Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible



But when they have delivered you up, have no anxiety as to how you shall speak or what you shall say; for at that very time it shall be given you what to say; for it is not you who will speak: it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.







These twelve Jesus sent on a mission, after giving them their instructions: "Go not," He said, "among the Gentiles, and enter no Samaritan town; but, instead of that, go to the lost sheep of Israel's race. And as you go, preach and say, 'The Kingdom of the Heavens is close at hand.' read more.
Cure the sick, raise the dead to life, cleanse lepers, drive out demons: you have received without payment, give without payment. "Provide no gold, nor even silver nor copper to carry in your pockets; no bag for your journey, nor change of linen, nor shoes, nor stick; for the labourer deserves his food. "Whatever town or village you enter, inquire for some good man; and make his house your home till you leave the place. When you enter the house, salute it; and if the house deserves it, the peace you invoke shall come upon it. If not, your peace shall return to you. And whoever refuses to receive you or even to listen to your Message, as you leave that house or town, shake off the very dust from your feet. I solemnly tell you that it will be more endurable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of Judgement than for that town. "Remember it is I who am sending you out, as sheep into the midst of wolves; prove yourselves as sagacious as serpents, and as innocent as doves. But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to appear before Sanhedrins, and will flog you in their synagogues; and you will even be put on trial before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles. But when they have delivered you up, have no anxiety as to how you shall speak or what you shall say; for at that very time it shall be given you what to say; for it is not you who will speak: it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and father, child; and children will rise against their own parents and will put them to death. And you will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; but he who holds out to the End--he will be saved. Whenever they persecute you in one town, escape to the next; for I solemnly tell you that you will not have gone the round of all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. "The learner is never superior to his teacher, and the servant is never superior to his master. Enough for the learner to be on a level with his teacher, and for the servant to be on a level with his master. If they have called the master of the house Baal-zebul, how much more will they slander his servants? Fear them not, however; there is nothing veiled which will not be uncovered, nor secret which will not become known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what is whispered into your ear, proclaim upon the roofs of the houses. "And do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Do not two sparrows sell for a halfpenny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's leave. But as for you, the very hairs on your heads are all numbered. Away then with fear; you are more precious than a multitude of sparrows. "Every man who acknowledges me before men I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in Heaven. But whoever disowns me before men I also will disown before my Father who is in Heaven. "Do not suppose that I came to bring peace to the earth: I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's own family will be his foes. Any one who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and any one who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and any one who does not take up his cross and follow where I lead is not worthy of me. To save your life is to lose it, and to lose your life for my sake is to save it. "Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives Him who sent me. Every one who receives a prophet, because he is a prophet, will receive a prophet's reward, and every one who receives a righteous man, because he is a righteous man, will receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink because he is a disciple, I solemnly tell you that he will not lose his reward."

But wherever they will not receive you or listen to you, when you leave shake off the very dust from under your feet to bear witness concerning them." Verse ConceptsGesturesFeetHospitality, A Duty Of God's PeopleOpportunities, And SalvationWiping DustPeople Abandoning Peoplefatedustwelcome

After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them before Him, by twos, to go to every town or place which He Himself intended to visit. And He addressed them thus: "The harvest is abundant, but the reapers are few: therefore entreat the Owner of the harvest to send out more reapers into His fields. And now go. Remember that I am sending you out as lambs into the midst of wolves. read more.
Carry no purse, bag, nor change of shoes; and salute no one on your way." "Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!' And if there is a lover of peace there, your peace shall rest upon it; otherwise come back upon you. And in that same house stay, eating and drinking at their table; for the labourer deserves his wages. Do not move from one house to another. "And whatever town you come to and they receive you, eat what they put before you. Cure the sick in that town, and tell them, "'The Kingdom of God is now at your door.' "But whatever town you come to and they will not receive you, go out into the broader streets and say, "'The very dust of your town that hangs about us we wipe off as a protest. Only be sure of this, that the Kingdom of God is close at hand.' "I tell you that it will be more endurable for Sodom on the great day than for that town. "Alas for thee, Chorazin! Alas for thee, Bethsaida! For had the miracles been performed in Tyre and Sidon which have been performed in you, long ere now they would have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. However, for Tyre and Sidon it will be more endurable at the Judgement than for you. And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be lifted high as Heaven? Thou shalt be driven down as low as Hades. "He who listens to you listens to me; and he who disregards you disregards me, and he who disregards me disregards Him who sent me."

