all these qualities put on love, which is the tie of perfection that binds us together.

So does Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only converts from Judaism that are fellow-workers with me here for the kingdom of God, who have proved a real comfort to me.

so that none of you might be deceived amid these difficulties. For you knew yourselves that this is our appointed lot,

indeed, it is right for God to repay with crushing sorrows those who cause you these crushing sorrows,

These will receive the punishment of eternal destruction as exiles from the presence of the Lord and His glorious might,

Some people have stepped aside from these things and turned to fruitless talking.

Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have turned over to Satan to be so disciplined that they will stop their abusive speech.

If you continue to put these things before the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, ever feeding your own soul on the truths of the faith and of the fine teaching which you have followed.

Continue to give these orders and to teach these truths.

Continue cultivating these things; be devoted to them, so that everybody will see your progress.

Make it your habit to pay close attention to yourself and your teaching. Persevere in these things, for if you do you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.

Continue to give these directions so that the people may be without reproach.

I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels, to carry out these instructions without prejudice and with perfect impartiality.

Those who have Christian masters must not pay them less respect because they are brothers; they must serve them all the better, because those who get the benefit of their service are believers and so are dear to them. These are the things that you must continue to teach and urge them to do.

But you, as a man of God, must be fleeing always from these things; you must constantly strive for uprightness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

Keep on reminding men of these things. Solemnly charge them before God to stop petty debating, which does no good at all but brings destruction on those who hear it.

But God's foundation stands unshaken, with these inscriptions: "The Lord knows the people who belong to Him" and "Everyone who bears the name of the Lord must abstain from evil."

So if a man will cleanse himself from these things, he will be an instrument for honorable uses, consecrated, useful for the Master, and ready for any good service.

Just as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, these people resist the truth, for they are depraved in mind and so counterfeits in the faith.

It is a message to be trusted, and I want you to be emphatic about these things, so that those who believe in God may be careful to take the lead in doing good. These things are right and render service to mankind.

But hold yourself aloof from foolish controversies, pedigrees, strife, and wrangles about the law, for these are fruitless and futile.

yes, I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I have become while wearing these chains.

I would have liked to keep him with me, to wait on me in your stead while I wear these chains for the good news,

but in these latter days He has spoken to us through a Son, whom He had appointed lawful owner of everything, and through whom He had made the worlds.