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Acts 11:19-30
/RSS FeedActs 11:19-30
19 Meanwhile those scattered by the persecution that began with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message only to Jews.
20 But some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks as well, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.
21 The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22 When news of this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
23 When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to abide in the Lord with all their hearts.
24 Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
26 and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So for a full year they met together with the church and taught large numbers of people. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.
27 In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28 One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted through the Spirit that a great famine would sweep across the whole world. (This happened under Claudius.)
29 So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.
30 This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul. -
Acts 3:11-26
/RSS FeedActs 3:11-26
11 While the man clung to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and ran to them in the walkway called Solomon’s Colonnade.
12 And when Peter saw this, he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why are you surprised by this? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over and rejected Him before Pilate, even though he had decided to release Him.
14 You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
15 You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses of the fact.
16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know has been made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has given him this complete healing in your presence.
17 And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.
18 But in this way God has fulfilled what He foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer.
19 Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away,
20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus, the Christ, who has been appointed for you.
21 Heaven must take Him in until the time comes for the restoration of all things, which God announced long ago through His holy prophets.
22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He tells you.
23 Everyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among his people.’
24 Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have proclaimed these days.
25 And you are sons of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers when He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.’
26 When God raised up His Servant, He sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” -
Acts 2:14-36
/RSS FeedActs 2:14-36
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice, and addressed the crowd: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen carefully to my words.
15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It is only the third hour of the day!
16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
22 Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.
23 He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross.
24 But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for Him to be held in its clutches.
25 David says about Him: ‘I saw the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will dwell in hope,
27 because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence.’
29 Brothers, I can tell you with confidence that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that He would place one of his descendants on his throne.
31 Foreseeing this, David spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His body see decay.
32 God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses.
33 Exalted, then, to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
34 For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand
35 until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’
36 Therefore let all Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!” -
Acts 1:12-26
/RSS FeedActs 1:12-26
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near the city, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
13 When they arrived, they went to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
14 With one accord they all continued in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty) and said,
16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit foretold through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus.
17 He was one of our number and shared in this ministry.”
18 (Now with the reward for his wickedness Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong and burst open in the middle, and all his intestines spilled out.
19 This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so they called that field in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his position.’
21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 beginning from John’s baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
23 So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.
24 And they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen
25 to take up this ministry and apostleship, which Judas abandoned to go to his rightful place.”
26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles. -
Acts 1:1-11
/RSS FeedActs 1:1-11
1 In my first book, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach,
2 until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen.
3 After His suffering, He presented Himself to them with many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a span of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
4 And while they were gathered together, He commanded them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift the Father promised, which you have heard Me discuss.
5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 So when they came together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” -
1 Timothy 4:1-16
/RSS Feed1 Timothy 4:1-16
1 Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
2 influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.
3 They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from certain foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
4 For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected,
5 because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
6 By pointing out these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of faith and sound instruction that you have followed.
7 But reject irreverent, silly myths. Instead, train yourself for godliness.
8 For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come.
9 This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance.
10 To this end we labor and strive, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of everyone, and especially of those who believe.
11 Command and teach these things.
12 Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching.
14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given you through the prophecy spoken over you at the laying on of the hands of the elders.
15 Be diligent in these matters and absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.
16 Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you. -
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. -
Genesis 49:1-28
/RSS FeedGenesis 49:1-28
1 Then Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather around so that I can tell you what will happen to you in the days to come:
2 Come together and listen, O sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.
3 Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.
4 Uncontrolled as the waters, you will no longer excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, onto my couch, and defiled it.
5 Simeon and Levi are brothers; their swords are weapons of violence.
6 May I never enter their council; may I never join their assembly. For they kill men in their anger, and hamstring oxen on a whim.
7 Cursed be their anger, for it is strong, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will disperse them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.
8 Judah, your brothers shall praise you. Your hand shall be on the necks of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down to you.
9 Judah is a young lion— my son, you return from the prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.
11 He ties his donkey to the vine, his colt to the choicest branch. He washes his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.
12 His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk.
13 Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore and become a harbor for ships; his border shall extend to Sidon.
14 Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the sheepfolds.
15 He saw that his resting place was good and that his land was pleasant, so he bent his shoulder to the burden and submitted to labor as a servant.
16 Dan shall provide justice for his people as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 He will be a snake by the road, a viper in the path that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider tumbles backward.
18 I await Your salvation, O LORD.
19 Gad will be attacked by raiders, but he will attack their heels.
20 Asher’s food will be rich; he shall provide royal delicacies.
21 Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.
22 Joseph is a fruitful vine— a fruitful vine by a spring, whose branches scale the wall.
23 The archers attacked him with bitterness; they aimed at him in hostility.
24 Yet he steadied his bow, and his strong arms were tempered by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, in the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
25 by the God of your father who helps you, and by the Almighty who blesses you, with blessings of the heavens above, with blessings of the depths below, with blessings of the breasts and womb.
26 The blessings of your father have surpassed the blessings of the ancient mountains and the bounty of the everlasting hills. May they rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince of his brothers.
27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.”
28 These are the tribes of Israel, twelve in all, and this was what their father said to them. He blessed them, and he blessed each one with a suitable blessing. -
Genesis 3:14-24
/RSS FeedGenesis 3:14-24
14 So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and every beast of the field! On your belly will you go, and dust you will eat, all the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
16 To the woman He said: “I will sharply increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”
17 And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
18 Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground— because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”
20 And Adam named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all the living.
21 And the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them.
22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. And now, lest he reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever…”
23 Therefore the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.
24 So He drove out the man and stationed cherubim on the east side of the Garden of Eden, along with a whirling sword of flame to guard the way to the tree of life. -
Revelation 22:6-21
/RSS FeedRevelation 22:6-21
6 Then the angel said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel to show His servants what must soon take place.”
7 “Behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of prophecy in this book. ”
8 And I am John, who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown me these things.
9 But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”
10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of prophecy in this book, because the time is near.
11 Let the unrighteous continue to be unrighteous, and the vile continue to be vile; let the righteous continue to practice righteousness, and the holy continue to be holy.”
12 “Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.
13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by its gates.
15 But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.”
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.
18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of prophecy in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.
19 And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and the holy city, which are described in this book.
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.