This is the charge which I entrust to you, my son Timothy, in accordance with the inspired instructions concerning you which were given me long ago, that being equipped with them as your armour you may be continually fighting the good fight, holding fast to faith and a clear conscience, which some have cast aside and have made shipwreck of their faith. Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

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Never administer a sharp reprimand to a man older than yourself; but entreat him as if he were your father, and the younger men as brothers; the elder women too as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, with perfect modesty. Honour widows who are really in need. read more.
But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let these learn first to show piety towards their own homes and to prove their gratitude to their parents; for this is well pleasing in the sight of God. A widow who is really in need, friendless and desolate, has her hopes fixed on God, and continues at her supplications and prayers, night and day; but a pleasure-loving widow is dead even while still alive. Press these facts upon them, so that they may live lives free from reproach. But if a man makes no provision for those dependent on him, and especially for his own family, he has disowned the faith and is behaving worse than an unbeliever. No widow is to be put on the roll who is under sixty years of age. She must have been true to her one husband, and well reported of for good deeds, as having brought up children, received strangers hospitably, washed the feet of God's people, given relief to the distressed, and devoted herself to good works of every kind. But the younger widows you must not enrol; for as soon as they begin to chafe against the yoke of Christ, they want to marry, and they incur disapproval for having broken their original vow. And at the same time they also learn to be idle as they go round from house to house; and they are not only idle, but are gossips also and busybodies, speaking of things that ought not to be spoken of. I would therefore have the younger women marry, bear children, rule in domestic matters, and furnish the Adversary with no excuse for slander. For already some of them have gone astray, following Satan. If a believing woman has widows dependent on her, she should relieve their wants, and save the Church from being burdened--so that the Church may relieve the widows who are really in need. Let the Elders who perform their duties wisely and well be held worthy of double honour, especially those who labour in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, "You are not to muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain;" and the workman deserves his pay. Never entertain an accusation against an Elder except on the evidence of two of three witnesses. Those who persist in sin reprove in the presence of all, so that it may also be a warning to the rest. I solemnly call upon you, in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, to carry out these instructions of mine without prejudice, and to do nothing from partiality. Do not ordain any one hastily; and do not be a partaker in the sins of others; keep *yourself* pure.

For this reason let me remind you to rekindle God's gift which is yours through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit which God has given us is not a spirit of cowardice, but one of power and of love and of sound judgement. Do not be ashamed then to bear witness for our Lord and for me His prisoner; but rather share suffering with me in the service of the Good News, strengthened by the power of God. read more.
For He saved us and called us with a holy call, not in accordance with our desserts, but in accordance with His own purpose and the free grace which He bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before the commencement of the Ages, but which has now been plainly revealed through the Appearing of our Saviour, Christ Jesus. He has put an end to death and has brought Life and Immortality to light through the Good News, of which I have been appointed a preacher, Apostle and teacher, to the Gentiles. That indeed is the reason why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know in whom my trust reposes, and I am confident that He has it in His power to keep what I have entrusted to Him safe until that day. Provide yourself with an outline of the sound teaching which you have heard from my lips, and be true to the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

I solemnly implore you, in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is about to judge the living and the dead, and by His Appearing and His Kingship: proclaim God's message, be zealous in season and out of season; convince, rebuke, encourage, with the utmost patience as a teacher. For a time is coming when they will not tolerate wholesome instruction, but, wanting to have their ears tickled, they will find a multitude of teachers to satisfy their own fancies; read more.
and will turn away from listening to the truth and will turn aside to fables. But as for you, you must exercise habitual self-control, and not live a self-indulgent life, but do the duty of an evangelist and fully discharge the obligations of your office. I for my part am like a drink-offering which is already being poured out; and the time for my departure is now close at hand. I have gone through the glorious contest; I have run the race; I have guarded the faith. From this time onward there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who love the thought of His Appearing.

