Thematic Bible: Of the ekklesia (body of Christ)


Thematic Bible



and Saul was accessory to his death. At that time the persecution was so violent against the church at Jerusalem, they were all dispers'd through the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles,

you have heard of my former behaviour, whilst I was of the Jewish religion, with what excessive violence I persecuted the church of God, and laid it waste:

Saul still breathing out nothing but threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and demanded letters for the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any of this sect, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he was on his journey, and near Damascus, on a sudden, a light from heaven surrounded him, read more.
and he fell to the ground, and heard a voice which said to him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? and he said, who art thou, Lord? and the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is hard for thee to kick against the goad. Then trembling with the fright Saul said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? and the Lord said to him,] but rise, and go into the city, and you shall be told what you must do. the mean while the men who accompany'd him, remain'd astonish'd, hearing a voice, but seeing no one. at length Saul rose from the ground; and when he opened his eyes, he could not see: so that they led him by the hand, and brought him to Damascus, where he was three days without sight, and did neither eat nor drink. Now there was a disciple at Damascus, named Ananias, to whom the Lord said in a vision, Ananias! and he said, Lord, here I am. and the Lord said unto him, arise, and go to the street called Straight, and enquire at the house of Judas, for one Saul of Tarsus: for he is there at prayer. (at that very instant Saul saw in a vision the said Ananias come in, and put his hand on him, to restore his sight.) then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many that this man has done a world of mischief to thy saints at Jerusalem: he is now here, and is impower'd by the chief priests, to imprison all that make profession of thy name.



him that overcomes, will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out no more: I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which descends from heaven from my God: even my new name will I write.

on which the whole structure rises with symmetry into a temple, consecrated by the Lord: