Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Holy spirit » The holy spirit witnessing
The Spirit himself unites with our spirits in bearing witness to our being God's children,
Verse Concepts
I am the True Vine, and my Father is the Vine-grower. Any unfruitful branch in me he takes away, and he cleanses every fruitful branch, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the Message that I have given you. read more.
Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. As a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains united to the vine; no more can you, unless you remain united to me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. He that remains united to me, while I remain united to him--he bears fruit plentifully; for you can do nothing apart from me. If any one does not remain united to me, he is thrown away, as a branch would be, and withers up. Such branches are collected and thrown into the fire, and are burnt. If you remain united to me, and my teaching remains in your hearts, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be yours. It is by your bearing fruit plentifully, and so showing yourselves my disciples, that my Father is honored. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; remain in my love. If you lay my commands to heart, you will remain in my love; just as I have laid the Father's commands to heart and remain in his love. I have told you all this so that my own joy may be yours, and that your joy may be complete. This is my command--Love one another, as I have loved you. No one can give greater proof of love than by laying down his life for his friends. And you are my friends, if you do what I command you. I no longer call you 'servants,' because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have given you the name of 'friends,' because I made known to you everything that I learned from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you, and I appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that should remain, so that the Father might grant you whatever you ask in my Name. I am giving you these commands that you may love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it has first hated me. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world--that is why the world hates you. Remember what I said to you--'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have laid my Message to heart, they will lay yours to heart also. But they will do all this to you, because you believe in my Name, for they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have had no sin to answer for; but as it is, they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them such work as no one else ever did, they would have had no sin to answer for; but, as it is, they have both seen and hated both me and my Father. And so is fulfilled what is said in their Law--'They hated me without cause.' But, when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of Truth, who comes from the Father--he will bear testimony to me; Yes, and you also are to bear testimony, because you have been with me from the first.
Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. As a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains united to the vine; no more can you, unless you remain united to me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. He that remains united to me, while I remain united to him--he bears fruit plentifully; for you can do nothing apart from me. If any one does not remain united to me, he is thrown away, as a branch would be, and withers up. Such branches are collected and thrown into the fire, and are burnt. If you remain united to me, and my teaching remains in your hearts, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be yours. It is by your bearing fruit plentifully, and so showing yourselves my disciples, that my Father is honored. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; remain in my love. If you lay my commands to heart, you will remain in my love; just as I have laid the Father's commands to heart and remain in his love. I have told you all this so that my own joy may be yours, and that your joy may be complete. This is my command--Love one another, as I have loved you. No one can give greater proof of love than by laying down his life for his friends. And you are my friends, if you do what I command you. I no longer call you 'servants,' because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have given you the name of 'friends,' because I made known to you everything that I learned from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you, and I appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that should remain, so that the Father might grant you whatever you ask in my Name. I am giving you these commands that you may love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it has first hated me. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world--that is why the world hates you. Remember what I said to you--'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have laid my Message to heart, they will lay yours to heart also. But they will do all this to you, because you believe in my Name, for they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have had no sin to answer for; but as it is, they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them such work as no one else ever did, they would have had no sin to answer for; but, as it is, they have both seen and hated both me and my Father. And so is fulfilled what is said in their Law--'They hated me without cause.' But, when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of Truth, who comes from the Father--he will bear testimony to me; Yes, and you also are to bear testimony, because you have been with me from the first.
The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, whom you put to death by hanging him on a cross. It is this Jesus whom God has exalted to his right hand, to be a Guide and a Savior, to give Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. And we are witness to the truth of this, and so is the Holy Spirit--the gift of God to those who obey him."
And now, under spiritual constraint, I am here on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, Except that in town after town the Holy Spirit plainly declares to me that imprisonment and troubles await me.
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus, the Christ, for the sake of you Gentiles-- For you have heard, I suppose, of the responsible charge with which God entrusted me for your benefit, And also that it was by direct revelation that the hidden purpose of God was made known to me, as I have already briefly told you. read more.
And, by reading what I have written, you will be able to judge how far I understand this hidden purpose of God in Christ. In former generations it was not made known to mankind, as fully as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to the Apostles and Prophets among Christ's People--
And, by reading what I have written, you will be able to judge how far I understand this hidden purpose of God in Christ. In former generations it was not made known to mankind, as fully as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to the Apostles and Prophets among Christ's People--
We have also the testimony of the Holy Spirit. For, after saying--
Verse Concepts
Who is he that conquers the world but the man who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? He it is whose Coming was attested by means of Water and Blood--Jesus Christ himself; not by Water only, but by Water and by Blood. And there is the Spirit also to bear testimony, and the Spirit is Truth itself. It is a three-fold testimony--
Holy spirit » What the holy spirit is
He it is whose Coming was attested by means of Water and Blood--Jesus Christ himself; not by Water only, but by Water and by Blood. And there is the Spirit also to bear testimony, and the Spirit is Truth itself.
Verse Concepts
"Whoever loves me," Jesus answered, " will lay my Message to heart; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. He who does not love me will not lay my Message to heart; and the Message to which you are listening is not my own, but that of the Father who sent me. I have told you all this while still with you, read more.
But the Helper--the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my Name--he will teach you all things, and will recall to your minds all that I have said to you.
But the Helper--the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my Name--he will teach you all things, and will recall to your minds all that I have said to you.
But, when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of Truth, who comes from the Father--he will bear testimony to me; Yes, and you also are to bear testimony, because you have been with me from the first.
The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, whom you put to death by hanging him on a cross. It is this Jesus whom God has exalted to his right hand, to be a Guide and a Savior, to give Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. And we are witness to the truth of this, and so is the Holy Spirit--the gift of God to those who obey him."
We have also the testimony of the Holy Spirit. For, after saying--
Verse Concepts
Holy spirit » As the witness
We accept the testimony of men, but God's testimony is still stronger; and there is the testimony of God--the fact that he has already borne testimony about his Son.
Verse Concepts
We have also the testimony of the Holy Spirit. For, after saying--
Verse Concepts
Law » What the law cannot do
(for the Law never brought anything to perfection); and, on the other hand, we have the introduction of a better hope, which enables us to draw near to God.
Verse Concepts
There is, therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in union with Christ Jesus; For through your union with Christ Jesus, the Law of the life- giving Spirit has set you free from the Law of Sin and Death. What Law could not do, in so far as our earthly nature weakened its action, God did, by sending his own Son, with a nature resembling our sinful nature, to atone for sin. He condemned sin in that earthly nature, read more.
So that the requirements of the Law might be satisfied in us who live now in obedience, not to our earthly nature, but to the Spirit.
So that the requirements of the Law might be satisfied in us who live now in obedience, not to our earthly nature, but to the Spirit.
So we placed our faith in Christ Jesus, in order that we might be pronounced righteous, as the result of faith in Christ, and not of obedience to Law; for such obedience 'will not result in even one soul's being pronounced righteous.'
Verse Concepts
For 'no human being will be pronounced righteous before God' as the result of obedience to Law; for it is Law that shows what sin is.
Verse Concepts
That our children have had this promise completely fulfilled to them by God, by his raising Jesus. That is just what is said in the second Psalm--'Thou art my Son; this day I have become thy Father.' As to his raising Jesus from the dead, never again to return to corruption, this is what is said--'I will give to you the sacred promises made to David;' And, therefore, in another Psalm it is said--'Thou wilt not give up the Holy One to undergo corruption.' read more.
David, after obediently doing God's will in his own time, 'fell asleep and was laid by the side of his ancestors, and did undergo corruption; But Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, did not undergo corruption. I would, therefore, have you know, brothers, that through Jesus forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you, And that, in union with him, every one who believes in him is absolved from every sin from which under the Law of Moses you could not be absolved.
David, after obediently doing God's will in his own time, 'fell asleep and was laid by the side of his ancestors, and did undergo corruption; But Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, did not undergo corruption. I would, therefore, have you know, brothers, that through Jesus forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you, And that, in union with him, every one who believes in him is absolved from every sin from which under the Law of Moses you could not be absolved.