But upon their opposing him with abusive language, he shook his clothes by way of protest, and said to them, "Your ruin will be upon your own heads. I am not responsible: in future I will go among the Gentiles." Verse ConceptsGentiles, In NtConfrontationBlood, as symbol of guiltInsultsSpiritual Warfare, Causes OfAbuse, To God's PeopleRejection Of God's CallShakingName CallingThe Gentiles ConversionPreaching Gospel To ForeignersResponsibility For Blood ShedPeople Abandoning PeopleBlasphemy



And whoever refuses to receive you or even to listen to your Message, as you leave that house or town, shake off the very dust from your feet. I solemnly tell you that it will be more endurable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of Judgement than for that town. "Remember it is I who am sending you out, as sheep into the midst of wolves; prove yourselves as sagacious as serpents, and as innocent as doves. read more.
But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to appear before Sanhedrins, and will flog you in their synagogues; and you will even be put on trial before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles. But when they have delivered you up, have no anxiety as to how you shall speak or what you shall say; for at that very time it shall be given you what to say; for it is not you who will speak: it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and father, child; and children will rise against their own parents and will put them to death. And you will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; but he who holds out to the End--he will be saved. Whenever they persecute you in one town, escape to the next; for I solemnly tell you that you will not have gone the round of all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. "The learner is never superior to his teacher, and the servant is never superior to his master. Enough for the learner to be on a level with his teacher, and for the servant to be on a level with his master. If they have called the master of the house Baal-zebul, how much more will they slander his servants? Fear them not, however; there is nothing veiled which will not be uncovered, nor secret which will not become known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what is whispered into your ear, proclaim upon the roofs of the houses. "And do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Do not two sparrows sell for a halfpenny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's leave. But as for you, the very hairs on your heads are all numbered. Away then with fear; you are more precious than a multitude of sparrows. "Every man who acknowledges me before men I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in Heaven. But whoever disowns me before men I also will disown before my Father who is in Heaven. "Do not suppose that I came to bring peace to the earth: I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's own family will be his foes. Any one who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and any one who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and any one who does not take up his cross and follow where I lead is not worthy of me. To save your life is to lose it, and to lose your life for my sake is to save it. "Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives Him who sent me.

Therefore I protest to you to-day that I am not responsible for the ruin of any one of you. For I have not shrunk from declaring to you God's whole truth.

"Remember it is I who am sending you out, as sheep into the midst of wolves; prove yourselves as sagacious as serpents, and as innocent as doves. But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to appear before Sanhedrins, and will flog you in their synagogues; and you will even be put on trial before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles. read more.
But when they have delivered you up, have no anxiety as to how you shall speak or what you shall say; for at that very time it shall be given you what to say; for it is not you who will speak: it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and father, child; and children will rise against their own parents and will put them to death. And you will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; but he who holds out to the End--he will be saved. Whenever they persecute you in one town, escape to the next; for I solemnly tell you that you will not have gone the round of all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name. Then will many stumble and fall, and they will betray one another and hate one another. read more.
Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes astray; and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold; but those who stand firm to the End shall be saved.

You however have remained with me amid my trials; and I covenant to give you, as my Father has covenanted to give me, a Kingdom-- so that you shall eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and sit on thrones as judges over the twelve tribes of Israel.

