-
Acts 13:42-52
/RSS FeedActs 13:42-52
42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people urged them to continue this message on the next Sabbath.
43 After the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
44 On the following Sabbath, nearly the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they blasphemously contradicted what Paul was saying.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
49 And the word of the Lord spread throughout that region.
50 The Jews, however, incited the religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district.
51 So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.
52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. -
Acts 6:8-15
/RSS FeedActs 6:8-15
8 Now Stephen, who was full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.
9 But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. They began to argue with Stephen,
10 but they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
11 Then they prompted some men to say, “We heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.”
12 So they stirred up the people, elders, and scribes and confronted Stephen. They seized him and brought him before the Sanhedrin,
13 where they presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.
14 For we have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”
15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. -
1 Timothy 1:12-20
/RSS Feed1 Timothy 1:12-20
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, that He considered me faithful and appointed me to service.
13 I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.
14 And the grace of our Lord overflowed to me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15 This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.
16 But for this very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His perfect patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
18 Timothy, my child, I entrust you with this command in keeping with the previous prophecies about you, so that by them you may fight the good fight,
19 holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and thereby shipwrecked their faith.
20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme. -
Revelation 17:1-5
/RSS FeedRevelation 17:1-5
1 Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.
2 The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.”
3 And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.
4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.
5 And on her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. -
Revelation 13:1-10
/RSS FeedRevelation 13:1-10
1 Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.
2 The beast I saw was like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.
3 One of the heads of the beast appeared to be mortally wounded. But the mortal wound was healed, and the whole world marveled and followed the beast.
4 They worshiped the dragon who had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can wage war against it?”
5 The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months.
6 And the beast opened its mouth to speak blasphemies against God and to slander His name and His tabernacle—those who dwell in heaven.
7 Then the beast was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.
8 And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was slain.
9 He who has an ear, let him hear:
10 “If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.” Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints. -
John 10:22-42
/RSS FeedJohn 10:22-42
22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter,
23 and Jesus was walking in the temple courts in Solomon’s Colonnade.
24 So the Jews gathered around Him and demanded, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25 “I already told you,” Jesus replied, “but you did not believe. The works I do in My Father’s name testify on My behalf.
26 But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe.
27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.
28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand.
29 My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
30 I and the Father are one.”
31 At this, the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him.
32 But Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone Me?”
33 “We are not stoning You for any good work,” said the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because You, who are a man, declare Yourself to be God.”
34 Jesus replied, “Is it not written in your Law: ‘I have said you are gods’?
35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken—
36 then what about the One whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world? How then can you accuse Me of blasphemy for stating that I am the Son of God?
37 If I am not doing the works of My Father, then do not believe Me.
38 But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works themselves, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.”
39 At this, they tried again to seize Him, but He escaped their grasp.
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had first been baptizing, and He stayed there.
41 Many came to Him and said, “Although John never performed a sign, everything he said about this man was true.”
42 And many in that place believed in Jesus.
