Reading the Bible OUT LOUD | #14 | Thursday 8 April - Afternoon

[Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] so so hi and welcome to uh stream number two of today of our outline project and we're going to jump in at ephesians chapter five and so let you all roll in and join me together right now in the niv so verse one follow god's example therefore as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love just as christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to god but among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality or of any kind of impurity or of greed because there are improper these are improper for god's holy people nor should there be any be obscenity foolish talk or coarse joking which are out of place but rather thanksgiving for of this you can be sure no immoral impure or greedy person such as a person and such a person is an idolater has any inheritance in the kingdom of christ and of god let no one deceive you with empty words for because of such things god's wrath comes on those who are disobedient therefore do not be partners with them for you were once darkness but now you are light in the lord live as children of light for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness righteousness and truth and find out what pleases the lord have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness but rather expose them it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient disobedient do in secret but everything exposed by the light becomes visible and everything that is illuminated becomes a light this is why it says wake up sleeper rise from the dead and christ will shine on you be careful then how you live not as unwise but as wise making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil therefore do not be foolish but understand what the lord's will is do not get drunk on wine which leads to debauchery instead be filled with the spirit speaking to one another with psalms and hymns and songs from the spirit sing and make music from your heart to the lord always giving thanks to god the father for everything in the name of our lord jesus christ instructions for christian households submit to one another out of reverence for christ wives submit yourselves to your husbands as you do to the lord for the husband is the head of the wife as christ is the head of the church his body of which he is the savior now as the church submits to christ so also wives should submit to their husbands and everything husbands love your wives just as christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy cleansing her by the washing with water through the word and to present her to himself as a radiant church without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish but holy and blameless in the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies he who loves his wife loves himself after all no one ever hated their own body but they feed and care for their body just as christ does the church for we are members of his body for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh this is a profound mystery but i am talking about christ and the church however each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself and the wife must respect her husband ephesians chapter 6 children obey your parents in the lord for this is right honor your father and mother which is the first commandment with a promise so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on this earth fathers do not exasperate your children instead bring them up in the training and the instruction of the lord slaves obey your earthly masters with respect and fear and with sincerity of heart just as you would obey christ obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you but as slaves of christ doing the will of god from your heart serve wholeheartedly as if you were serving the lord not people because you know that the lord will re reward each one for whatever good they do where whether they are slave or free and masters treat your slaves in the same way do not threaten them since you know that he who is both their master and yours is in heaven and there is no favoritism with him the armor of god finally be strong in the lord and in his mighty power put on the full armor of god so that you may take your stand against the devil's schemes for our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers against the authorities against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms therefore put on the full armor of god so that when the day of evil comes you may be able to stand your ground and after you've done everything to stand stand firm then with the belt of truth buckled around your waist with the breastplate of righteousness in place and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace in addition to this take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of god and pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests with this in mind be alert and always keep on praying for all the lord's people pray also for me that whenever i speak words may be given me so that i will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel for which i am an ambassador in chains play that pray that i may declare it fearlessly as i should final greetings taishi taiki i don't know how to say it the dear brother had a faithful sermon in the lord will tell you everything so that you may know how i am and what i am doing i am sending him to you for this very purpose that you may know how we are and that he may encourage you peace to the brothers and sisters and love with faith from god the father and the lord jesus christ grace to all who love our god jesus and our lord jesus christ with an undying love the book of philippians chapter one paul and timothy servants of christ jesus to all god's holy people in christ jesus as philippi together with the overseers and deacons grace and peace to you from god our father and the lord jesus christ thanksgiving in prayer i thank my god every time i remember you in all my prayers for all of you i always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now being confident of this that he who began a good work in you will also carry it on into completion until the day of christ jesus it is right for me to feel this way about all of you since i have you in my heart and whether i am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel all of you share in god's grace with me god can testify how i long for all of you with the affection of christ jesus and this is my prayer that your love may abound more and more in a knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of christ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through christ jesus to the glory and praise of god paul's chains advance the gospel now i want you to know brothers and sisters that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel as a result it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that i am in chains for christ and because of my chains most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the lord and they are all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear it is true that some preach christ out of envy and rivalry but others out of good will the latter do so out of love knowing that i am put here for the defense of the gospel the former preached christ out of selfish ambition not sincerely supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while i am changed but what does it mean what does it matter i mean the important thing is that in every way whether from false motives are true christ is priest and because of this i rejoice yes and i will continue to rejoice for i know that through your prayers and god's provision of the spirit of jesus christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance i eagerly expect and hope that i will in no way be ashamed but will have sufficient courage so that now as always christ will be exalted in my body whether by life or by death for to me to live is christ and to die is gain if i am to go on living in the body this will mean fruitful labor for me yet what shall i choose i do not know i am torn between the two i desire to depart and be with christ which is better by far but it is more necessary for you that i remain in the body convinced that this i know that i will remain and i will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith so that through my being with you again you're boasting in christ jesus will abound on account of me life worthy of the gospel whatever happens conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of christ then whether i come and see you or only hear about you in my absence i will know that you stand firm in the one spirit striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you this is a sign to them that they will be destroyed but that you will be saved and that by god for it has been granted to you on behalf of christ not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him since you are going through the same struggle you saw i had and now here that i still have philippians chapter 2 imitating christ's humility therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with christ if any comfort from his love if any common sharing