"Remember it is I who am sending you out, as sheep into the midst of wolves; prove yourselves as sagacious as serpents, and as innocent as doves. But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to appear before Sanhedrins, and will flog you in their synagogues; and you will even be put on trial before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles. read more.
But when they have delivered you up, have no anxiety as to how you shall speak or what you shall say; for at that very time it shall be given you what to say; for it is not you who will speak: it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and father, child; and children will rise against their own parents and will put them to death. And you will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; but he who holds out to the End--he will be saved.

"Brother will betray brother to be killed, and fathers will betray children; and children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name, but those who stand firm to the End will be saved.

"Remember it is I who am sending you out, as sheep into the midst of wolves; prove yourselves as sagacious as serpents, and as innocent as doves. But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to appear before Sanhedrins, and will flog you in their synagogues; and you will even be put on trial before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles. read more.
But when they have delivered you up, have no anxiety as to how you shall speak or what you shall say; for at that very time it shall be given you what to say; for it is not you who will speak: it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and father, child; and children will rise against their own parents and will put them to death. And you will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; but he who holds out to the End--he will be saved.

Jesus had left the Temple and was going on His way, when His disciples came and called His attention to the Temple buildings. "You see all these?" He replied; "in solemn truth I tell you that there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be pulled down." Afterwards He was on the Mount of Olives and was seated there when the disciples came to Him, apart from the others, and said, "Tell us when this will be; and what will be the sign of your Coming and of the Close of the Age?" read more.
"Take care that no one misleads you," answered Jesus; "for many will come assuming my name and saying 'I am the Christ;' and they will mislead many. And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name.

As He was leaving the Temple, one of His disciples exclaimed, "Look, Rabbi, what wonderful stones! what wonderful buildings!" "You see all these great buildings?" Jesus replied; "not one stone will be left here upon another--not thrown down." He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite to the Temple, when Peter, James, John, and Andrew, apart from the others asked Him, read more.
"Tell us, When will these things be? and what will be the sign when all these predictions are on the point of being fulfilled?" So Jesus began to say to them: "Take care that no one misleads you. Many will come assuming my name and saying, 'I am He;' and they will mislead many. But when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed: come they must, but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "You yourselves must be on your guard. They will deliver you up to Sanhedrins; you will be brought into synagogues and cruelly beaten; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to be witnesses to them for me. But the proclamation of the Good News must be carried to all the Gentiles before the End comes. When however they are marching you along under arrest, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but speak what is given you when the time comes; for it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. "Brother will betray brother to be killed, and fathers will betray children; and children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name, but those who stand firm to the End will be saved.

When some were remarking about the Temple, how it was embellished with beautiful stones and dedicated gifts, He said, "As to these things which you now admire, the time is coming when there will not be one stone left here upon another which will not be pulled down." "Rabbi, when will this be?" they asked Him, "and what will be the token given when these things are about to take place?" read more.
"See to it," He replied, "that you are not misled; for many will come assuming my name and professing, 'I am He,' or saying, 'The time is close at hand.' Do not go and follow them. But when you hear of wars and turmoils, be not afraid; for these things must happen first, but the end does not come immediately." Then He said to them, "Nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be great earthquakes, and in places famines and pestilence; and there will be terrible sights and wonderful tokens from Heaven. "But before all these things happen they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you up to synagogues and to prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my sake. In the end all this will be evidence of your fidelity. "Make up your minds, however, not to prepare a defence beforehand, for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to withstand or reply to. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, friends; and some of you they will put to death. You will be the objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name;