It is just as it was with Abraham--'He had faith in God, and his faith was regarded by God as righteousness.' You see, then, that those whose lives are based on faith are the Sons of Abraham. And Scripture, foreseeing that God would pronounce the Gentiles righteous as the result of faith, foretold the Good News to Abraham in the words--'Through thee all the Gentiles shall be blessed.' read more.
And, therefore, those whose lives are based on faith share the blessings bestowed upon the faith of Abraham. All who rely upon obedience to Law are under a curse, for Scripture says--'Cursed is every one who does not abide by all that is written in the Book of the Law, and do it.' Again, it is evident that no one is pronounced righteous before God through Law, for we read--'Through faith the righteous man shall find Life.'
And, therefore, those whose lives are based on faith share the blessings bestowed upon the faith of Abraham. All who rely upon obedience to Law are under a curse, for Scripture says--'Cursed is every one who does not abide by all that is written in the Book of the Law, and do it.' Again, it is evident that no one is pronounced righteous before God through Law, for we read--'Through faith the righteous man shall find Life.'
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. Otherwise, would not the offering of these sacrifices have been abandoned, as the worshipers, having been once purified, would have had their consciences clear from sins? But, on the contrary, these sacrifices recall their sins to mind year after year. read more.
For the blood of bulls and goats is powerless to remove sins. That is why, when he was coming into the world, the Christ declared-- 'Sacrifice and offering thou dost not desire, but thou dost provide for me a body; Thou dost take no pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. So I said, "See, I have come' (as is written of me in the pages of the Book), "To do thy will, O God."' First come the words-- 'Thou dost not desire, nor dost thou take pleasure in, sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sacrifices for sin' (offerings regularly made under the Law), and then there is added-- 'See, I have come to do thy will.' The former sacrifices are set aside to be replaced by the latter. And it is in the fulfillment of the will of God that we have been purified by the sacrifice, once and for all, of the body of Jesus Christ. 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. But, this priest, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, which should serve for all time, 'took his seat at the right hand of God,' and has since then been waiting 'for his enemies to be put as a stool for his feet.' By a single offering he has made perfect for all time those who are being purified. We have also the testimony of the Holy Spirit. For, after saying--
For the blood of bulls and goats is powerless to remove sins. That is why, when he was coming into the world, the Christ declared-- 'Sacrifice and offering thou dost not desire, but thou dost provide for me a body; Thou dost take no pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. So I said, "See, I have come' (as is written of me in the pages of the Book), "To do thy will, O God."' First come the words-- 'Thou dost not desire, nor dost thou take pleasure in, sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sacrifices for sin' (offerings regularly made under the Law), and then there is added-- 'See, I have come to do thy will.' The former sacrifices are set aside to be replaced by the latter. And it is in the fulfillment of the will of God that we have been purified by the sacrifice, once and for all, of the body of Jesus Christ. 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. But, this priest, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, which should serve for all time, 'took his seat at the right hand of God,' and has since then been waiting 'for his enemies to be put as a stool for his feet.' By a single offering he has made perfect for all time those who are being purified. We have also the testimony of the Holy Spirit. For, after saying--
Types » Of the saviour » The sacrifices
but by precious blood, as it were of a lamb, unblemished and spotless, the Blood of Christ.
Verse Concepts
The bodies of those animals whose blood is brought by the High Priest into the Sanctuary, as an offering for sin, are burnt outside the camp. And so Jesus, also, to purify the People by his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go out to him 'outside the camp,' bearing the same reproaches as he;
How much worse then, think you, will be the punishment deserved by those who have trampled underfoot the Son of God, who have treated the blood that rendered the Covenant valid--the very blood by which they were purified--as of no account, and who have outraged the Spirit of Love?
Verse Concepts
Then, within the space between the throne and the four Creatures, and in the midst of the Councillors, I saw, standing, a Lamb, which seemed to have been sacrificed. It had seven horns and seven eyes. (These eyes are the seven Spirits of God, and they are sent into all the world.)
