QuickQuotes

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The following quotes are a small selection, from the outstanding New International Version (NIV) Bible. For more information on this translation, click here.

Proverbs 11

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

A man who lacks judgement derides his neighbour, but a man of understanding holds his tongue.

A kind-hearted woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth.

Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.

One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!

Proverbs 12

A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

Proverbs 10

The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.

The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.

Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.

When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.

A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man of understanding delights in wisdom.

The fear of the LORD adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.

Proverbs 12

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies.

Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.

Proverbs 13

He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.

One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

A man's riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat.

Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Proverbs 14

The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.

Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief.

A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.

A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays

folly.

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning and even among fools she lets herself be known.

Proverbs 15

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools.

A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise.

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.

All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.

Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.

A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.

Proverbs 18

A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.

Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honour.

He who answers before listening-- that is his folly and his shame.

A man's spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?

The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.

A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.

The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him.

Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart.

He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favour from the LORD.

Proverbs 15

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

A man finds joy in giving an apt reply-- and how good is a timely word!

The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.

A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.

Proverbs 16

The LORD works out everything for his own ends-- even the wicked for a day of disaster.

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction.

A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction.

Grey hair is a crown of splendour; it is attained by a righteous life.

Proverbs 17

He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.

He who covers over an offence promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

A wicked man accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the course of justice.

A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.

Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.

Proverbs 19

A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offence.

He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.

A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty; if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

Proverbs 20

It is to a man's honour to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.

The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.

Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

Proverbs 21

He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.

The proud and arrogant man--"Mocker" is his name; he behaves with overweening pride.

Proverbs 22

Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all.

A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

Proverbs 25

A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

Like the coolness of snow at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters.

Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give.

Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

Seldom set foot in your neighbour's house-- too much of you, and he will hate you.

Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.

Proverbs 26

Like a thornbush in a drunkard's hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

Proverbs 23

Do not speak to a fool, for he will scorn the wisdom of your words.

Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.

Proverbs 24

A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength;

for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers.

If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!

Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice,

or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him.

Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked,

for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

Proverbs 26

As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.

Like one who seizes a dog by the ears is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own.

Like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows

is a man who deceives his neighbour and says, "I was only joking!"

Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.

Proverbs 27

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.

The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man.

Proverbs 28

The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a man of understanding and knowledge maintains order.

When the righteous triumph, there is great elation; but when the wicked rise to power, men go into hiding.

Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked man ruling over a helpless people.

A tyrannical ruler lacks judgement, but he who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long life.

A man tormented by the guilt of murder will be a fugitive till death; let no one support him.

He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.

Proverbs 29

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.

Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Psalm 12

And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.

Psalm 17

Though you probe my heart and examine me at night, though you test me, you will find nothing; I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.

Psalm 30

Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name.

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Psalm 45

My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king;

my tongue is the pen of a skilful writer.

Psalm 55

My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant.

His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.

Psalm 69

But I pray to you, O LORD, in the time of your favour; in your great love,

O God, answer me with your sure salvation.

Psalm 90

For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.

Psalm 96

Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.

Psalm 107

He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.

Psalm 116

I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.

Psalm 118

Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.

Psalm 119

120

My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws.

Psalm 120

Too long have I lived among those who hate peace.

I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

Psalm 149

Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp.

Psalm 18

The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Saviour!

Job 29

I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban.

Job 19

I am nothing but skin and bones; I have escaped with only the skin of my teeth.

Job 21

Yet they say to God, `Leave us alone! We have no desire to know your ways.

Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain by praying to him?'

Job 34

Is he not the One who says to kings, `You are worthless,' and to nobles,

`You are wicked,'

who shows no partiality to princes and does not favour the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?

Job 36

Elihu continued:

"Bear with me a little longer and I will show you that there is more to be said in God's behalf.

I get my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe justice to my Maker.

Be assured that my words are not false; one perfect in knowledge is with you.

Job 39

Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread his wings toward the south?

Job 11

You say to God, `My beliefs are flawless and I am pure in your sight.'

Oh, how I wish that God would speak, that he would open his lips against you

and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides.

Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.

Can you fathom the mysteries of God?