"I am the Vine--the True Vine, and my Father is the vine-dresser. Every branch in me--if it bears no fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are cleansed--through the teaching which I have given you. read more.
Continue in me, and let me continue in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself--that is, if it does not continue in the vine--so neither can you if you do not continue in me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who continues in me and in whom I continue bears abundant fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If any one does not continue in me, he is like the unfruitful branch which is at once thrown away and then withers up. Such branches they gather up and throw into the fire and they are burned. "If you continue in me and my sayings continue in you, ask what you will and it shall be done for you. By this is God glorified--by your bearing abundant fruit and thus being true disciples of mine. As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you: continue in my love. If you obey my commands, you will continue in my love, as I have obeyed my Father's commands and continue in His love. "These things I have spoken to you in order that I may have joy in you, and that your joy may become perfect. This is my commandment to you, to love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this--a man laying down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because all that I have heard from the Father I have made known to you. It is not you who chose me, but it is I who chose you and appointed you that you might go and be fruitful and that your fruit might remain; so that whatever petition you present to the Father in my name He may give you. "Thus I command you to love one another. If the world hates you, remember that it has first had me as the fixed object of its hatred. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own property. But because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world--for that reason the world hates you.

When Jesus had thus spoken, He raised his eyes towards Heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Thy Son that the Son may glorify Thee; even as Thou hast given Him authority over all mankind, so that on all whom Thou hast given Him He may bestow the Life of the Ages. And in this consists the Life of the Ages--in knowing Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. read more.
I have glorified Thee on earth, having done perfectly the work which by Thine appointment has been mine to do. And now, Father, do Thou glorify me in Thine own presence, with the glory that I had in Thy presence before the world existed. "I have revealed Thy perfections to the men whom Thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they were, and Thou gavest them to me, and they have obeyed Thy message. Now they know that whatever Thou hast given me is from Thee. For the truths which Thou didst teach me I have taught them. And they have received them, and have known for certain that I came out from Thy presence, and have believed that Thou didst send me. "I am making request for them: for the world I do not make any request, but for those whom Thou hast given me. Because they are Thine, and everything that is mine is Thine, and everything that is Thine is mine; and I am crowned with glory in them. I am now no longer in the world, but they are in the world and I am coming to Thee. "Holy Father, keep them true to Thy name--the name which Thou hast given me to bear--that they may be one, even as we are. While I was with them, I kept them true to Thy name--the name Thou hast given me to bear--and I kept watch over them, and not one of them is lost but only he who is doomed to destruction--that the Scripture may be fulfilled. "But now I am coming to Thee, and I speak these words while I am in the world, in order that they may have my gladness within them filling their hearts. I have given them Thy Message, and the world has hated them, because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.

For this is the Message you have heard from the beginning--that we are to love one another. We are not to resemble Cain, who was a child of the Evil one and killed his own brother. And why did he kill him? Because his own actions were wicked and his brother's actions righteous. Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.


But when they have delivered you up, have no anxiety as to how you shall speak or what you shall say; for at that very time it shall be given you what to say; for it is not you who will speak: it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.






And when they are bringing you before synagogues and magistrates and governors, do not anxiously ponder the manner or matter of your defence, nor what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit shall teach you at that very moment what you must say."

"But before all these things happen they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you up to synagogues and to prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my sake. In the end all this will be evidence of your fidelity. "Make up your minds, however, not to prepare a defence beforehand, read more.
for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to withstand or reply to.

And in the written word of prophecy we have something more permanent; to which you do well to pay attention--as to a lamp shining in a dimly-lighted place--until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. But, above all, remember that no prophecy in Scripture will be found to have come from the prophet's own prompting; for never did any prophecy come by human will, but men sent by God spoke as they were impelled by the Holy Spirit.









God, it seems to me, has exhibited us Apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; for we have come to be a spectacle to all creation--alike to angels and to men. We, for Christ's sake, are labeled as "foolish"; you, as Christians, are men of shrewd intelligence. We are mere weaklings: you are strong. You are in high repute: we are outcasts. To this very moment we endure both hunger and thirst, with scanty clothing and many a blow. read more.
Homes we have none. Wearily we toil, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we bear it patiently; when slandered, we try to conciliate. We have come to be regarded as the mere dirt and filth of the world--the refuse of the universe, even to this hour.

As He was leaving the Temple, one of His disciples exclaimed, "Look, Rabbi, what wonderful stones! what wonderful buildings!" "You see all these great buildings?" Jesus replied; "not one stone will be left here upon another--not thrown down." He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite to the Temple, when Peter, James, John, and Andrew, apart from the others asked Him, read more.
"Tell us, When will these things be? and what will be the sign when all these predictions are on the point of being fulfilled?" So Jesus began to say to them: "Take care that no one misleads you. Many will come assuming my name and saying, 'I am He;' and they will mislead many. But when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed: come they must, but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "You yourselves must be on your guard. They will deliver you up to Sanhedrins; you will be brought into synagogues and cruelly beaten; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to be witnesses to them for me. But the proclamation of the Good News must be carried to all the Gentiles before the End comes. When however they are marching you along under arrest, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but speak what is given you when the time comes; for it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. "Brother will betray brother to be killed, and fathers will betray children; and children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name, but those who stand firm to the End will be saved.

"Remember it is I who am sending you out, as sheep into the midst of wolves; prove yourselves as sagacious as serpents, and as innocent as doves. But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to appear before Sanhedrins, and will flog you in their synagogues; and you will even be put on trial before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles. read more.
But when they have delivered you up, have no anxiety as to how you shall speak or what you shall say; for at that very time it shall be given you what to say; for it is not you who will speak: it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and father, child; and children will rise against their own parents and will put them to death. And you will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; but he who holds out to the End--he will be saved. Whenever they persecute you in one town, escape to the next; for I solemnly tell you that you will not have gone the round of all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. "The learner is never superior to his teacher, and the servant is never superior to his master. Enough for the learner to be on a level with his teacher, and for the servant to be on a level with his master. If they have called the master of the house Baal-zebul, how much more will they slander his servants?

Jesus had left the Temple and was going on His way, when His disciples came and called His attention to the Temple buildings. "You see all these?" He replied; "in solemn truth I tell you that there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be pulled down." Afterwards He was on the Mount of Olives and was seated there when the disciples came to Him, apart from the others, and said, "Tell us when this will be; and what will be the sign of your Coming and of the Close of the Age?" read more.
"Take care that no one misleads you," answered Jesus; "for many will come assuming my name and saying 'I am the Christ;' and they will mislead many. And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name. Then will many stumble and fall, and they will betray one another and hate one another.

When some were remarking about the Temple, how it was embellished with beautiful stones and dedicated gifts, He said, "As to these things which you now admire, the time is coming when there will not be one stone left here upon another which will not be pulled down." "Rabbi, when will this be?" they asked Him, "and what will be the token given when these things are about to take place?" read more.
"See to it," He replied, "that you are not misled; for many will come assuming my name and professing, 'I am He,' or saying, 'The time is close at hand.' Do not go and follow them. But when you hear of wars and turmoils, be not afraid; for these things must happen first, but the end does not come immediately." Then He said to them, "Nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be great earthquakes, and in places famines and pestilence; and there will be terrible sights and wonderful tokens from Heaven. "But before all these things happen they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you up to synagogues and to prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my sake. In the end all this will be evidence of your fidelity. "Make up your minds, however, not to prepare a defence beforehand, for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to withstand or reply to. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, friends; and some of you they will put to death. You will be the objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; and yet not a hair of your heads shall perish. By your patient endurance you will purchase your lives.

"I am the Vine--the True Vine, and my Father is the vine-dresser. Every branch in me--if it bears no fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are cleansed--through the teaching which I have given you. read more.
Continue in me, and let me continue in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself--that is, if it does not continue in the vine--so neither can you if you do not continue in me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who continues in me and in whom I continue bears abundant fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If any one does not continue in me, he is like the unfruitful branch which is at once thrown away and then withers up. Such branches they gather up and throw into the fire and they are burned. "If you continue in me and my sayings continue in you, ask what you will and it shall be done for you. By this is God glorified--by your bearing abundant fruit and thus being true disciples of mine. As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you: continue in my love. If you obey my commands, you will continue in my love, as I have obeyed my Father's commands and continue in His love. "These things I have spoken to you in order that I may have joy in you, and that your joy may become perfect. This is my commandment to you, to love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this--a man laying down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because all that I have heard from the Father I have made known to you. It is not you who chose me, but it is I who chose you and appointed you that you might go and be fruitful and that your fruit might remain; so that whatever petition you present to the Father in my name He may give you. "Thus I command you to love one another. If the world hates you, remember that it has first had me as the fixed object of its hatred. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own property. But because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world--for that reason the world hates you. Bear in mind what I said to you, 'A servant is not superior to his master.' If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they have obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

"These things I have spoken to you in order to clear stumbling-blocks out of your path. You will be excluded from the synagogues; nay more, the time is coming when any one who has murdered one of you will suppose he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have failed to recognize the Father and to discover who I am. read more.
But I have spoken these things to you in order that when the time for their accomplishment comes you may remember them, and may recollect that I told you. I did not, however, tell you all this at first, because I was still with you.









But when they have delivered you up, have no anxiety as to how you shall speak or what you shall say; for at that very time it shall be given you what to say; for it is not you who will speak: it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.






And when they are bringing you before synagogues and magistrates and governors, do not anxiously ponder the manner or matter of your defence, nor what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit shall teach you at that very moment what you must say."

"But before all these things happen they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you up to synagogues and to prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my sake. In the end all this will be evidence of your fidelity. "Make up your minds, however, not to prepare a defence beforehand, read more.
for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to withstand or reply to.

And in the written word of prophecy we have something more permanent; to which you do well to pay attention--as to a lamp shining in a dimly-lighted place--until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. But, above all, remember that no prophecy in Scripture will be found to have come from the prophet's own prompting; for never did any prophecy come by human will, but men sent by God spoke as they were impelled by the Holy Spirit.

"Remember it is I who am sending you out, as sheep into the midst of wolves; prove yourselves as sagacious as serpents, and as innocent as doves. But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to appear before Sanhedrins, and will flog you in their synagogues; and you will even be put on trial before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles. read more.
But when they have delivered you up, have no anxiety as to how you shall speak or what you shall say; for at that very time it shall be given you what to say; for it is not you who will speak: it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and father, child; and children will rise against their own parents and will put them to death. And you will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; but he who holds out to the End--he will be saved.

Jesus had left the Temple and was going on His way, when His disciples came and called His attention to the Temple buildings. "You see all these?" He replied; "in solemn truth I tell you that there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be pulled down." Afterwards He was on the Mount of Olives and was seated there when the disciples came to Him, apart from the others, and said, "Tell us when this will be; and what will be the sign of your Coming and of the Close of the Age?" read more.
"Take care that no one misleads you," answered Jesus; "for many will come assuming my name and saying 'I am the Christ;' and they will mislead many. And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name.

As He was leaving the Temple, one of His disciples exclaimed, "Look, Rabbi, what wonderful stones! what wonderful buildings!" "You see all these great buildings?" Jesus replied; "not one stone will be left here upon another--not thrown down." He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite to the Temple, when Peter, James, John, and Andrew, apart from the others asked Him, read more.
"Tell us, When will these things be? and what will be the sign when all these predictions are on the point of being fulfilled?" So Jesus began to say to them: "Take care that no one misleads you. Many will come assuming my name and saying, 'I am He;' and they will mislead many. But when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed: come they must, but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "You yourselves must be on your guard. They will deliver you up to Sanhedrins; you will be brought into synagogues and cruelly beaten; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to be witnesses to them for me. But the proclamation of the Good News must be carried to all the Gentiles before the End comes. When however they are marching you along under arrest, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but speak what is given you when the time comes; for it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. "Brother will betray brother to be killed, and fathers will betray children; and children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name, but those who stand firm to the End will be saved.

