4 Bible Verses about Christian Ministers

And it happened after the death of Moses the servant of Jehovah, Jehovah spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, My servant Moses is dead. Now, therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people to the land which I give to them, to the sons of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, I have given that to you, as I said to Moses. read more.
From the wilderness and this Lebanon even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not fail you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage. For you shall divide for an inheritance to this people, the land which I swore to their fathers, to give it to them. Only be strong and very courageous so that you may be careful to do according to all the Law which My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may act wisely wherever you go. This book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it by day and by night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall act wisely. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid, neither be dismayed. For Jehovah your God is with you in all places where you go.

And Jehovah said to Aaron, You and your sons, and your father's house with you shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary. And you and your sons with you shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. And bring your brothers also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father with you, so that they may be joined to you and minister to you, you and your sons with you, before the tabernacle of witness. And they shall keep your charge and the charge of all the tabernacle. Only they shall not come near the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, so that neither they nor you also may die. read more.
And they shall be joined to you, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle. And a stranger shall not come near you. And you shall keep the charge of the sanctuary and the charge of the altar, so that there may be no wrath any more upon the sons of Israel. And I, behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the sons of Israel. They are given to you as a gift by Jehovah, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. Therefore you and your sons with you shall keep your priests' office for everything of the altar and inside the veil. And you shall serve. I have given your priest's office as a service of gift. And the stranger that comes near shall be put to death.

And Jehovah said to Moses, Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand upon him. And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation, and give him a charge in their sight. And you shall put of your honor on him, so that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may be obedient. read more.
And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask for him according to the judgment of Urim before Jehovah. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation. And Moses did as Jehovah commanded him. And he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. And he laid his hands upon him and gave him a charge, even as Jehovah commanded by the hand of Moses.

And Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage. For you must go with this people to the land which Jehovah has sworn to their fathers to give it to them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And Jehovah is He who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not fail you nor forsake you. Do not fear; nor be dismayed.

And Jehovah said to Moses, Behold, your days are coming near to die. Call Joshua and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, and I shall charge him. And Moses and Joshua went. And they presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation. And Jehovah appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud. And the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle. And Jehovah said to Moses, Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers. And this people shall rise up and go lusting after the gods of the strangers of the land into which they are going, into their midst. And they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I made with them. read more.
Then My anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them. And I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, Have not these evils come on us because our God is not among us? And I will surely hide My face in that day for all the evils which they have done, for they shall turn to other gods. Now, therefore, write this song for you, and teach it to the sons of Israel. Put it in their mouths, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel. For when I shall have brought them into the land which I swore to their fathers, the land that flows with milk and honey, and they shall have eaten and have become satisfied, and become fat, then turn to other gods and serve them, and provoke Me and break My covenant. And it shall be when many evils and troubles have found them, this song shall testify against them as a witness. For it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed. For I know their imagination which they do, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I swore. And Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the sons of Israel. And he commanded Joshua the son of Nun, and said: Be strong and of a good courage. For you shall bring the sons of Israel into the land which I swore to them, and I will be with you.

Then He said to His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest that He will send out laborers into His harvest.

Then He said to them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest that He may send forth laborers into His harvest.

But I exhort you, brothers, for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ and for the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, that I may be delivered from those disbelieving in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted by the saints; so that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed with you.

with you also helping together by prayer for us, so that the gracious gift by many persons be the cause of thanksgiving through many for us.

praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching to this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. And pray for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds; so that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (regarding whom you received commandments; if he comes to you, receive him),

And, brothers, we beseech you to know those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and who admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

Remember those leading you, who have spoken to you the Word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conduct:

And Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage. For you must go with this people to the land which Jehovah has sworn to their fathers to give it to them, and you shall cause them to inherit it.

Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there. Make him strong, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.

Truly the signs of the apostle were worked out among you in all patience, in miracles and in wonders, and by works of power.

For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

holding forth the Word of Life, so that I may rejoice with you in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain nor labored in vain.

And rising up and signaling with his hand, Paul said, Men, Israelites, and those fearing God, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and exalted the people in their residency in the land of Egypt, and He brought them out of it with a high arm. And about the time of forty years He tenderly bore them in the wilderness. read more.
And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave their land to them as an inheritance. And after that He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. And afterward they asked for a king. And God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. And when He had removed him, He raised up David to them to be their king; to whom He also witnessed and said, I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after My own heart, who shall fulfill all My will. Of this man's seed God has raised to Israel, according to His promise, a Savior, Jesus; John having before proclaimed the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel, before His coming. And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Who do you think that I am? I am not He. But behold, One comes after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose. Men, brothers, sons of the race of Abraham, and whoever among you fears God, the Word of this salvation is sent to you. For those living in Jerusalem, and their rulers, not having known this One, and the voices of the Prophets being read throughout every sabbath, condemning Him, they fulfilled the Scriptures. And finding not one cause of death in Him, they begged Pilate to do away with Him. And when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, taking Him down from the tree, they laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead, who appeared for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. And we preach the gospel to you, the promise made to the fathers, this God has fulfilled to us their children, raising up Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, "You are My Son, this day I have begotten You." And that He raised Him up from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He spoke in this way: "I will give you the holy promises of David." Therefore he also says in another psalm, "You shall not allow Your Holy One to see corruption." For after he had served his own generation by the will of God, David fell asleep and was added to his fathers and saw corruption. But He whom God raised again saw no corruption. Therefore be it known to you, men, brothers, that through this One the forgiveness of sins is announced to you. And by Him all who believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses. Therefore beware lest that come on you which is spoken of in the Prophets: "Behold, you despisers, and marvel, and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work which you shall in no way believe, though a man declare it to you." And the Jews having gone out of the synagogue, the nations begged that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. And the synagogue being broken up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

For though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for I have begotten you in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

And they were offended in Him. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country and in his own house.

Who has believed our report? And to whom is the arm of Jehovah revealed?

Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces and your forehead strong against their foreheads. I have made your forehead as an adamant harder than flint. Do not be bowed down by their faces, though they are a rebellious house.

So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of Jehovah was strong on me.

O Jehovah, until when shall I cry and You will not hear? I cry out to You of violence, and You do not save! Why do You show me evil, and You look on toil? For destruction and violence are before me; and there is strife, and contention rises up.

And at the end of these things, the rulers came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands. But they are doing according to their abominations, those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons. So the holy seed has mixed themselves with the people of those lands. Yes, the hand of the leaders and overseers has been chief in this sin.

And of the sons of the priests, the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Koz, the sons of Barzillai (who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name). These looked for their register among those who were counted by genealogy, but they were not found. Therefore they were polluted from the priesthood.

And among the sons of the priests, these were found who had taken strange women: From the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers were Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. And they gave their hands that they would put away their women. And being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their sin. And from the sons of Immer were Hanani and Zebadiah. read more.
And from the sons of Harim were Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah. And from the sons of Pashur were Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah. And from the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. And from the singers: Eliashib; and from the gatekeepers, Shallum and Telem and Uri.

And before this, Eliashib the priest, who was set over the rooms of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah. and he had prepared for himself a large room where they had in days of old laid the food offering, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the offerings of the priests. But in all this time I was not at Jerusalem. For in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon, I came to the king. And after some days I was given permission to leave the king. read more.
And I came to Jerusalem, and understood the evil which Eliashib did for Tobiah in preparing him a room in the courts of the house of God. And it grieved me very much. And I threw all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the room. Then I commanded, and they purified the rooms. And I brought there again the vessels of the house of God, with the food offering and the frankincense. And I saw that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them; for the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each one to his field. And I contended with the rulers and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together and set them in their place. And all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil into the treasuries. And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah. And next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah. For they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute to their brothers.

And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite; and I chased him from me. Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.

And in Antioch some among the existing church were prophets and teachers. (such as Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, the foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.

And the sons of the prophets at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said to him, Do you know that Jehovah will take away your master from your head today? And he said, Yes, I know. Keep silent.

And Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God came on the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

And the sons of the prophets at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, Do you know that Jehovah will take your master away from your head today? And he answered, Yes, I know. Keep silent.

And when the sons of the prophets across in Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah rests upon Elisha! And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

And Jehovah gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction; yet your teachers shall not be removed into a corner any more, but your eyes shall see your teachers.

Are not two sparrows sold for an assarion? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore do not fear, you are of more value than many sparrows.

And Elijah the Tishbite, of the sojourners of Gilead, said to Ahab, As Jehovah, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except according to my word. And the Word of Jehovah came to him, saying, Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, before Jordan. read more.
And it shall be, you shall drink of the brook. And I have commanded the ravens to feed you there. So he went and did according to the Word of Jehovah. For he went and lived by the torrent Cherith, before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the torrent. And it happened after a while, the torrent dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. And the Word of Jehovah came to him, saying, Arise, go to Zarephath which belongs to Sidon, and live there. Behold, I have commanded a widow to keep you there. And he arose and went to Zarephath, and came in to the entrance of the city, and, behold, the widow was gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, Please, bring me a little water in a vessel so that I may drink. And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, Please, bring me a piece of bread in your hand. And she said, As Jehovah your God lives, I do not have a cake, but only a handful of meal in a pitcher and a little oil in a jar. And behold, I am gathering two sticks, so that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, so that we may eat it and die. And Elijah said to her, Do not fear, go. Do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it, and bring it to me. And then make for you and for your son. For so says Jehovah, the God of Israel, The pitcher of meal shall not be emptied, nor shall the jar of oil fail, until the day that Jehovah sends rain on the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah. And she and he and her house ate many days; the pitcher of meal was not consumed, and the jar of oil did not fail, according to the Word of Jehovah which He spoke by Elijah.

And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and all that he killed, all the prophets with the sword. And Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. And he saw, he rose and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba of Judah, and left his servant there. read more.
And he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he begged for his life, that he might die. And he said, It is enough. O Jehovah, take away my life. For I am no better than my fathers. And as he lay and slept under a broom tree, behold, then an angel touched him and said to him, Arise, eat. And he looked, and, behold, a cake was baked on the coals, and a jug of water at his head. And he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of Jehovah came to him the second time and touched him, and said, Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you. And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. And he came there to a cave and stayed there. And behold, the Word of Jehovah came to him, and He said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very zealous for Jehovah the God of Hosts. For the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and have slain Your prophets with the sword. And I, I alone, am left. And they seek to take my life away. And He said, Go forth and stand on the mountain before Jehovah. And, behold, Jehovah passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains, and broke the rocks in pieces before Jehovah. But Jehovah was not in the wind. And after the wind was an earthquake, but Jehovah was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake was a fire, but Jehovah was not in the fire. And after the fire was a still, small voice. And it happened when Elijah heard, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out, and stood at the cave entrance. And behold, a voice came to him and said, What are you doing here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very zealous for Jehovah, the God of Hosts, because the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, have thrown down Your altars, and have slain Your prophets with the sword. And I, I alone, am left. And they seek to take my life away. And Jehovah said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you come, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. And you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi to be king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. And it will be, whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill. And whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. Yet I have left seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him.

Are not five sparrows sold for two assaria? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore do not fear, you are of more value than many sparrows.

Then, indeed, Peter was kept in prison. But earnest prayer was made to God for him by the church.

And now arise, O Jehovah God, into Your resting-place, You, and the ark of Your strength. Let Your priests, O Jehovah God, be clothed with salvation, and let Your saints rejoice in goodness.

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your Word,

Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and Your saints shout for joy.

And they prayed and said, You, Lord, knower of all hearts, show which one You chose from these two, to take the share of this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell, to go to his own place.

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests. And he said to them, What will you give me, and I will betray Him to you? And they appointed to him thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.

Indeed, then, this one purchased a field with the reward of unrighteousness. And falling headlong, he burst apart in the middle, and all his bowels gushed out.

Then he who had betrayed Him, seeing that He was condemned, sorrowing, Judas returned the thirty pieces of silver again to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned, betraying innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? You see to that. And he threw the pieces of silver down in the temple and departed. And he went and hanged himself.

And as they ate, He said, Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me. And grieving sorrowfully, they began to say, each one of them, Lord, not I am the one? And He answered and said, He who dips his hand with Me in the dish, the same shall betray Me. read more.
The Son of Man goes, as it has been written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born. And answering, the one betraying Him, Judas, said, Master, Not am I the one? He said to him, You said it.

And as He was yet speaking, behold, Judas came, one of the Twelve. And with him came a great crowd with swords and clubs, being sent from the chief priests and elders of the people. And he who betrayed Him gave them a sign, saying, Whomever I shall kiss, He is the one, lay hold on Him. And coming up to Jesus immediately, he said, Hail, Master! And he kissed Him. read more.
And Jesus said to him, Friend, why are you here? Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.

who have forsaken the right way and have gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, but had reproof of his lawbreaking, a dumb ass speaking in a man's voice, held back the madness of the prophet.

And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah my God, to do less or more.

And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not earnestly send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able indeed to lift you up to honor? And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I have come to you. Have I now any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak.

How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? Or how shall I defy whom Jehovah has not defied?

And he answered and said, Must I not be careful to speak that which Jehovah has put in my mouth?

Then it behooves the overseer to be without reproach, husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, well-ordered, hospitable, apt at teaching,

Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and households well.

Do we not have authority to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brothers of the Lord do, and Cephas?

And when Jesus had come into Peter's house, He saw his wife's mother laid out and in a fever.

They shall not take a wife who is a whore, or defiled. Neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband. For he is holy to his God. And you shall sanctify him, for he offers the bread of your God. He shall be holy to you. For I am holy, Jehovah who sanctifies you. And the daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by going whoring, she profanes her father. She shall be burned with fire. read more.
And the high priest among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes. Neither shall he come near to any dead person, nor defile himself for his father nor for his mother. Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is on him. I am Jehovah. And he shall take a wife in her virginity. He shall not take a widow or a divorced woman, or profane, or a harlot, but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife. And he shall not defile his seed among his people. For I, Jehovah, do sanctify him.

And they resisting and blaspheming, shaking his garment, he said to them, Your blood is on your own heads. I am pure from it. From now on I will go to the nations.

Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel. Therefore hear the Word of My mouth, and give them warning from Me. When I say to the wicked, You shall surely die; and you do not give him warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked one shall die in his iniquity; but I will require his blood at your hand. Yet if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. read more.
And when the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and when I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the righteous so that the righteous does not sin, and if he does not sin, he shall surely live because he is warned; also you have delivered your soul.

When I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die; if you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked one shall die in his iniquity; but I will require his blood at your hand.

And whoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when you depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Truly I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city. Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves. read more.
But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to the sanhedrins, and they will scourge you in their synagogues. And you shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the nations. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what you shall speak; for it shall be given you in that same hour what you shall speak. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. And brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. And the children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated of all men for My name's sake, but the one who endures to the end shall be kept safe. But when they persecute you in this city, flee into another; for truly I say to you, In no way shall you have finished the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes. A disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he is like his master, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more those of his household? Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, and nothing hidden which shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for an assarion? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore do not fear, you are of more value than many sparrows. Then everyone who shall confess Me before men, I will confess him before My Father who is in Heaven. But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in Heaven. Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to send peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man's foes shall be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life shall lose it. And he who loses his life for My sake shall find it. He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.

Therefore I testify to you on this day that I am pure from the blood of all. For I did not keep back from declaring to you all the counsel of God.

And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth. And they sprang up immediately, because they had no deepness of earth. read more.
And the sun rising, they were scorched, and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns. And the thorns sprung up and choked them. And some fell on the good ground and yielded fruit, indeed one a hundredfold, and one sixty, and one thirty.

He who goes forth and weeps, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, it happened that indeed some fell by the wayside, and the fowls of the air came and ate it up. And another fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth. And it sprang up at once, due to not having deepness of earth. read more.
And when the sun rose, it was scorched. And because it had no root, it withered away. And another fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And another fell on good ground and yielded fruit, going up and increasing. And one bore thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundredfold. And He said to them, He who has ears to hear, let him hear. And when He was alone, they who were about Him, with the Twelve, asked Him concerning the parable. And He said to them, To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to those outside, all these things are given in parables so that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. And He said to them, Do you not know this parable? And how then will you know all parables? The sower sows the Word. And these are those by the wayside, where the Word is sown. And when they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the Word that was sown in their hearts. And these are those likewise being sown on stony places; who, when they hear the Word, immediately receive it with gladness. But they have no root in themselves, but are temporary. Afterward when affliction or persecution arises for the Word's sake, they are immediately offended. And these are those being sown among thorns; such as hear the Word, and the cares of this world, and the deceit of riches, and the lust about other things entering in, choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful. And these are those sown on good ground, who hear the Word and welcome it, and bear fruit, one thirty, one sixty, and one a hundredfold.

A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, the one fell by the roadside and was trampled; and the birds of the air devoured it. And other fell on a rock, and sprouting, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And other fell amidst thorns, and springing up with the thorns, they choked it. read more.
And other fell on good ground and sprang up, and bore fruit a hundredfold. And when He had said these things, He cried, He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

And they who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had assembled.

You know that after two days the Passover comes, and the Son of Man is betrayed to be crucified. Then the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, assembled together to the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas.

But Jesus was silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, I adjure you by the living God that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said to him, You said it. I tell you more. From this time you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of the heavens. Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard his blasphemy.

And one of them, Caiaphas, being the high priest of that year, said to them, You do not know anything at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation perish. And he did not speak this of himself, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation;

And Caiaphas was he who gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the Word of God with boldness.

And seeing this, Peter answered the people, Men, Israelites, why do you marvel at this? Or why do you stare at us, as though we had made this man to walk by our own power or holiness? The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His son Jesus, whom you delivered up, denying Him in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to let Him go. But you denied the Holy and Just One and desired a murderer to be given to you. read more.
And you killed the Prince of Life, whom God has raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, this one whom you see and know, His name made firm. And the faith which came through Him has given him this perfect soundness before you. And now, brothers, I know that you did it through ignorance, as also your rulers did. But those things which God before had shown by the mouth of all His prophets, that Christ should suffer, He fulfilled in this manner. Therefore repent and convert so that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And He shall send Jesus Christ, who before was proclaimed to you, whom Heaven truly needs to receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of His holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said to the fathers, "The Lord your God shall raise up a Prophet to you from your brothers, One like me. You shall hear Him in all things, whatever He may say to you. And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people." And also all the prophets from Samuel and those following after, as many as spoke, have likewise foretold of these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, "And in your Seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed." Having raised up His son Jesus, God sent Him to you first, to bless you in turning every one of you away from his iniquities.

if we are examined today on a good work for an infirm man, by what this one has been healed, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in this name does this man stand before you whole. This is the Stone which you builders have counted worthless, and He has become the Head of the Corner. read more.
And there is salvation in no other One; for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved. But seeing the boldness of Peter and John, and perceiving that they were unlearned and uneducated men, they marveled. And they recognized them, that they had been with Jesus.

But Peter and John answered and said to them, Whether it is right before God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

And hearing, they went into the temple about dawn, and taught. But the high priest came, and those with him. And they called the sanhedrin together, and all the elderhood of the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

I have not hurried away from shepherding after You; nor have I desired the woeful day; You surely know the going forth of my lips before Your face.

In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, this Word came from Jehovah, saying, So says Jehovah: Stand in the court of Jehovah's house and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in Jehovah's house, all the Words that I command you to speak to them; do not keep back a word. It may be that they will listen, and each man turn from his evil way, that I may repent of the evil which I plan to do to them because of the evil of their doings. read more.
And you shall say to them, So says Jehovah: If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My Law which I have set before you, to listen to the words of My servants the prophets whom I am sending to you (both rising up early and sending them, but you have not listened); then I will make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth. So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of Jehovah. And it happened when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that Jehovah had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, You shall surely die! Why have you prophesied in the name of Jehovah, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be wasted, without inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of Jehovah. When the rulers of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king's house to the house of Jehovah, and sat down in the entrance of the New Gate of Jehovah's house. And the priests and the prophets spoke to the rulers and to all the people, saying, Let a death sentence be for this man, for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears. Then Jeremiah spoke to all the rulers and to all the people, saying, Jehovah sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. So now make your ways and your doings good, and obey the voice of Jehovah your God. And Jehovah will repent of the evil that He has spoken against you. As for me, behold, I am in your hand. Do with me as seems good and right to you. But know for certain that if you put me to death you shall surely bring innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city, and on its people. For truly Jehovah has sent me to you to speak all these Words in your ears.

So says Jehovah: Do not deceive yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us. For they shall not depart. For though you had stricken the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and there remained only wounded men among them, they would rise up, each man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.

When Jeremiah had entered into the house of the pit, and into the cells, then Jeremiah remained there many days. And Zedekiah the king sent and took him out. And the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any Word from Jehovah? And Jeremiah said, There is. For, He said, you shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon. And Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, What have I offended against you, or against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?

Brothers, be imitators together of me, and mark those who walk this way, for you have us for a pattern.

(not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example to you, to imitate us).

Let no one despise your youth, but be an example of the believers, in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

nor as lording it over those allotted to you by God, but becoming examples to the flock.

And to the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might gain the Jews. To those who are under the Law, I became as under the Law, so that I might gain those who are under the Law. To those who are outside Law, I became as outside Law (not being outside law to God, but under the Law to Christ), so that I might gain those who are outside Law. To the weak I became as the weak, so that I might gain the weak. I am made all things to all men, so that I might by all means save some. read more.
And this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I might be partaker of it with you.

All things are lawful to me, but not all things profit. All things are lawful to me, but not all things build up.

But if anyone says to you, This is slain in sacrifice to idols, do not eat for the sake of him who showed it, and for conscience' sake; "for the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness of it"; conscience, I say, not your own, but the other's. For why is my liberty judged by another's conscience? For if I by grace am a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? read more.
Therefore whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews, or to the Greeks or to the church of God; even as I please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.

But let it be so, I did not burden you. But being crafty, I caught you with bait.

Then little children were brought to Him, that He should put His hands on them and pray. And the disciples rebuked them.

And they brought children to Him, so that He should touch them. And His disciples rebuked those bringing them.

And they also brought infants to Him, that He might touch them. But when the disciples saw, they rebuked them.