Job 10

I will say to God: Do not condemn me, but tell me what charges you have against me.

Do you have eyes of flesh? Do you see as a mortal sees?

Are your days like those of a mortal or your years like those of a man,

Job 7

"What is man that you make so much of him, that you give him so much attention,

that you examine him every morning and test him every moment?

Genesis 1

In the beginning God...

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

Leviticus 20

"`If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable.

23: You must not live according to the customs of the nations I am going to drive out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them.
24: But I said to you, "You will possess their land; I will give it to you as an inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey." I am the LORD your God, who has set you apart from the nations.
26: You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.

Leviticus 21
13: "`The woman he marries must be a virgin.

Numbers 14

The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?

Numbers 12

he said, "Listen to my words: "When a prophet of the LORD is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams.

But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house

With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD.

Numbers 23

God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil?

Numbers 24

Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness--who dares to rouse them? "May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!"

Exodus 23

8-10

"Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt.

Deuteronomy 24

15-17

Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.

Deuteronomy 10

Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer.

Deuteronomy 30

The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.

Deuteronomy 28

The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.

Deuteronomy 8

You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me."

But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.

Deuteronomy 17

The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, "You are not to go back that way again."

He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.

Deuteronomy 18

Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,

or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.

Chronicles I

Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance,

and did not inquire of the LORD.

Ezekiel 17

"Son of man, set forth an allegory and tell the house of Israel a parable.

Isaiah 47

All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you.

Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. Here are no coals to warm anyone; here is no fire to sit by.

That is all they can do for you-- these you have laboured with and trafficked with since childhood. Each of them goes on in his error; there is not one that can save you.

Samuel I 25

A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel.

His name was Nabal and his wife's name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was surly and mean in his dealings.

While David was in the desert, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep.

So he sent ten young men and said to them, "Go up to Nabal at Carmel and greet him in my name.

Say to him: `Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!

Chronicles II 33

Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years.

He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.

He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them.

He built altars in the temple of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, "My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever."

In both courts of the temple of the LORD, he built altars to all the starry hosts.

He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practised sorcery, divination and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger.

Chronicles II 34

Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years.

He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.

Chronicles 32

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.

With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

Chronicles II 1

That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."

Solomon answered God, "You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place.

Now, LORD God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth.

Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?"

God said to Solomon, "Since this is your heart's desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honour, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king,

therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honour, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have."

Kings I 3

Now there was a certain old prophet living in Bethel, whose sons came and told him all that the man of God had done there that day. They also told their father what he had said to the king.

Their father asked them, "Which way did he go?" And his sons showed him which road the man of God from Judah had taken.

So he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." And when they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it

and rode after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" "I am," he replied.

So the prophet said to him, "Come home with me and eat."

The man of God said, "I cannot turn back and go with you, nor can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place.

I have been told by the word of the LORD: `You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.'"

The old prophet answered, "I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the LORD: `Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.'" (But he was lying to him.)

So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house.

While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the old prophet who had brought him back.

He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, "This is what the LORD says: `You have defied the word of the LORD and have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you.

You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be buried in the tomb of your fathers.'"

Nehemiah 8

They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is sacred to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve."

Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.

Judges 4

Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time.

She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided.

She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, "The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you: `Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor.

I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.'"

Barak said to her, "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go."

"Very well," Deborah said, "I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honour will not be yours, for the LORD will hand Sisera over to a woman." So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh,

where he summoned Zebulun and Naphtali. Ten thousand men followed him, and Deborah also went with him.

Jeremiah 51

"He made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.

Ezekiel 12

The word of the LORD came to me:

"Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel: `The days go by and every vision comes to nothing'?

Say to them, `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.' Say to them, `The days are near when every vision will be fulfilled.

For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations among the people of Israel.

But I the LORD will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, you rebellious house, I will fulfil whatever I say, declares the Sovereign LORD.'"

The word of the LORD came to me:

"Son of man, the house of Israel is saying, `The vision he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies about the distant future.'

"Therefore say to them, `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign LORD.'"

Ezekiel 13

This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!

Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among ruins.

You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the LORD.

Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, "The LORD declares," when the LORD has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled.

Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, "The LORD declares," though I have not spoken?

"`Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign LORD.

My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.

Leviticus 26

which made me hostile toward them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies--then when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin,

I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.

Leviticus 19

"`Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favouritism to the great, but judge your neighbour fairly.

"`When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him.

The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

1 Samuel 16:

6-8

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

Matthew 15

10: Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand.
11: What goes into a man's mouth does not make him `unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him `unclean.'"
12

Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?"
13: He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.
14: Leave them; they are blind guides. ^[⁵^] If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
15: Peter said, "Explain the parable to us."
16: "Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them.
17: "Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body?
18: But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man `unclean.'
19: For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
20: These are what make a man `unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him `unclean.'"

Matthew 11

2: When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples
3: to ask him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"
4: Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see:
5: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy ^[⁴²^] are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
6: Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
7: As John's disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind?
8: If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces.
9: Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
10: This is the one about whom it is written: "`I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' ^[⁴³^]
11: I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12: From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.
13: For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
14: And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.

Matthew 5

8: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
10: Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11: "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
12: Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
16: In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
17: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.
18: I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
19: Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20: For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
23: "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24: leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
25: "Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.

Matthew 6

1: "Be careful not to do your `acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2: "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
3: But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4: so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
5: "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
6: But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
19: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
20: But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22: "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.
23: But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
25: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
26: Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
27: Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ^[³⁰^]?
34: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 7

15: "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
16: By their fruit you will recognise them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

Matthew 8

24: Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.
25: The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"
26: He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
27: The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

Matthew 9

1: Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town.
2: Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."
3: At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!"
4: Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?
5: Which is easier: to say, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Get up and walk'?
6: But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home."
7: And the man got up and went home.
8: When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.
9: As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
10: While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples.
11: When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and `sinners'?"
12: On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.

Matthew 10

16: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Matthew 12

1: At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them.
2: When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath."
3: He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
4: He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread--which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.
5: Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent?
6: I tell you that one ^[⁴⁵^] greater than the temple is here.
7: If you had known what these words mean, `I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' ^[⁴⁶^] you would not have condemned the innocent.
8: For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
9: Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue,
10: and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"
11: He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?
12: How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

Matthew 12

46: While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him.
47: Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you." ^[⁵¹^]
48: He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"
49: Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers.
50: For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

Matthew 13

54: Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked.
55: "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?
56: Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?"
57: And they took offence at him. But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honour."
58: And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

Matthew 16

1: The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.
2: He replied, ^[¹^] "When evening comes, you say, `It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,'
3: and in the morning, `Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
4: A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." Jesus then left them and went away.
5: When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread.
6: "Be careful," Jesus said to them. "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
7: They discussed this among themselves and said, "It is because we didn't bring any bread."
8: Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, "You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread?
9: Do you still not understand? Don't you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?
10: Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?
11: How is it you don't understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
12: Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
13: When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
14: They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
15: "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
16: Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, ^[²^] the Son of the living God."
17: Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.

Matthew 18

1: At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2: He called a little child and had him stand among them.
3: And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
4: Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5: "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.
6: But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
21: Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22: Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. ^[⁶^]

Matthew 19

1: When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan.
2: Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3: Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?"
4: "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator `made them male and female,' ^[¹^]
5: and said, `For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' ^[²^] ?
6: So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
7: "Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"
8: Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.
9: I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."
10: The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry."
11: Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given.
12: For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage ^[³^] because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."

Matthew 22

23: That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question.
24: "Teacher," they said, "Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him.
25: Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother.
26: The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh.
27: Finally, the woman died.
28: Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?"
29: Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.
30: At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.
31: But about the resurrection of the dead--have you not read what God said to you,
32: `I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob' ^[¹^] ? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."
33: When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.

Matthew 23

15: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
25: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
26: Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
33: "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?

Matthew 24

3: As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"
4: Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you.
5: For many will come in my name, claiming, `I am the Christ, ^[¹^] ' and will deceive many.
6: You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
7: Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
8: All these are the beginning of birth pains.
9: "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.
10: At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,
11: and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
12: Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,
13: but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
14: And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
23: At that time if anyone says to you, `Look, here is the Christ!' or, `There he is!' do not believe it.
24: For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible.
25: See, I have told you ahead of time.
26: "So if anyone tells you, `There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, `Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.

Matthew 25

1: "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2: Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
3: The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.
4: The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.
5: The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6: "At midnight the cry rang out: `Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'
7: "Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.
8: The foolish ones said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'
9: "`No,' they replied, `there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'
10: "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
11: "Later the others also came. `Sir! Sir!' they said. `Open the door for us!'
12: "But he replied, `I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'
13: "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
44: "They also will answer, `Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45: "He will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46: "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Matthew 27

When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. ^[²^]

36: And sitting down, they kept watch over him there.
37: Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
38: Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.
39: Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads
40: and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!"
41: In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him.
42: "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.
43: He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, `I am the Son of God.'"
44: In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
45: From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.
46: About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, ^[³^] lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" ^[⁴^]
47: When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah."
48: Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink.
49: The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."
50: And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
51: At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.
52: The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.
53: They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
54: When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son ^[⁵^] of God!"

Mark 10

17: As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18: "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone.

Luke 6

...Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

27: "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28: bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
29: If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.
30: Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.
31: Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32: "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even `sinners' love those who love them.
33: And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even `sinners' do that.
34: And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even `sinners' lend to `sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full.
35: But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
36: Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
37: "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Luke 9

50: "Do not stop him," Jesus said, "for whoever is not against you is for you."

John 2

1: On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
2: and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
3: When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
4: "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."
5: His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
6: Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. ^[¹⁴^]
7: Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
8: Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so,
9: and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realise where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside
10: and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
11: This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
13: When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14: In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.
15: So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.
16: To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"
17: His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me." ^[¹⁵^]
18: Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?"
19: Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."
20: The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?"
21: But the temple he had spoken of was his body.
22: After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

John 3

16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, ^[²²^] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17: For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
18: Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. ^[²³^]
19: This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
20: Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
21: But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." ^[²⁴^]
35: The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.
36: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." ^[²⁸^]

John 8

3: The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group
4: and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
5: In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"
6: They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
7: When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
8: Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9: At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.
10: Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11: "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
31: To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.
32: Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
33: They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants ^[⁴⁷^] and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"
34: Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
35: Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.
36: So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
37: I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word.
38: I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father. ^[⁴⁸^]"
39: "Abraham is our father," they answered. "If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would ^[⁴⁹^] do the things Abraham did.
40: As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things.
41: You are doing the things your own father does." "We are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself."
42: Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me.
43: Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.
44: You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
45: Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!
46: Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me?
47: He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."

John 9

1: As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.
2: His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
3: "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.
4: As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
5: While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
6: Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes.
7: "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
8: His neighbours and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?"
9: Some claimed that he was. Others said, "No, he only looks like him." But he himself insisted, "I am the man."
10: "How then were your eyes opened?" they demanded.
11: He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."
12: "Where is this man?" they asked him. "I don't know," he said.
13: They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind.
14: Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath.
15: Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see."
16: Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided.
17: Finally they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened." The man replied, "He is a prophet."
18: The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents.
19: "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?"
20: "We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind.
21: But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself."
22: His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ ^[⁵⁰^] would be put out of the synagogue.
23: That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."
24: A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God, ^[⁵¹^]" they said. "We know this man is a sinner."
25: He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"
26: Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"
27: He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?"
28: Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses!
29: We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from."
30: The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes.
31: We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will.
32: Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind.
33: If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."
34: To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.
35: Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
36: "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."
37: Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."
38: Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshipped him.
39: Jesus said, "For judgement I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."
40: Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?"
41: Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

John 10

1: "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.
2: The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep.
3: The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4: When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
5: But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognise a stranger's voice."
6: Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.
7: Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.
8: All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
9: I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. ^[⁵²^] He will come in and go out, and find pasture.
10: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12: The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.
13: The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14: "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--
15: just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16: I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
17: The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again.
18: No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

Mark 7 (cited by biblical scholars as the earliest gospel)

1

The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and

2

saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were "unclean," that is, unwashed.

3

(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.

4

When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles. ^[¹⁹^])

5

So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with `unclean' hands?"

6

He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: "`These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

7

They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' ^[²⁰^]

8

You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."

9

And he said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe ^[²¹^] your own traditions!

10

For Moses said, `Honour your father and your mother,' ^[²²^] and, `Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' ^[²³^]

11

But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: `Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban' (that is, a gift devoted to God),

12

then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.

13

Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that."

14

Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this.

15

Nothing outside a man can make him `unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him `unclean.' ^[²⁴^]"

17

After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable.

18

"Are you so dull?" he asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him `unclean'?

19

For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean.")

20

He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him `unclean.'

21

For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,

22

greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.

23

All these evils come from inside and make a man `unclean.'"

.

Mark 14

60

Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?"

61

But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"

62

"I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."

.

Mark 8

Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"

They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ. "

Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.

Mark 6

.

1

Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples.

2

When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. "Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!

.

Mark 2

Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.

Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralysed man was lying on.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,

"Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things?

Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Get up, take your mat and walk'?

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralytic,

"I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home."

He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

Mark 12

30

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' ^[⁵³^]

31

…Love your neighbour as yourself.'

Mark 10

1: Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.
2: Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"
3: "What did Moses command you?" he replied.
4: They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away."
5: "It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied.
6: "But at the beginning of creation God `made them male and female.'
7: `For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,
8: and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one.
15: I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
16: And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.
17: As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18: "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone.
43: Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
44: and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.
45: For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
46: Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging.
47: When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
48: Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
49: Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you."
50: Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51: "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."
52: "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Deuteronomy 19

15

One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offence he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

John 15

12

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

13

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

14

You are my friends if you do what I command.

15

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

16

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

John 16

16

"In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me."

17

Some of his disciples said to one another, "What does he mean by saying, `In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,' and `Because I am going to the Father'?"

18

They kept asking, "What does he mean by `a little while'? We don't understand what he is saying."

19

Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, "Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, `In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me'?

20

I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.

21

A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.

22

So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

23

In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

24

Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

25

"Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father.

26

In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf.

27

No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

28

I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."

29

Then Jesus' disciples said, "Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech.

30

Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God."

31

"You believe at last!" Jesus answered.

32

"But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

33

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

John 18

33

Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"

34

"Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?"

35

"Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?"

36

Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."

37

"You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

38

"What is truth?" Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, "I find no basis for a charge against him.

39

But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release `the king of the Jews'?"

40

They shouted back, "No, not him! Give us Barabbas!" Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.

Luke 1
37: For nothing is impossible with God."

Luke 2
36: There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
37: and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying.
38: Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Luke 12
8: "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.
9: But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.
54: He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, `It's going to rain,' and it does.
55: And when the south wind blows, you say, `It's going to be hot,' and it is.
56: Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?
57: "Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?
58: As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way, or he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.

Luke 16
13: "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
14: The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.
15: He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.
16: "The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
17: It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.

19: "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.
20: At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores
21: and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22: "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.
23: In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.
24: So he called to him, `Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'
25: "But Abraham replied, `Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.
26: And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'
27: "He answered, `Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,
28: for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
29: "Abraham replied, `They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
30: "`No, father Abraham,' he said, `but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
31: "He said to him, `If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"

Luke 18

1: Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
2: He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men.
3: And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, `Grant me justice against my adversary.'
4: "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, `Even though I don't fear God or care about men,
5: yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'"
9: To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:
10: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11: The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: `God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector.
12: I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
13: "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, `God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
14: "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
.
18: A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
19: "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone.
.
27: Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

Luke 6

1: One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels.
2: Some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"
3: Jesus answered them, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
4: He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions."
5: Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

Ephesians 2

18-20

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household,

John 16

24-26

"Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father.

Matthew 26

51-53

"Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.

Luke 7

34-36

But wisdom is proved right by all her children."

Romans 3

9-11

As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;

Peter II 2

18: For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.
19: They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity--for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
20: If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.
21: It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.
22: Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," ^[⁷^] and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."

Peter II 3

8: But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

15: Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.
16: He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Peter II 1

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;

and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;

and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

13: I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body,
14: because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.
15: And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.
16: We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17: For he received honour and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." ^[¹^]
18: We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
19: And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
20: Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation.
21: For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 2

1: But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves.
2: Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
3: In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

Romans 1

25: They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen.
26: Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.
27: In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
28: Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
29: They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,
30: slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;
31: they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
32: Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Romans 5

3: Not only so, but we ^[²³^] also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
4: perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Romans 10

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,

for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." [60]

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" [61]

But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" [62]

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

Romans 12

9: Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
10: Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves.
11: Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord.
12: Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
13: Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14: Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
15: Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
16: Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. ^[⁸⁰^] Do not be conceited.
17: Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
18: If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
19: Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," ^[⁸¹^] says the Lord.
20: On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." ^[⁸²^]
21: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

2 Corinthians 10

1: By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you--I, Paul, who am "timid" when face to face with you, but "bold" when away!
2: I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.
3: For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
4: The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
5: We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ

9: I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters.
10: For some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing."
11: Such people should realise that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.

Corinthians II 11

4: For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.
5: But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles."
6: I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.

23: Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.
24: Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
25: Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,
26: I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.
27: I have laboured and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
28: Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

Corinthians II 13

5: Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?
6: And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.

Timothy I 1

We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.
9: We also know that law ^[¹^] is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,
10: for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers--and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine
11: that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

1 Timothy 5

1

Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers,

23: Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

Timothy II 2

11: Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him;
12: if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;
13: if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
14: Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarrelling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.
15: Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
16: Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.

Timothy II 3

12: In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
13: while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
14: But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,
15: and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
16: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
17: so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 4

1: In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:
2: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction.
3: For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
4: They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
5: But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
6: For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.
7: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8: Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
9: Do your best to come to me quickly,
10: for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
11: Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.
12: I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
13: When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.
14: Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done.
15: You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.
16: At my first defence, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.
17: But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth.
18: The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
19: Greet Priscilla ^[²^] and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus.
20: Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus.
21: Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers.
22: The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you. _

Timothy I 4

12: Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

James 1

1: James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
2: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
3: because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
4: Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
5: If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
6: But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
7: That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;
8: he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does

12: Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
13: When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;

19: My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
20: for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
21: Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22: Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
23: Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror
24: and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

26: If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

James 2

1: My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favouritism.
2: Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
3: If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet,"
4: have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

9: But if you show favouritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers

19: You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.
20: You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless ^[⁴^]?
21: Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
22: You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
23: And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," ^[⁵^] and he was called God's friend.
24: You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
25: In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?
26: As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

James 3

17: But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
18: Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

James 4

There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you--who are you to judge your neighbour?
13: Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."
14: Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
15: Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."
16: As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.
17: Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

James 5

19: My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back,
20: remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Corinthians I 6

9: Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders
10: nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11: And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
12: "Everything is permissible for me"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"--but I will not be mastered by anything.
13: "Food for the stomach and the stomach for food"--but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
14: By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.
15: Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!
16: Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." ^[¹⁵^]
17: But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
18: Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.

Corinthians I 7

2: But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.
3: The husband should fulfil his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.
4: The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.
8: Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am.
9: But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

18: Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised.
19: Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts.
20: Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him.
21: Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you--although if you can gain your freedom, do so.
22: For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave.
23: You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

Corinthians I 9

Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
17: If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.
18: What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.
19: Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
20: To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.
21: To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law.
22: To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.
23: I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
24: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25: Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
26: Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.
27: No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Corinthians I 10

23: "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive.

Corinthians I 15

11: Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
12: But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13: If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
14: And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
15: More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.
16: For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
17: And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
18: Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
19: If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
20: But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

35: But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?"
36: How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.
37: When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else.
38: But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.
39: All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another.
40: There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendour of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendour of the earthly bodies is another.
41: The sun has one kind of splendour, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendour.
42: So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;
43: it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;
44: it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
45: So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being" ^[⁴⁷^]; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.
46: The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.
47: The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven.
48: As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.
49: And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we ^[⁴⁸^] bear the likeness of the man from heaven.
50: I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
51: Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--
52: in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
53: For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.
54: When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." ^[⁴⁹^]
55: "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" ^[⁵⁰^]
56: The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
57: But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58: Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.

Ephesians 5

1: Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
2: and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3: But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.
4: Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
5: For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. ^[¹³^]

18: Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
19: Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,

25: Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

28: In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

31: "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." ^[¹⁵^]
32: This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church.
33: However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

1 Timothy 3

1: Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, ^[⁴^] he desires a noble task.
2: Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well.

Titus 1

6: An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.

Galatians 1

6: I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--
7: which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.
8: But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!
9: As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
10: Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
11: I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up.
12: I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
13: For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
14: I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
15: But when God, who set me apart from birth ^[¹^] and called me by his grace, was pleased
16: to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man,
17: nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
18: Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter ^[²^] and stayed with him fifteen days.
19: I saw none of the other apostles--only James, the Lord's brother.
20: I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.
21: Later I went to Syria and Cilicia.
22: I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.
23: They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy."
24: And they praised God because of me.

Galatians 5

11: Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offence of the cross has been abolished.
12: As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

19: The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
20: idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
21: and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23: gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Galatians 6

1: Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
2: Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.
3: If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
4: Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else,
5: for each one should carry his own load.
6: Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
7: Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
8: The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature ^[²⁰^] will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
9: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
10: Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
11: See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!
12: Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.
13: Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh.
14: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which ^[²¹^] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
15: Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.
16: Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God.
17: Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
18: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen. _

Hebrews 7

1: This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,
2: and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace."
4: Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!

2 John

- - 1
    
    The elder, To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth--and not I only, but also all who know the truth--
    2
    
    because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:
    3
    
    Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with us in truth and love.
    4
    
    It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.
    5
    
    And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.
    6
    
    And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
    7
    
    Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.
    8
    
    Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.
    9
    
    Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
    10
    
    If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him.
    11
    
    Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.
    12
    
    I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
    13
    
    The children of your chosen sister send their greetings.

Colossians 3

But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

19: Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

25: Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favouritism.

Colossians 4

12: Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
13: I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14: Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings.
15: Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.
16: After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.
17: Tell Archippus: "See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord."
18: I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.

1 Corinthians 1

10: I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
11: My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
12: What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas ^[¹^]"; still another, "I follow Christ."
13: Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptised into ^[²^] the name of Paul?
14: I am thankful that I did not baptise any of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15: so no one can say that you were baptised into my name.
16: (Yes, I also baptised the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptised anyone else.)
17: For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the gospel--not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
18: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19: For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." ^[³^]
20: Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
21: For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
22: Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
23: but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
24: but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25: For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
26: Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.
27: But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
28: He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are,
29: so that no one may boast before him.
30: It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
31: Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." ^[⁴^]

1 Corinthians 3

You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?

4: For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?
5: What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe--as the Lord has assigned to each his task.
6: I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.
7: So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
8: The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labour.
9: For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
10: By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds.
11: For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12: If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,
13: his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.
14: If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.
15: If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames

Corinthians I 4

10: We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honoured, we are dishonoured!
11: To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.
12: We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
13: when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.
14: I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children.

Jude

22: Be merciful to those who doubt;

Philippians 2

Do everything without complaining or arguing,

so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe

as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labour for nothing.

But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.

So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

1 Timothy 6:

9-11

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

2 Thessalonians 3

11

We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies.

.

Hebrews 11

1: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
2: This is what the ancients were commended for.
3: By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
4: By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
5: By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
6: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
7: By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8: By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
9: By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.
10: For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11: By faith Abraham, even though he was past age--and Sarah herself was barren--was enabled to become a father because he ^[⁴⁷^] considered him faithful who had made the promise.
12: And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
13: All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.
14: People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.
15: If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.
16: Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
17: By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son,
18: even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring ^[⁴⁸^] will be reckoned." ^[⁴⁹^]
19: Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
20: By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
21: By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshipped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
22: By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.
23: By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.
24: By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter.
25: He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.
26: He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
27: By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.
28: By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
29: By faith the people passed through the Red Sea ^[⁵⁰^] as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
30: By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.
31: By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. ^[⁵¹^]
32: And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets,
33: who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,
34: quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.
35: Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.
36: Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison.
37: They were stoned ^[⁵²^]; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated--
38: the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39: These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.
40: God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect
.

Hebrews 13

1

Keep on loving each other as brothers.

2

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

3

Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

4

Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

5

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." ^[⁵⁹^]

6

So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" ^[⁶⁰^]

7

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

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