Verse Concepts
but into the inner only the High Priest goes, and that but once a year, and never without taking the blood of a victim, which he offers on his own behalf, and on behalf of the errors of the People. By this the Holy Spirit is teaching that the way into the Sanctuary was hidden, as long as the outer part of the Tabernacle still remained. For that was only a type, to continue down to the present time; and, in keeping with it, both gifts and sacrifices are offered, though incapable of satisfying the conscience of the worshiper; read more.
the whole system being concerned only with food and drink and various ablutions--external ceremonials imposed until the coming of the New Order. But, when Christ came, he appeared as High Priest of that Better System which was established; and he entered through that nobler and more perfect 'Tabernacle,' not made by human hands--that is to say, not a part of this present creation. Nor was it with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, that he entered, once and for all, into the Sanctuary, and obtained our eternal deliverance. For, if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, purify those who have been defiled (as far as ceremonial purification goes), how much more will the blood of the Christ, who, through his eternal Spirit, offered himself up to God, as a victim without blemish, purify our consciences from a lifeless formality, and fit us for the service of the Living God! And that is why he is the intermediary of a new Covenant; in order that, as a death has taken place to effect a deliverance from the offenses committed under the first Covenant, those who have received the Call may obtain the eternal inheritance promised to them.
the whole system being concerned only with food and drink and various ablutions--external ceremonials imposed until the coming of the New Order. But, when Christ came, he appeared as High Priest of that Better System which was established; and he entered through that nobler and more perfect 'Tabernacle,' not made by human hands--that is to say, not a part of this present creation. Nor was it with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, that he entered, once and for all, into the Sanctuary, and obtained our eternal deliverance. For, if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, purify those who have been defiled (as far as ceremonial purification goes), how much more will the blood of the Christ, who, through his eternal Spirit, offered himself up to God, as a victim without blemish, purify our consciences from a lifeless formality, and fit us for the service of the Living God! And that is why he is the intermediary of a new Covenant; in order that, as a death has taken place to effect a deliverance from the offenses committed under the first Covenant, those who have received the Call may obtain the eternal inheritance promised to them.
This explains why even the first Covenant was not ratified without the shedding of blood. For, when every command had been announced to all the people by Moses in accordance with the Law, he took the blood of the calves and of the goats, with water, scarlet wool, and a bunch of hyssop, and sprinkled even the Book of the Law, as well as all the people, saying, as he did so-- "This is the blood that renders valid the Covenant which God has commanded to be made with you." read more.
And in the same way he also sprinkled with the blood the Tabernacle and all the things that were used in public worship. Indeed, under the Law, almost everything is purified with blood; and, unless blood is shed, no forgiveness is to be obtained. While, then, it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly realities to be purified by such means as these, the heavenly realities themselves required better sacrifices. For it was not into a Sanctuary made by human hands, which merely foreshadowed the true one, that Christ entered, but into Heaven itself, that he might now appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor yet was it to offer himself may times, as year after year the High Priest entered the Sanctuary with an offering of blood--but not his own blood;
And in the same way he also sprinkled with the blood the Tabernacle and all the things that were used in public worship. Indeed, under the Law, almost everything is purified with blood; and, unless blood is shed, no forgiveness is to be obtained. While, then, it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly realities to be purified by such means as these, the heavenly realities themselves required better sacrifices. For it was not into a Sanctuary made by human hands, which merely foreshadowed the true one, that Christ entered, but into Heaven itself, that he might now appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor yet was it to offer himself may times, as year after year the High Priest entered the Sanctuary with an offering of blood--but not his own blood;
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. Otherwise, would not the offering of these sacrifices have been abandoned, as the worshipers, having been once purified, would have had their consciences clear from sins? But, on the contrary, these sacrifices recall their sins to mind year after year. read more.
For the blood of bulls and goats is powerless to remove sins. That is why, when he was coming into the world, the Christ declared-- 'Sacrifice and offering thou dost not desire, but thou dost provide for me a body; Thou dost take no pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. So I said, "See, I have come' (as is written of me in the pages of the Book), "To do thy will, O God."' First come the words-- 'Thou dost not desire, nor dost thou take pleasure in, sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sacrifices for sin' (offerings regularly made under the Law), and then there is added-- 'See, I have come to do thy will.' The former sacrifices are set aside to be replaced by the latter. And it is in the fulfillment of the will of God that we have been purified by the sacrifice, once and for all, of the body of Jesus Christ. 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. But, this priest, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, which should serve for all time, 'took his seat at the right hand of God,' and has since then been waiting 'for his enemies to be put as a stool for his feet.' By a single offering he has made perfect for all time those who are being purified. We have also the testimony of the Holy Spirit. For, after saying-- '"This is the Covenant that I will make with them after those days," says the Lord; "I will impress my laws on their hearts, and will inscribe them on their minds,"' then we have-- 'And their sins and their iniquities I will no longer remember.' And, when these are forgiven, there is no further need of an offering for sin. Therefore, Brothers, since we may enter the Sanctuary with confidence, in virtue of the blood of Jesus, by the way which he inaugurated for us--a new and living way, a way through the Sanctuary Curtain (that is, his human nature); and, since we have in him 'a great priest set over the House of God,' let us draw near to God in all sincerity of heart and in perfect faith, with our hearts purified by the sprinkled blood from all consciousness of wrong, and with our bodies washed with pure water.
For the blood of bulls and goats is powerless to remove sins. That is why, when he was coming into the world, the Christ declared-- 'Sacrifice and offering thou dost not desire, but thou dost provide for me a body; Thou dost take no pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. So I said, "See, I have come' (as is written of me in the pages of the Book), "To do thy will, O God."' First come the words-- 'Thou dost not desire, nor dost thou take pleasure in, sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sacrifices for sin' (offerings regularly made under the Law), and then there is added-- 'See, I have come to do thy will.' The former sacrifices are set aside to be replaced by the latter. And it is in the fulfillment of the will of God that we have been purified by the sacrifice, once and for all, of the body of Jesus Christ. 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. But, this priest, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, which should serve for all time, 'took his seat at the right hand of God,' and has since then been waiting 'for his enemies to be put as a stool for his feet.' By a single offering he has made perfect for all time those who are being purified. We have also the testimony of the Holy Spirit. For, after saying-- '"This is the Covenant that I will make with them after those days," says the Lord; "I will impress my laws on their hearts, and will inscribe them on their minds,"' then we have-- 'And their sins and their iniquities I will no longer remember.' And, when these are forgiven, there is no further need of an offering for sin. Therefore, Brothers, since we may enter the Sanctuary with confidence, in virtue of the blood of Jesus, by the way which he inaugurated for us--a new and living way, a way through the Sanctuary Curtain (that is, his human nature); and, since we have in him 'a great priest set over the House of God,' let us draw near to God in all sincerity of heart and in perfect faith, with our hearts purified by the sprinkled blood from all consciousness of wrong, and with our bodies washed with pure water.
Witness » The holy spirit witnessing
The Spirit himself unites with our spirits in bearing witness to our being God's children,
Verse Concepts
I am the True Vine, and my Father is the Vine-grower. Any unfruitful branch in me he takes away, and he cleanses every fruitful branch, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the Message that I have given you. read more.
Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. As a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains united to the vine; no more can you, unless you remain united to me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. He that remains united to me, while I remain united to him--he bears fruit plentifully; for you can do nothing apart from me. If any one does not remain united to me, he is thrown away, as a branch would be, and withers up. Such branches are collected and thrown into the fire, and are burnt. If you remain united to me, and my teaching remains in your hearts, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be yours. It is by your bearing fruit plentifully, and so showing yourselves my disciples, that my Father is honored. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; remain in my love. If you lay my commands to heart, you will remain in my love; just as I have laid the Father's commands to heart and remain in his love. I have told you all this so that my own joy may be yours, and that your joy may be complete. This is my command--Love one another, as I have loved you. No one can give greater proof of love than by laying down his life for his friends. And you are my friends, if you do what I command you. I no longer call you 'servants,' because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have given you the name of 'friends,' because I made known to you everything that I learned from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you, and I appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that should remain, so that the Father might grant you whatever you ask in my Name. I am giving you these commands that you may love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it has first hated me. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world--that is why the world hates you. Remember what I said to you--'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have laid my Message to heart, they will lay yours to heart also. But they will do all this to you, because you believe in my Name, for they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have had no sin to answer for; but as it is, they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them such work as no one else ever did, they would have had no sin to answer for; but, as it is, they have both seen and hated both me and my Father. And so is fulfilled what is said in their Law--'They hated me without cause.' But, when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of Truth, who comes from the Father--he will bear testimony to me; Yes, and you also are to bear testimony, because you have been with me from the first.
Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. As a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains united to the vine; no more can you, unless you remain united to me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. He that remains united to me, while I remain united to him--he bears fruit plentifully; for you can do nothing apart from me. If any one does not remain united to me, he is thrown away, as a branch would be, and withers up. Such branches are collected and thrown into the fire, and are burnt. If you remain united to me, and my teaching remains in your hearts, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be yours. It is by your bearing fruit plentifully, and so showing yourselves my disciples, that my Father is honored. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; remain in my love. If you lay my commands to heart, you will remain in my love; just as I have laid the Father's commands to heart and remain in his love. I have told you all this so that my own joy may be yours, and that your joy may be complete. This is my command--Love one another, as I have loved you. No one can give greater proof of love than by laying down his life for his friends. And you are my friends, if you do what I command you. I no longer call you 'servants,' because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have given you the name of 'friends,' because I made known to you everything that I learned from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you, and I appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that should remain, so that the Father might grant you whatever you ask in my Name. I am giving you these commands that you may love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it has first hated me. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world--that is why the world hates you. Remember what I said to you--'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have laid my Message to heart, they will lay yours to heart also. But they will do all this to you, because you believe in my Name, for they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have had no sin to answer for; but as it is, they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them such work as no one else ever did, they would have had no sin to answer for; but, as it is, they have both seen and hated both me and my Father. And so is fulfilled what is said in their Law--'They hated me without cause.' But, when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of Truth, who comes from the Father--he will bear testimony to me; Yes, and you also are to bear testimony, because you have been with me from the first.
The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, whom you put to death by hanging him on a cross. It is this Jesus whom God has exalted to his right hand, to be a Guide and a Savior, to give Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. And we are witness to the truth of this, and so is the Holy Spirit--the gift of God to those who obey him."
And now, under spiritual constraint, I am here on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, Except that in town after town the Holy Spirit plainly declares to me that imprisonment and troubles await me.
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus, the Christ, for the sake of you Gentiles-- For you have heard, I suppose, of the responsible charge with which God entrusted me for your benefit, And also that it was by direct revelation that the hidden purpose of God was made known to me, as I have already briefly told you. read more.
And, by reading what I have written, you will be able to judge how far I understand this hidden purpose of God in Christ. In former generations it was not made known to mankind, as fully as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to the Apostles and Prophets among Christ's People--
And, by reading what I have written, you will be able to judge how far I understand this hidden purpose of God in Christ. In former generations it was not made known to mankind, as fully as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to the Apostles and Prophets among Christ's People--
We have also the testimony of the Holy Spirit. For, after saying--
Verse Concepts
Who is he that conquers the world but the man who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? He it is whose Coming was attested by means of Water and Blood--Jesus Christ himself; not by Water only, but by Water and by Blood. And there is the Spirit also to bear testimony, and the Spirit is Truth itself. It is a three-fold testimony--
Witness of the holy ghost » Borne to Christ » As perfecting saints
By a single offering he has made perfect for all time those who are being purified. We have also the testimony of the Holy Spirit. For, after saying--