But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and begged Him, saying, Send her away, for she cries after us.

But Herod the tetrarch (being reproved by him on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done)

and saying, Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight." And the same John had his clothing of camel's hair and a leather girdle about his loins. And his food was locusts and wild honey. read more.
Then Jerusalem and all Judea went out to him, and all the region round about Jordan. And they were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. But seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said to them, O generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance; and do not think to say within yourselves, We have Abraham as our father. For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And now also, the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water to repentance. But He who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire; whose fan is in His hand, and He will cleanse His floor and gather His wheat into the storehouse; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

and John had said to Herod, It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife. And Herodias held it against him, and desired to kill him, but she could not. For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man. And he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he did many things and heard him gladly. read more.
And a convenient day came, when Herod made a supper to great men on his birthday, and to the chiliarchs, and to the first ones of Galilee. And when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced and pleased Herod, and those who reclined with him, the king said to the girl, Ask me whatever you desire from me, and I will give it to you. And he swore to her, Whatever you shall ask from me, I will give it to you, to the half of my kingdom. And she went out and said to her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. And immediately going in with haste to the king, she asked, saying, I desire that you give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter. And becoming deeply grieved, the king, because of his oath, and those reclining together, he did not wish to reject her. And immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head in a platter and gave it to the girl. And the girl gave it to her mother.

Then he said to the crowd that came forth to be baptized by him, O generation of vipers! Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bring forth fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father. For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And now also the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.

And truly He gave some to be apostles, and some to be prophets, and some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

He said to him the second time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? Peter was grieved because He said to him a third time, Do you love Me? And he said to Him, Lord, You know all things, You know that I love You. Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, When you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you wished. But when you grow old, you shall stretch forth your hands and another shall gird you and carry you where you do not wish.

And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah my God, to do less or more.

How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? Or how shall I defy whom Jehovah has not defied?

And he answered and said, Must I not be careful to speak that which Jehovah has put in my mouth?

And Balaam said to Balak, Did I not speak also to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the mouth of Jehovah, to do good or bad of my own mind. What Jehovah said, that I will speak. And now, behold, I go to my people. Come! I will make known to you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days.

And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I have come to you. Have I now any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak.

And Samuel took a vial of oil and poured on his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because Jehovah has anointed you for a leader over His inheritance?

And Jehovah had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin. And you shall anoint him to be leader over My people Israel, so that he may save My people out of the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked on My people because their cry has come to Me.

And Jehovah said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I will send you to Jesse of Bethlehem. For I have seen a king for Me among his sons. And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hears, he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer of the herd in your hand with you and say, I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for Me whomever I name to you. read more.
And Samuel did what Jehovah said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming and said, Do you come peaceably? And he said, Peaceably. I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah. Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. And it happened as they came in, he saw Eliab and said, Surely Jehovah's anointed is before Jehovah. But Jehovah said to Samuel, Do not look on his face, nor on his height, because I have refused him. For He does not see as man sees. For man looks on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looks on the heart. And Jesse called Abinadab, and he passed him before Samuel, but he said, Also Jehovah has not chosen this one. And Jesse passed Shammah by, but he said, Also Jehovah has not chosen this one. And Jesse passed seven of his sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, Jehovah has not chosen these. And Samuel said to Jesse, Are all the young men here? And he said, There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he keeps the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and bring him, for we will not sit down until he comes here. And he sent and brought him in. And he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and good form. And Jehovah said, Arise, anoint him. For this is he. And Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the spirit of Jehovah came on David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

In the meantime, when there had gathered together an innumerable crowd of people, so as to trample on one another, He began to say to His disciples first, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Woe to you, blind guides, saying, Whoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor.

And Jesus said to them, Take heed, and beware the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no loaves. And knowing Jesus said to them, Why do you reason among yourselves because you took no loaves, little-faiths? read more.
Do you not yet understand, nor remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many hand baskets you took up; nor the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many lunch baskets you took up? How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you about loaves, but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

So affectionately longing for you, we were willing to have imparted to you, not only the gospel of God, but also our own souls, because you have become beloved to us.

even as it is righteous for me to think this of you all, because you have me in your heart, inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partakers of my grace.

We give thanks to God for you always, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father, knowing, beloved brothers, your election of God.

even as you know how we exhorted and comforted and testified to each one of you, as a father to his children,

And Moses truly was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken afterward.

I call Heaven and earth to record today against you. I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore, choose life, so that both you and your seed may live,

who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house.

I call Heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you shall soon utterly perish from off the land which you are crossing over Jordan to possess. You shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.

And they cried to Jehovah and said, We beg You, O Jehovah, we beg You, let us not perish for this man's life, and do not lay on us innocent blood. For You, O Jehovah, have done as it pleased You.

Then the seamen were afraid, and each man cried to his god. And they threw out the ship's articles in the ship, into the sea in order to lighten it. But Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship; and he lay there, and was fast asleep. And the chief of the seaman came to him and said to him, What is it to you, O sound sleeper? Arise, call upon your God! It may be that our god will notice us, and we will not perish.

And he said to them, I am a Hebrew; and I fear Jehovah, the God of heaven, who has made the sea and the dry land.

Then the men feared Jehovah exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to Jehovah, and vowed vows.

And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried and said, Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown! And the people of Nineveh believed God. And they called a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came to the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne. And he laid his robe from him, and covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. read more.
And he cried out and said in Nineveh by the decree of the king and his great ones, saying, Do not let man or beast, herd or flock taste anything; do not let them feed, nor drink water. But let man and animal be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God. And let them each one turn from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who knows? He may repent, and God may have pity and turn away from the glow of His anger, so that we do not perish.

And Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who gathered at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

If one man sins against another, the judge shall judge him. But if a man sins against Jehovah, who shall plead for him? But they did not listen to the voice of their father, because Jehovah desired to kill them.

And the sons of Eli were sons of Belial. They did not know Jehovah. And the priests' custom with the people was: If any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came while the flesh was boiling, with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand. And he stuck it into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot. All that the flesh-hook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites that came there. read more.
Yea, before they burned the fat, the priest's servant came and said to the man who sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest. For he will not have boiled flesh from you, but raw! And if any man said to him, Let them not fail to burn the fat at once, and then take as your soul desires, then he would answer him, No! But you shall give now! And if not, I will take it by force. And the sin of the young men was very great before Jehovah. For men despised the offering of Jehovah.

And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before Me? And did I give to the house of your father all the offerings made by fire from the sons of Israel? Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering, which I have commanded in My house? Do you honor your sons above Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?

And Samuel said, What have you done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and you did not come in the days appointed, and the Philistines gathered themselves at Michmash, and I said, The Philistines will come down now on me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to Jehovah. And I forced myself and offered a burnt offering. And Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Jehovah your God, which He commanded you. For now Jehovah would have established your kingdom on Israel forever. read more.
But now your kingdom shall not stand. Jehovah has sought Him a man after His own heart, and Jehovah has appointed him to be leader over His people, because you have not kept what Jehovah commanded you.

