That to their power, I testify, and beyond their power, they were willing of themselves,

What I speak, I speak not after the Lord; but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you, in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

For wherein were ye inferior to the other churches, unless that I myself was not burdensom to you.

I told you before, and do tell before-hand (though now absent, as if I were present the second time) those who had sinned before, and all the rest, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

Neither did I go up to Jerusalem, to them that were apostles before me, but I immediately went into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ.

And they who undoubtedly were something, (but whatsoever they were, it is no difference to me; God accepteth no man's person) they who undoubtedly were something in conference, added nothing to me.

) And when James, and Cephas, and John, who undoubtedly were pillars, knew the grace that was given to me, they gave the right-hands of fellowships to me and Barnabas, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision: Only they desired that we would be mindful of the poor,

For before certain men came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those of the circumcision.

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up together unto the faith which was to be revealed.

So we also, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.

Brethren, I beseech you, be ye as I am; for I also am as ye were: ye have not injured me at all.

Then is the offence of the cross ceased. I would they were even cut off that trouble you.

In whom ye likewise believed, after ye had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom having believed, ye were also sealed by that Holy Spirit of promise,

who were dead in trespasses and sins, Wherein ye formerly walked, according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in time past,

in the desires of the flesh, doing the will of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the others.

through his great love wherewith he loved us, Hath quickened us together with Christ, even when we were dead in trespasses, (by grace ye are saved) And hath raised us up together,

Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh (who were called the uncircumcision, by that which is called the circumcision made with hands in the flesh) Were at that time without Christ,

But now through Christ Jesus, ye who were once far off are brought nigh by the blood of Christ.

And he came and preached peace to you that were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

For ye were once darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord:

As it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, who were all partakers of my grace, both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel.

But whatsoever things were gain to me, those I have accounted loss for Christ.

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful; but ye lacked opportunity.

For through him were created all things, that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible; whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him and for him.

And you that were once alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works,

And you who were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him,

For our gospel came not to you in word only, but also with power, and with the Holy Ghost, and with much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you, for your sake.

and had been shamefully intreated at Philippi, as ye know, we were bold thro' our God to speak to you the gospel of God with much contention.

But we were gentle in the midst of you, even as a nurse cherisheth her own children.

So, loving you tenderly, we were ready to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but our own souls also, because ye were dear to us.

For when we were with you we told you before, we should be afflicted; as it came to pass, and ye know.

Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you, in, all our affliction and distress by your faith.

and our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind or terrified, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand.

For when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat.

For we also were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, inslaved to various desires and pleasures, living in wickedness and envy, hateful, hating one another:

But I would do nothing without thy consent; that thy good deed might not be, as it were, by constraint, but willingly.

And deliver them, as many as through fear of death, were all their life-time subject to bondage.

And Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of the things, which were to be afterwards spoken:

Were they not all that came out of Egypt by Moses? And with whom was he grieved forty years? Was it not with them who had sinned?

For we that have believed, do enter into the rest; as he said, I have sworn in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest, though the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

For it is impossible for those who were once inlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and been made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

If then perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law) what farther need was there that another priest should rise, after the order of Melchisedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

And in as much as not without an oath he was made priest: (For those priests were made without an oath,

And they truly were many priests, because they were hindered by death from continuing.

For if he were on earth, he would not be a priest, there being priests that offer gifts, according to the law,

And over it were the Cherubim of glory, shadowing the mercy-seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, which could not perfect the worshiper as to his conscience,

And for this end he is the Mediator of a new covenant, that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

But call ye to mind the former days, in which, after ye were inlightened, ye endured so great a conflict of sufferings:

Partly being made a gazing-stock both by reproaches and afflictions; partly being partakers with them who were so used.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were made of things which do not appear.

Therefore there sprang even from one, and him as it were dead, as the stars of heaven for multitude, and as the sand which is on the sea-shore innumerable.

All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and embraced them, and confest that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth.

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months, by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

By faith they passed thro' the Red Sea, as by dry land, which the Egyptians trying to do, were drowned.

others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

They were stoned, were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheep-skins, in goat-skins, destitute, afflicted, tormented:

Seeing ye know ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation delivered by tradition from your fathers,

And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, to them who stumble, not believing the word, whereunto also they were appointed.

But ye are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a purchased people, that ye may shew forth the virtues of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Who in time past were not a people, but now are the people of God;

Who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sin might live to righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

For ye were as sheep going astray, but are now returned to the shepherd and bishop of your souls.

Who some time disbelieved, when the long-suffering of God waited in the Days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is, eight persons were saved through the water:

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty.

But there were false prophets also among the people, as there shall likewise be false teachers among you, who will privily bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

For by speaking swelling words of vanity, they allure thro' the desire of the flesh, thro' wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them that live in error.

That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first,

walking after their own desires, Saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

For this they are willingly ignorant of, that by the word of God of old the heavens were and the earth, standing out of the water and in the water,

They went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest, that they were not all of us.

And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were of old described before with regard to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

But ye, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

His head and hair were white as white wool, as snow,

And round about the throne were four and twenty thrones, and on the thrones four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment, and upon their heads crowns of gold.

saying, Worthy art thou, O Lord our God, to receive the glory, and the honour, and the power, for thou hast created all things, and through thy will they are, and were created.

And there was given to them, to every one, a white robe; and it was said to them, that they should rest yet for a time, till their fellow servants also and their brethren should be fulfilled, who should be killed even as they were.

And the heaven departed as a book that is rolled together, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

And I heard the number of them that were sealed; an hundred forty four thousand were sealed out of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand,

Of the tribe of Asher were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Napthali were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Manasseh were sealed twelve thousand,

Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand,

Of the tribe of Zebulon were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

And I saw the seven angels which stand before God, and seven trumpets were given them.

And the angel took the censer, and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it upon the earth, and there were thunderings, and lightnings, and voices, and an earthquake.

And the first sounded, and there was hail, and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of the earth was burnt up, and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all the green grass was burnt up.

And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire, was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood,

And the third part of the creatures that were in the sea which had life died, and the third part of the ships was destroyed.

And the name of the star is called Wormwood, and many men died of the waters, because they were bitter.

And he opened the bottomless pit, and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit.

And the appearances of the locusts are like horses made ready for battle; and on their heads are as it were crowns like gold, and their faces are as the faces of men,

And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.

And they had breast-plates as it were breast-plates of iron, and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.

And they have tails like scorpions, and stings were in their tails; and their power is, to hurt men five months.

And the four angels were loosed, who were prepared for the hour, and day, and month, and year, to kill the third part of men.

By these three plagues were the third part of men killed, by the fire, and the smoke, and the brimstone which went out of their mouths.

And the rest of the men, who were not killed by these plagues, yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and wood, which can neither hear, nor see, nor walk: