And Adam was not deceived, but the woman, because she was fully deceived, fell into transgression.

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.

No widow should be put on the list unless she is at least sixty years old, was the wife of one husband,

I recall your sincere faith that was alive first in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and I am sure is in you.

For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher.

May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my imprisonment.

But they will not go much further, for their foolishness will be obvious to everyone, just like it was with Jannes and Jambres.

But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed for all the Gentiles to hear. And so I was delivered from the lion's mouth!

But now in his own time he has made his message evident through the preaching I was entrusted with according to the command of God our Savior.

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.

who was formerly useless to you, but is now useful to you and me.

For perhaps it was for this reason that he was separated from you for a little while, so that you would have him back eternally,

Since I was confident that you would obey, I wrote to you, because I knew that you would do even more than what I am asking you to do.

how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first communicated through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him,

but we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by God's grace he would experience death on behalf of everyone.

For it was fitting for him, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

For since he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

who is faithful to the one who appointed him, as Moses was also in God's house.

Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken.

For which ones heard and rebelled? Was it not all who came out of Egypt under Moses' leadership?

And against whom was God provoked for forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness?

Therefore it remains for some to enter it, yet those to whom it was previously proclaimed did not enter because of disobedience.

And no one assumes this honor on his own initiative, but only when called to it by God, as in fact Aaron was.

So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming high priest, but the one who glorified him was God, who said to him, "You are my Son! Today I have fathered you,"

During his earthly life Christ offered both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion.

Although he was a son, he learned obedience through the things he suffered.

and he was designated by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

In the same way God wanted to demonstrate more clearly to the heirs of the promise that his purpose was unchangeable, and so he intervened with an oath,

Now this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him.

For he was still in his ancestor Abraham's loins when Melchizedek met him.

And since this was not done without a sworn affirmation -- for the others have become priests without a sworn affirmation,

The place where they serve is a sketch and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, just as Moses was warned by God as he was about to complete the tabernacle. For he says, "See that you make everything according to the design shown to you on the mountain."

For a tent was prepared, the outer one, which contained the lampstand, the table, and the presentation of the loaves; this is called the holy place.

And after the second curtain there was a tent called the holy of holies.

The Holy Spirit is making clear that the way into the holy place had not yet appeared as long as the old tabernacle was standing.

This was a symbol for the time then present, when gifts and sacrifices were offered that could not perfect the conscience of the worshiper.

So even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood.

Indeed according to the law almost everything was purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

So it was necessary for the sketches of the things in heaven to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves required better sacrifices than these.

so also, after Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many, to those who eagerly await him he will appear a second time, not to bear sin but to bring salvation.

Someone who rejected the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

By faith Abel offered God a greater sacrifice than Cain, and through his faith he was commended as righteous, because God commended him for his offerings. And through his faith he still speaks, though he is dead.

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death, and he was not to be found because God took him up. For before his removal he had been commended as having pleased God.

By faith Noah, when he was warned about things not yet seen, with reverent regard constructed an ark for the deliverance of his family. Through faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went out without understanding where he was going.

For he was looking forward to the city with firm foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

By faith, even though Sarah herself was barren and he was too old, he received the ability to procreate, because he regarded the one who had given the promise to be trustworthy.

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He had received the promises, yet he was ready to offer up his only son.

By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped as he leaned on his staff.

By faith, when Moses was born, his parents hid him for three months, because they saw the child was beautiful and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

Through faith they conquered kingdoms, administered justice, gained what was promised, shut the mouths of lions,

(the world was not worthy of them); they wandered in deserts and mountains and caves and openings in the earth.

And these all were commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised.

For you know that later when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance, although he sought the blessing with tears.

For they could not bear what was commanded: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned."

In fact, the scene was so terrifying that Moses said, "I shudder with fear."

For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets what sort of person he was.

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?

You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works.

And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness," and he was called God's friend.

And similarly, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another way?

Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months!

They probed into what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ and his subsequent glory.

He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for your sake.

but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.

He committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth.

When he was maligned, he did not answer back; when he suffered, he threatened no retaliation, but committed himself to God who judges justly.

after they were disobedient long ago when God patiently waited in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the ark a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water.

For the time that has passed was sufficient for you to do what the non-Christians desire. You lived then in debauchery, evil desires, drunkenness, carousing, drinking bouts, and wanton idolatries.

Now it was for this very purpose that the gospel was preached to those who are now dead, so that though they were judged in the flesh by human standards they may live spiritually by God's standards.

Through these things he has bestowed on us his precious and most magnificent promises, so that by means of what was promised you may become partakers of the divine nature, after escaping the worldly corruption that is produced by evil desire.

For he received honor and glory from God the Father, when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory: "This is my dear Son, in whom I am delighted."

When this voice was conveyed from heaven, we ourselves heard it, for we were with him on the holy mountain.

for no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

(for while he lived among them day after day, that righteous man was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)

yet was rebuked for his own transgression (a dumb donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the prophet's madness).

For they deliberately suppress this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water.

Through these things the world existing at that time was destroyed when it was deluged with water.

This is what we proclaim to you: what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched (concerning the word of life --

and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and announce to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us).

And you know that Jesus was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil.

not like Cain who was of the evil one and brutally murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, but his brother's were righteous.

Dear friends, although I have been eager to write to you about our common salvation, I now feel compelled instead to write to encourage you to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.

But even when Michael the archangel was arguing with the devil and debating with him concerning Moses' body, he did not dare to bring a slanderous judgment, but said, "May the Lord rebuke you!"

From John, to the seven churches that are in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from "he who is," and who was, and who is still to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God -- the one who is, and who was, and who is still to come -- the All-Powerful!

I, John, your brother and the one who shares with you in the persecution, kingdom, and endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony about Jesus.

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day when I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,

I turned to see whose voice was speaking to me, and when I did so, I saw seven golden lampstands,

and in the midst of the lampstands was one like a son of man. He was dressed in a robe extending down to his feet and he wore a wide golden belt around his chest.

His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.

and the one who lives! I was dead, but look, now I am alive -- forever and ever -- and I hold the keys of death and of Hades!

"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write the following: "This is the solemn pronouncement of the one who is the first and the last, the one who was dead, but came to life:

I know where you live -- where Satan's throne is. Yet you continue to cling to my name and you have not denied your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was killed in your city where Satan lives.

Wake up then, and strengthen what remains that was about to die, because I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.

After these things I looked, and there was a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said: "Come up here so that I can show you what must happen after these things."

Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was standing in heaven with someone seated on it!

And the one seated on it was like jasper and carnelian in appearance, and a rainbow looking like it was made of emerald encircled the throne.

and in front of the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal. In the middle of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.