And the Word of Jehovah came to Samuel saying, It repents Me that I have set up Saul to be king. For he has turned back from following Me and has not done My commands. And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to Jehovah all night. And when Samuel rose up early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told to Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a place for himself, and has gone around and passed on and gone down to Gilgal. read more.
And Samuel came to Saul. And Saul said to him, You are blessed of Jehovah. I have done the command of Jehovah. And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the flock in my ears? And what is the sound of the herd which I hear? And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites. For the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to Jehovah your God. And the rest we have completely destroyed. And Samuel said to Saul, Stop! And I will tell you what Jehovah has said to me tonight. And he said to him, Speak. And Samuel said, When you were little in your own sight, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed you king over Israel. And Jehovah sent you on the way and said, Go and completely destroy the sinners, Amalek, and fight against them until you destroy them. Why then did you not obey the voice of Jehovah? Why did you fly on the spoil and do evil in the sight of Jehovah? And Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took from the spoil, of the flocks and herd, the best of the things devoted to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To listen is better than the fat of rams! For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship. Because you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, He has also rejected you from being king! And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned. For I have disobeyed the command of Jehovah, and your word, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. And now please pardon my sin and turn again with me so that I may worship Jehovah. And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you, for you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel. And Samuel turned around to go, and he laid hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent. Then he said, I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and turn again with me. And I shall worship Jehovah your God. And Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshiped Jehovah.

And certain ones who came down from Judea taught the brothers, saying, Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.

Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest that He will send out laborers into His harvest.

Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon the beloved and fellow laborer,

Then King Joash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the priests, and said to them, Why are you not repairing the breaks of the house? And now take no silver from those you know, but deliver it for the breaks of the house.

And he gathered together the priests and the Levites and said to them, Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather silver from all Israel to repair the house of your God from year to year. And see that you hasten the matter. And the Levites did not hasten it. And the king called for Jehoiada and said to him, Why have you not made the Levites bring in the collection out of Judah and out of Jerusalem, according to Moses the servant of Jehovah, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?

Therefore I testify to you on this day that I am pure from the blood of all. For I did not keep back from declaring to you all the counsel of God.

even as you learned from Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ for you,

And the sons of Samuel: Joel, Vashni, the first-born, and Abijah.

And it happened when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel. And the name of his first-born was Joel, and the name of his second was Abiah, judges in Beer-sheba. And his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after ill gain and took bribes and perverted judgment.

Yet I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger and he who ministered to my wants.

Therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one who wars tangles with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who chose him to be a soldier.

But you shall receive power, the Holy Spirit coming upon you. And you shall be witnesses to Me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

And we are His witnesses of these things. And so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.

But rise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of what you saw, and in what I shall appear to you;

And Jehovah gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction; yet your teachers shall not be removed into a corner any more, but your eyes shall see your teachers.

And truly He gave some to be apostles, and some to be prophets, and some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

And there was much weeping of all, and falling on the neck of Paul, they ardently kissed him, grieving most of all over the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they went with him to the ship.

But when it was time to finish the days, going out, we traveled on. And they with all the women and children went with us as far as outside the city. And we kneeled down on the shore and prayed. And giving parting greetings to one another, we went up into the ship; and they returned to their own things.

Among these are Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan so that they may learn not to blaspheme.

And their word will eat like a gangrene; among whom are Hymeneus and Philetus,

Therefore I said, Look away from me; I will weep bitterly; do not hurry to comfort me because of the ruin of the daughter of my people. For it is a day of trouble, and of trampling down, and of doubt by Jehovah of Hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountain.

Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, What did these men say? And where did they come from to you? And Hezekiah said, They have come from a far country to me, from Babylon. Then he said, What have they seen in your house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in my house they have seen; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not let them see. Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, Hear the Word of Jehovah of Hosts. read more.
Behold, the days come when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says Jehovah. And of your sons which shall issue from you, which you shall bring out, they shall take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.

I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem, who will not always be silent all the day nor all the night; you who remember Jehovah, do not be silent.

And you, son of man, I have set you a watchman to the house of Israel. Therefore you shall hear the Word from My mouth, and warn them from Me.

Of this gospel I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effectual working of His power.

if indeed you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard and which was proclaimed in all the creation under Heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister,

that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the nations, ministering the gospel of God, so that the offering up of the nations might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

So let a man think of us as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

But you will be named the priests of Jehovah; it will be said of you, Ministers of our God; you will eat the riches of the nations, and you will revel in their glory.

but in everything commending ourselves as God's servants, in much patience, in troubles, in emergencies, in distresses,

Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons.

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to the ones called in God the Father, having been set apart, and having been kept by Jesus Christ:

But you watch in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fully carry out your ministry.

And truly He gave some to be apostles, and some to be prophets, and some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

And this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death.

But you, O man of God, flee these things and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness.

And when it was day, He called His disciples. And He chose twelve of them, whom He also named apostles:

Rejoice over her, Heaven, and the holy apostles, and the prophets, since God judged your judgment on her.

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in Word and doctrine.

I exhort the elders who are among you, I being also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.

Then through fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. And I went up by revelation. And I put before them the gospel which I proclaim in the nations, but privately to those seeming to be pillars, lest I run, or I ran, into vanity. (But not even Titus, the one with me, a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.) read more.
But because of those false brothers stealing in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus; they desiring to enslave us; to whom not even for an hour did we yield in subjection, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. But from those who seemed to be something (what kind they were then does not matter to me; God does not accept the face of man), for those seeming important conferred nothing to me. But on the contrary, seeing that I have been entrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcision, as Peter to the circumcision; for He working in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision also worked in me to the nations. and knowing the grace given to me, James, and Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, gave right hands of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we go to the nations, but they to the circumcision.

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and having called me by His grace, to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the nations, immediately I did not confer with flesh and blood; Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those apostles before me, but I went into Arabia and returned again to Damascus. read more.
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days. But I saw no other of the apostles, except James the Lord's brother. And what I write to you, behold, before God, I do not lie. Then I went into the regions of Syria and of Cilicia, and was unknown by face to the churches of Judea in Christ. But only they were hearing that he who then persecuted us, now preaches the faith which he once ravaged. And they glorified God in me.

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without preaching?

To this I am ordained a preacher and an apostle (I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie), a teacher of the nations, in faith and truth.

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ (according to the faith of God's elect, in the acknowledging of the truth which is according to godliness

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion, greeting:

And He said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.

And Jesus said to them, Come after Me and I will make you fishers of men.

And there was a young man out of Bethlehem-judah of the family of Judah, and he was a Levite. And he stayed there. And the man went out of the city from Bethlehem-judah to live where he could find a place. And he came to Mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed. And Micah said to him, Where do you come from? And he said to him, I am a Levite of Bethlehem-judah, and I go to live where I may find a place. read more.
And Micah said to him, Live with me and be a father and a priest to me, and I will give you ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of clothes, and your food. And the Levite went in. And the Levite was content to live with the man, and the young man was to him as one of his sons. And Micah consecrated the Levite. And the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. Then Micah said, Now I know that Jehovah will do me good, since I have a Levite as my priest.

And immediately He constrained His disciples to get into the boat and to go before to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent away the crowd.

And He said to them, Come aside into a deserted place and rest a little. For there were many coming and going, and they had no opportunity even to eat. And they departed by boat into a deserted place.

And the Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people and said to them, So says God, Why do you transgress the commandments of Jehovah so that you cannot be blessed? Because you have forsaken Jehovah, He has also forsaken you. And they conspired against him and stoned him with stones at the command of the king in the court of the house of Jehovah.

But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way did the Spirit of Jehovah go from me to speak to you? And Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see in that day when you shall go into an inner room to hide yourself. And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son, read more.
and say, So says the king, Put this one in the prison and feed him with bread of affliction and the water of affliction, until I come in peace.

And it happened when Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, Are you he that troubles Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of Jehovah, and you have followed the Baals.

And he arose and went to Zarephath, and came in to the entrance of the city, and, behold, the widow was gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, Please, bring me a little water in a vessel so that I may drink. And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, Please, bring me a piece of bread in your hand. And she said, As Jehovah your God lives, I do not have a cake, but only a handful of meal in a pitcher and a little oil in a jar. And behold, I am gathering two sticks, so that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, so that we may eat it and die. read more.
And Elijah said to her, Do not fear, go. Do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it, and bring it to me. And then make for you and for your son. For so says Jehovah, the God of Israel, The pitcher of meal shall not be emptied, nor shall the jar of oil fail, until the day that Jehovah sends rain on the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah. And she and he and her house ate many days; the pitcher of meal was not consumed, and the jar of oil did not fail, according to the Word of Jehovah which He spoke by Elijah.

And the messenger that had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets are good to the king with one mouth. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak good. And Micaiah said, As Jehovah lives, what Jehovah says to me, that I will speak.

And a certain old prophet was living in Bethel, and his son came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. The words which he had spoken to the king they also told to their father. And their father said to them, Where is this man? What way did he go? For his sons had seen what way the man of God, who came from Judah, had gone. And he said to his sons, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled the ass for him, and he rode on it, read more.
and went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak. And he said to him, Are you the man of God who came from Judah? And he said, I am. And he said to him, Come home with me and eat bread. And he said, I may not return with you nor go in with you, nor will I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. For a word was to me by the Word of Jehovah, You shall eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that you came. And he said to him, I am a prophet also as you are. And an angel spoke to me by the Word of Jehovah, saying, Bring him back with you into your house, so that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied to him. So he went back with him and ate bread in his house, and drank water. And it happened as they sat at the table, the Word of Jehovah came to the prophet who brought him back. And he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, So says Jehovah, Because you have not obeyed the mouth of Jehovah and have not kept the command which Jehovah your God commanded you, but came back and have eaten bread and have drunk water in the place which He said to you, You shall not eat bread nor drink water, your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers. And after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, it happened that he saddled the ass for him, for the prophet whom he had brought back. And he left, and a lion met him by the way and killed him. And his dead body was thrown in the highway, and the ass stood by it, and the lion also stood by the body. And behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown in the way, and the lion standing by the body. And they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived. And when the prophet who brought him back from the way heard, he said, It is the man of God who did not obey the Word of Jehovah. And Jehovah has delivered him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the Word of Jehovah which He spoke to him. And he spoke to his sons, saying, Saddle the ass for me. And they saddled it. And he went and found his body thrown in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the body. The lion had not eaten the body nor torn the ass. And the prophet took up the dead body of the man of God, and laid it on the ass and brought it back. And the prophet came to the city to mourn and to bury him. And he laid his body in his own grave. And they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother! And it happened after he had buried him, he spoke to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the tomb in which the man of God is buried. Lay my bones beside his bones, for the saying which he cried by the Word of Jehovah against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.

And the messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth, and please let your word be like one of theirs, and speak good. And Micaiah said, As the Lord lives, even what my God says, that I will speak.

But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to ruin. For he sinned against Jehovah his God, and went into the temple of Jehovah to burn incense on the altar of incense. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him eighty priests of Jehovah, mighty men. And they withstood Uzziah the king and said to him, It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but to the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the temple, for you have sinned. Nor shall it be for your honor from Jehovah God. read more.
And Uzziah was angry. And he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of Jehovah, from beside the incense altar. And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked on him. And, behold, he was leprous in his forehead! And they thrust him out from there. Yes, he himself hurried to go out also, because Jehovah had stricken him.

the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand and the seven golden lampstands. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

To the angel of the church of Ephesus write: He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands, says these things.

the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand and the seven golden lampstands. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

To the angel of the church of Ephesus write: He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands, says these things.

And lo, Zadok came also, and all the Levites were with him, carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God. And Abiathar went up until all the people had finished passing out of the city. And the king said to Zadok, Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I shall find favor in the eyes of Jehovah, He will bring me again and show it to me, and its dwelling place also. But if He says this, I have no delight in you; behold me, and let Him do to me as seems good to Him. read more.
The king also said to Zadok the priest, Are you a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you. Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

And you, son of man, the sons of your people are still talking about you by the walls, and in the doors of the houses, and speaking to one another, each man to his brother, saying, I pray you, come and hear what is the Word which comes from Jehovah. And they come to you as the people come, and they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words. But they will not do them. For with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their unjust gain. And lo, you are to them as a singer of love songs with a beautiful voice, and able to play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them. read more.
And when this happens; lo, it will come; then they shall know that a prophet has been among them.

Then the rulers and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets, There is not a sentence of death for this man; for he has spoken to us in the name of Jehovah our God. Then some of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying, Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, So says Jehovah of Hosts: Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house like the high places of a forest. read more.
Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah indeed put him to death? Did he not fear Jehovah, and pray to Jehovah, and Jehovah repented of the evil which He had spoken against them? So we are doing great evil against our souls.

And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, of the eunuchs in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the pit (the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin), Ebed-melech went out of the king's house and spoke to the king, saying, My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have thrown into the pit. And he is likely to die of hunger in the place where he is, for there is no more bread in the city. read more.
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take in your hand thirty men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet up out of the pit before he dies. So Ebed-melech took the men in his hand and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took worn out clothes and worn out rags from there, and let them down by ropes into the pit to Jeremiah. And Ebed-melech, the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, Now put the worn out clothes and rags under your armpits, under the ropes. And Jeremiah did so. So they drew up Jeremiah with ropes and took him up out of the pit. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.

And Barnabas determined to take with them John, he being called Mark.

Then there was sharp feeling, so as to separate them from each other. And taking Mark, Barnabas sailed to Cyprus.

and not only so, but also he having been chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself, and as a witness of your eager mind;

If anyone inquires of Titus, he is my partner and fellow-worker for you, or of our brothers, they are the messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.

And Jehovah sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said to him, There were two men in one city, one rich and one poor. The rich one had exceeding many flocks and herds, but the poor one had nothing except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished up. And it grew up together with him and with his sons. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was to him like a daughter. read more.
And there came a traveler to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd to dress for the traveler that had come to him. But he took the poor man's lamb and dressed it for the man who had come to him. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man. And he said to Nathan, As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die. And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, You are the man! So says Jehovah, the God of Israel, I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if that was too little, I would have given to you such and such things besides. Why have you despised the Word of Jehovah, to do evil in His sight? You have stricken Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. And therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. So says Jehovah, Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house, and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor. And he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun. And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against Jehovah. And Nathan said to David, Jehovah also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Only, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of Jehovah to blaspheme, this child born to you shall surely die.

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. And the same day there were added about three thousand souls.

And in the fulfilling of the day of Pentecost, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly a sound came out of the heaven as borne along by the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And tongues as of fire appeared to them, being distributed; and it sat upon each of them. read more.
And they were all filled of the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

And a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in the spirit, he spoke and taught the things of the Lord diligently, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. And Aquila and Priscilla heard him, and they took him and expounded to him the way of God more perfectly. read more.
And intending to pass into Achaia, being encouraged, the brothers wrote to the disciples to welcome him; who, having arrived, very much helped those who had believed through grace. For he mightily confuted the Jews publicly, proving by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

And the people with one accord gave heed to those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the many miracles which he did.

But when they believed Philip preaching the gospel, the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

And there was great joy in that city.

And taking them in that hour of the night, he washed from their stripes. And he was baptized, he and all his, immediately. And bringing them up to the house, he set a table before them and rejoiced, believing in God with all his household.

who now rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf, and I fill up the things lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, on behalf of His body, which is the church; of which I became a minister, according to the administration of God given to me for you, to fulfill the Word of God;

And their word will eat like a gangrene; among whom are Hymeneus and Philetus, who have erred concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past, and who overthrow the faith of some.

And Jehovah sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said to him, There were two men in one city, one rich and one poor. The rich one had exceeding many flocks and herds, but the poor one had nothing except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished up. And it grew up together with him and with his sons. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was to him like a daughter. read more.
And there came a traveler to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd to dress for the traveler that had come to him. But he took the poor man's lamb and dressed it for the man who had come to him. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man. And he said to Nathan, As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die. And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, You are the man! So says Jehovah, the God of Israel, I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if that was too little, I would have given to you such and such things besides. Why have you despised the Word of Jehovah, to do evil in His sight? You have stricken Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. And therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. So says Jehovah, Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house, and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor. And he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun. And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against Jehovah. And Nathan said to David, Jehovah also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Only, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of Jehovah to blaspheme, this child born to you shall surely die.

Yet I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger and he who ministered to my wants. For he longed after you all and was full of heaviness, because you had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick, coming near death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. read more.
Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, so that you may rejoice when you see him again, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Therefore receive him in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such in honor, because for the work of Christ he was near death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.

Epaphras greets you, he being of you, a servant of Christ, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record that he has a great zeal for you and for those who are in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis.

But thanks be to God, who put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. For indeed he accepted the entreaty. But being more earnest, of his own accord he went to you.

And if anyone builds on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, each one's work shall be revealed. For the Day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try each one's work as to what kind it is. If anyone's work which he built remains, he shall receive a reward. read more.
If anyone's work shall be burned up, he shall suffer loss. But he shall be saved, yet so as by fire.

And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church. And when they had come to him, he said to them, You know how I was with you at all times, from the first day I arrived in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and many tears and temptations happening to me through the plots of the Jews; read more.
and how I kept back nothing that was profitable, but have shown you and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, I am going bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit witnesses in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But none of these things move me, neither do I count my life dear to myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus Christ, to testify fully the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that you all will see my face no more, among whom I went proclaiming the kingdom of God. Therefore I testify to you on this day that I am pure from the blood of all. For I did not keep back from declaring to you all the counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God which He has purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also men shall arise from your own selves, speaking perverse things in order to draw disciples away after them. Therefore watch and remember that for the time of three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. And now, brothers, I commend you to God, and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel. Yea, you yourselves know that these hands have ministered to my needs, and to those who were with me. I have shown you all things, that working in this way we ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. And saying these things, kneeling, he prayed with them all. And there was much weeping of all, and falling on the neck of Paul, they ardently kissed him, grieving most of all over the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they went with him to the ship.

Likewise, indeed, also these dreaming ones even defile flesh, and despise rulership, and speak evil of glories. But Michael, the archangel, when contending with the Devil, he argued about the body of Moses, he dared not bring a judgment of blasphemy, but said, Let the Lord rebuke you! But what things they do not know, they speak evil of. And what things they understand naturally, like the animals without reason, they are corrupted by these.

And rising up, the high priest, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees) were filled with anger, And laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the public custody. But the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors by night and brought them out, and said, read more.
Go! Stand and speak all the words of this Life to the people in the temple. And hearing, they went into the temple about dawn, and taught. But the high priest came, and those with him. And they called the sanhedrin together, and all the elderhood of the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But having come near, the officers did not find them in the prison. And returning, reported, saying, We indeed found the prison shut with all safety, and the keepers standing outside in front of the doors. But having opened it, we found no one inside. And when the high priest and the temple commander and the chief priests heard these things, they were bewildered about them, what this might be. But one came, reporting to them, saying, Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people. Then the commander went with the officers and brought them, not with force, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. And bringing them, they stood in the sanhedrin. And the high priest asked them, saying, Did we not strictly command you that you not teach in this name? And behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood on us. And Peter and the apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed and hanged on a tree. This One God has exalted to be a Ruler and Savior to His right hand in order to give repentance and remission of sins to Israel. And we are His witnesses of these things. And so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him. But those hearing were cut to the heart, and they took counsel to kill them. Then there stood up one in the sanhedrin, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a doctor of the Law honored among all the people. And he commanded the apostles to be put outside a little space. And he said to them, Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. For before these days Theudas rose up, boasting himself to be somebody; a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves to him; who was slain. And all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered and brought to nothing. After this one, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the Registration, and drew away considerable people after him. Yet that one perished; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered. And now I say to you, Withdraw from these men and let them alone. For if this counsel or this work is of men, it will come to nothing. But if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it, lest perhaps you be found even to fight against God. And they obeyed him. And calling the apostles, beating them, they commanded not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then indeed they departed from the presence of the sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be shamed for His name. And every day in the temple, and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching the gospel: Jesus Christ.

And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he went further to seize Peter also. (And they were days of Unleavened Bread.) And capturing him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four sets of four soldiers to keep him; intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. Then, indeed, Peter was kept in prison. But earnest prayer was made to God for him by the church. read more.
And when Herod was about to bring him out, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. Also guards were keeping the prison before the door. And behold! An angel of the Lord stood by, and a light shone in the building. And striking Peter's side, he raised him up, saying, Rise up quickly! And his chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, Gird yourself and put on your sandals. And he did so. And he says to him, Throw your robe around you and follow me. And he went out and followed him. And he did not know that this happening through the angel was true, but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord. And they went out and passed on through one street. And immediately the angel departed from him. And having come to himself, Peter said, Now I know surely that the Lord has sent His angel and has delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. And thinking about it, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose last name was Mark; where many had gathered together to pray. And as Peter knocked at the door of the porch, a girl named Rhoda came to listen. And when she knew Peter's voice, she did not open the porch because of gladness, but running in she reported Peter was standing before the porch. And they said to her, You are mad. But she kept on saying that it was so. And they said, It is his angel. But Peter continued knocking, and when they had opened and saw him, they were amazed. But, waving to them with his hand to be quiet, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go tell these things to James and to the brothers. And he departed and went into another place. And day coming, there was not a little stir among the soldiers, saying, What, then, became of Peter. And searching for him, and not finding him, examining the guards, Herod commanded them to be led away to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed.

And it happened, passing through all, Peter also came down to the saints who lived at Lydda. And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had lain eight years on a mattress, paralyzed. And Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you; rise up and spread for yourself! And he arose immediately. read more.
And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

And the next day those around him going out, Paul came to Caesarea. And entering the house of Philip the evangelist, he being of the seven, we stayed with him. And there were four virgin daughters to this one, who prophesied. And as we stayed more days, a certain prophet from Judea named Agabus came down.

And being saved, then they knew that the island was called Melita. And the foreigners showed us not the common kindness. For they kindled a fire and welcomed all of us, because of the rain coming on, and because of the cold. And Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laying them on the fire, a viper came out of the heat and fastened on his hand. read more.
And when the foreigners saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, being saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed to live. Then indeed he shook off the creature into the fire, suffering no harm. But they expected him to be about to become inflamed, or to fall down dead suddenly, But over much time expecting and seeing nothing amiss happening to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. In the quarters about that place were lands to the chief of the island, whose name was Publius. Welcoming us, he lodged us courteously three days. And it happened the father of Publius was lying down, suffering fevers and dysentery; to whom Paul entered in, and praying and laying on his hands, he healed him. Then this taking place, the rest who were having infirmities in the island also came, and were healed. They also honored us with many honors. And on our setting sail, they laid on the things of our needs.

And the day came when Elisha passed over to Shunem. And a great woman was there. And she laid hold on him to eat bread. And it happened, as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat bread. And she said to her husband, Behold now, I see that this is a holy man of God who passes by us continually. Please, let us make a little room on the wall. And let us set a bed for him there, and a table, and a stool, and a lampstand. And when he comes to us, he shall turn in there.

And when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, Give me this power also, that on whomever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit. But Peter said to him, May your silver perish with you, because you have thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. read more.
You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.

And when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain conjurer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-jesus; who was with the proconsul of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man. He called for Barnabas and Saul and asked to hear the Word of God. But Elymas the conjurer (for so his name is, if translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. read more.
Then Saul (who is also Paul), filled with the Holy Spirit, set his eyes on him and said, O son of the Devil, full of all deceit and all craftiness, enemy of all righteousness, will you not stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is on you. And you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a while. And immediately a mist and a darkness fell on him, and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not made themselves pure enough, nor had the people gathered to Jerusalem.

And they established a decree to send a notice throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to Jehovah, the God of Israel at Jerusalem. For not many of them had done as it was written.

And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had taken. For he had taken a Cushite woman. And they said, Has Jehovah indeed spoken only by Moses? Has He not also spoken by us? And Jehovah heard. (Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all the men on the face of the earth.) read more.
And Jehovah spoke suddenly to Moses and to Aaron and to Miriam, You three come out to the tabernacle of the congregation. And the three came out. And Jehovah came down in the pillar of the cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both came forth. And He said, Hear now My words. If there is a prophet among you, I Jehovah will make Myself known to him in a vision, and will speak to him in a dream. Not so, My servant Moses. He is faithful in all My house. I will speak with him mouth to mouth, even clearly, and not in dark speeches. And he shall behold the likeness of Jehovah. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses? And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against them, and He moved. And the cloud moved from the tabernacle. And behold! Miriam became leprous, as snow. And Aaron looked on Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. And Aaron said to Moses, Oh, my lord, I beg you, do not lay upon us the sin in which we have done foolishly, and in which we have sinned. Let her not be like one dead, of whom the flesh is half gone when he comes out of his mother's womb.

And when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, Give me this power also, that on whomever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit. But Peter said to him, May your silver perish with you, because you have thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. read more.
You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.

But if the ministry of death, having been engraved in letters in stone was with glory (so that the sons of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses because of the glory of his face), which was being done away; shall not the ministry of the Spirit be with more glory? For if the ministry of condemnation is glorious, much more does the ministry of righteousness exceed in glory. read more.
For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. For if that which has been done away was glorious, much more that which remains is glorious.

I begged Titus and sent with him the brother. Did Titus overreach you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

And he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple named Timothy was there, the son of a woman who was a Jewess and who believed. But his father was a Greek. He was well reported of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted him to go with him, and taking him he circumcised him, because of the Jews who were in those places; for they all knew that his father was a Greek. read more.
And as they passed through the cities, they delivered to them the commandments to keep, the ones that were ordained by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, So, then, separate Barnabas and Saul to Me for the work to which I have called them. Then having fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they let them go.

And Asa was angry with the seer and put him in a prison-house. For he was in a rage with him because of this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at that time.

But a certain man called Simon had long been conjuring in the city, and amazing the nation of Samaria, claiming himself to be some great one. All gave heed to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, This one is the great power of God. And they were paying attention to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with conjuring.

Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.

And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, and put incense on it, and offered strange fire before Jehovah, which He had not commanded them. And there went out fire from Jehovah and devoured them, and they died before Jehovah.

And the Word of Jehovah came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their evil has come up before Me. But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah. And he went down to Joppa. And he found a ship going to Tarshish. And he gave its fare, and went down into it, in order to go with them to Tarshish, away from the sight of Jehovah. read more.
But Jehovah hurled a great wind into the sea, and there was a great storm in the sea, so that the ship was thought to be broken. Then the seamen were afraid, and each man cried to his god. And they threw out the ship's articles in the ship, into the sea in order to lighten it. But Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship; and he lay there, and was fast asleep. And the chief of the seaman came to him and said to him, What is it to you, O sound sleeper? Arise, call upon your God! It may be that our god will notice us, and we will not perish.

In all things having shown yourself a pattern of good works: in the doctrine, purity, sensibleness, without corruption, in sound speech that cannot be condemned, that he who is opposed may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Then he who had betrayed Him, seeing that He was condemned, sorrowing, Judas returned the thirty pieces of silver again to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned, betraying innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? You see to that. And he threw the pieces of silver down in the temple and departed. And he went and hanged himself. read more.
And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel and bought the potter's field with them, to bury strangers in.

And he said to him, Say now to her, Behold, you have been thoughtful for us with all this care. What is to be done for you? Would you be spoken for to the king or to the commander of the army? And she answered, I dwell among my own people.

And sending into Macedonia two who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he stayed in Asia for a time.

Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will also announce to you the same things by word.

But choosing Silas, Paul went out, being commended by the brothers to the grace of God,

And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. And Aquila and Priscilla heard him, and they took him and expounded to him the way of God more perfectly.

And the saying pleased all the multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicholas, a proselyte of Antioch. They set these before the apostles. And having prayed, they laid hands on them.

Do not neglect the gift in you, which was given you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the body of elders.

It is the holy portion of the land for the priests, it shall be for the ministers of the sanctuary who come near to minister to Jehovah. And it shall be a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary.

Let the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Have pity on Your people, O Jehovah, and give not Your inheritance to shame, for a proverb among those of the nations. Why should they say among the people, Where is their God?

each one as he received a gift, ministering it to yourselves as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

But the servant of the Lord must not strive, but to be gentle to all, apt to teach, patient,

And I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them. And they shall fear no more, nor be afraid; nor shall they lack anything, says Jehovah.

And I wept very much, because no one was found worthy to open and to read the book, nor to look at it. And one of the elders said to me, Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals of it.

If anyone inquires of Titus, he is my partner and fellow-worker for you, or of our brothers, they are the messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.

Then we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as God exhorting through us, we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

He was a burning and shining light, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.

Also, we notify you, that in regard to any of the priests and the Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple slaves, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, taxes, or custom on them.

My brothers, take the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering ill, and of patience.

And Samuel did what Jehovah said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming and said, Do you come peaceably?

Therefore take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God which He has purchased with His own blood.

And he departed from there and entered into the house of one named Justus, one worshiping God, whose house was next to the synagogue.

And because he was of the same trade, he stayed and worked with them; for they were tentmakers by occupation.

And it was many days that he remained in Joppa, with one Simon, a tanner.

Then having fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they let them go.

And they gave forth their lots. And the lot fell upon Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

who also has made us able ministers of the new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit makes alive.

I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, did not receive us.

My God, think upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid.

So let a man think of us as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

For an overseer must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not full of passion, not given to wine, not quarrelsome, not greedy for ill gain;

For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord, will make known to you all things about me.

And we sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith,

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ (according to the faith of God's elect, in the acknowledging of the truth which is according to godliness

even as it is righteous for me to think this of you all, because you have me in your heart, inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partakers of my grace.

And He did not spare the old world, but saved Noah the eighth one, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.

For the priest's lips should guard knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Jehovah of Hosts.

And he said to them, This is how Micah deals with me, and has hired me, and I am his priest.

And He called the Twelve and began to send them out by two and two. And He gave them authority over unclean spirits,

even as those who from the beginning delivered to us, becoming eye-witnesses and ministers of the Word,

But working together, we also call on you not to receive the grace of God in vain.