When some were remarking about the Temple, how it was embellished with beautiful stones and dedicated gifts, He said, "As to these things which you now admire, the time is coming when there will not be one stone left here upon another which will not be pulled down." "Rabbi, when will this be?" they asked Him, "and what will be the token given when these things are about to take place?" read more.
"See to it," He replied, "that you are not misled; for many will come assuming my name and professing, 'I am He,' or saying, 'The time is close at hand.' Do not go and follow them. But when you hear of wars and turmoils, be not afraid; for these things must happen first, but the end does not come immediately." Then He said to them, "Nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be great earthquakes, and in places famines and pestilence; and there will be terrible sights and wonderful tokens from Heaven. "But before all these things happen they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you up to synagogues and to prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my sake. In the end all this will be evidence of your fidelity. "Make up your minds, however, not to prepare a defence beforehand, for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to withstand or reply to. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, friends; and some of you they will put to death. You will be the objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name;

"I am the Vine--the True Vine, and my Father is the vine-dresser. Every branch in me--if it bears no fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are cleansed--through the teaching which I have given you. read more.
Continue in me, and let me continue in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself--that is, if it does not continue in the vine--so neither can you if you do not continue in me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who continues in me and in whom I continue bears abundant fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If any one does not continue in me, he is like the unfruitful branch which is at once thrown away and then withers up. Such branches they gather up and throw into the fire and they are burned. "If you continue in me and my sayings continue in you, ask what you will and it shall be done for you. By this is God glorified--by your bearing abundant fruit and thus being true disciples of mine. As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you: continue in my love. If you obey my commands, you will continue in my love, as I have obeyed my Father's commands and continue in His love. "These things I have spoken to you in order that I may have joy in you, and that your joy may become perfect. This is my commandment to you, to love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this--a man laying down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because all that I have heard from the Father I have made known to you. It is not you who chose me, but it is I who chose you and appointed you that you might go and be fruitful and that your fruit might remain; so that whatever petition you present to the Father in my name He may give you. "Thus I command you to love one another. If the world hates you, remember that it has first had me as the fixed object of its hatred. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own property. But because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world--for that reason the world hates you.

When Jesus had thus spoken, He raised his eyes towards Heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Thy Son that the Son may glorify Thee; even as Thou hast given Him authority over all mankind, so that on all whom Thou hast given Him He may bestow the Life of the Ages. And in this consists the Life of the Ages--in knowing Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. read more.
I have glorified Thee on earth, having done perfectly the work which by Thine appointment has been mine to do. And now, Father, do Thou glorify me in Thine own presence, with the glory that I had in Thy presence before the world existed. "I have revealed Thy perfections to the men whom Thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they were, and Thou gavest them to me, and they have obeyed Thy message. Now they know that whatever Thou hast given me is from Thee. For the truths which Thou didst teach me I have taught them. And they have received them, and have known for certain that I came out from Thy presence, and have believed that Thou didst send me. "I am making request for them: for the world I do not make any request, but for those whom Thou hast given me. Because they are Thine, and everything that is mine is Thine, and everything that is Thine is mine; and I am crowned with glory in them. I am now no longer in the world, but they are in the world and I am coming to Thee. "Holy Father, keep them true to Thy name--the name which Thou hast given me to bear--that they may be one, even as we are. While I was with them, I kept them true to Thy name--the name Thou hast given me to bear--and I kept watch over them, and not one of them is lost but only he who is doomed to destruction--that the Scripture may be fulfilled. "But now I am coming to Thee, and I speak these words while I am in the world, in order that they may have my gladness within them filling their hearts. I have given them Thy Message, and the world has hated them, because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.

For this is the Message you have heard from the beginning--that we are to love one another. We are not to resemble Cain, who was a child of the Evil one and killed his own brother. And why did he kill him? Because his own actions were wicked and his brother's actions righteous. Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.