in the spirit if any tenderness and compassion then make my joy complete by being like-minded having the same love being one in spirit and of one mind do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit rather in humility value others above yourselves not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others in your relationships with one another have the same mindset in as christ jesus who being in in very nature god did not consider equality with god something to be used to his own advantage rather he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness and being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself by being obedient to death even death on a cross therefore god exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every other name that at the name of jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue acknowledge that jesus christ is lord to the glory of god the father and i will hand over to katrina for chapter 2 verse 12. great philippians 2 starting in verse 12 do everything without grumbling therefore my dear friends of you as you have always obeyed not only in my presence but now much more in my absence continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is god who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purposes do everything without grumbling or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure children of god without fault in a warped and crooked generation then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life and then i will be able to boast on the day of christ that i did not run or labor in vain 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 rejoiced with all of you so you too should be glad and rejoice with me timothy and epaphroditus i hope in the lord jesus to send timothy to you soon so that i also may be cheered when i receive news about you i have no one else like him who will show genuine concern for your welfare for everyone looks out for their own interests not those of jesus christ but you know that timothy has proved himself because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel i hope therefore descend him as soon as i see how things go with me and i am confident in the lord that i myself will come soon but i think it is necessary to send back to you epaphroditus my brother co-worker and fellow soldier who is also your messenger whom you sent to take care of my needs for he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard that he was ill indeed he was ill and almost died but god had mercy on him and not on on him only but also on me to spare me sorrow upon sorrow therefore i am all the more eager to send him so that when you see him again you may be glad and i may have less anxiety so then welcome him in the lord with great joy and honor people like him because he almost died for the work of christ he risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me philippians 3 no confidence in flesh further my brothers and sisters rejoice in the lord it is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again and it is a safeguard for you watch out for those dogs those evildoers those mutilators of the flesh for it is we who are the circumcision we who serve god by his spirit we who boast in christ jesus and who put no confidence in the flesh though i myself have reasons for such confidence if someone else thinks they have reason to put confidence in the flesh i have more circumcised on the eighth day of the people of israel of the tribe of benjamin a hebrew of hebrews in regard to the law a pharisee as for zeal persecuting the church as for righteousness based on the law faultless but ever were gains but whatever regains to me i now consider loss for the sake of christ what is more i consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing christ jesus my lord for whose sake i have lost all things i consider them garbage that i may gain christ and be found in him not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law but that which is through faith in christ the righteousness that comes from god on the basis of faith i want to know christ yes to know the power of his resurrection on participation in his sufferings becoming like him in his death and so somehow attaining to the resurrection from the dead not that i have already attained all this or have already arrived at my goal but i press on to take hold of that for which christ jesus took hold of me brothers and sisters i do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it but one thing i do forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead i press on towards the goal to win the prize for which god has called me heaven words in christ jesus all of us then who are mature should take such a view of things and if some of you point at some point you think differently that too god will make clear to you only let us live up to what we have already attained join together in following my example brothers and sisters and just as as you have as a model keep your eyes on those who live as we do for as i have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears many lot live as enemies of the christ of cross of christ their destiny is destruction their god is their stomach and their glory is in their shame their mind is set on earthly things but our citizenship is in heaven and we eagerly await a savior from there the lord jesus christ who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body philippians 4 therefore my brothers and sisters you who i love and long for my joy and my crown stand firm and the lord in this way dear friends i plead with you and i plead with sentaike to be of the same mind and the lord yes and i ask you my true companion help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel along with clement and the rest of my co-worker whose names are in the book of life rejoice in the lord always i will say it again rejoice let your gentleness be evident to all the lord is near do not be anxious about anything but in every situation by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your request to god and the peace of god which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in christ finally brothers and sisters whatever is true whatever is noble whatever is right whatever is pure whatever is lovely and whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me put into practice and the god of peace will be with you i rejoice greatly in the lord that at last your you renewed your concern for me indeed you were concerned but you had no opportunity to show it i am not saying this because i am in need for i have learned to be content whatever the circumstances i know what it is to be in need and i know what it is to have plenty i have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation whether well fed or hungry whether living in plenty or want i can do all things through him who gives me strength yet it was good for you good of you to share in my troubles moreover as you philippians know in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel when i set out for macedonia not one church shared with me and the matter of giving and receiving except you only for even when i was in thessalonica you sent me aid more than once when i was in need not that i desire your gifts what i desire is that more be credited to your account i have received full payment and have more than enough i am amply supplied now that i have received from epaphroditus the gifts you sent they are a fragrant offering an acceptable sacrifice pleasing to god and my god will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in christ jesus to our god and father be glory forever and ever amen greet all god's people in christ jesus the brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings all god's people here send you greetings especially those who belong to caesar's household the grace of the lord jesus christ be with your spirit amen and that brings us to the start of colossians colossians 1 paul an apostle of christ jesus by the will of god and timothy our brother to god's holy people in colossae the faithful brothers and sisters in christ grace and peace to you from god our father we always thank god the father of our lord jesus christ when we pray for you because we have heard of your faith in christ jesus and of the love that you have for all god's people the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you in the same way the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood god's grace you learned it from paphras our dear fellow servant who is a faithful minister of christ on our behalf and who also told us of your love in the spirit for this reason since the day we heard about you we have not stopped praying for you we continually ask god to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the spirit gives so that you may live a life worthy of the lord and please him in everywhere bearing fruit and every good work growing in the knowledge of god being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience and giving joyful thanks to the father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light for he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the sun he loves in whom we have redemption the forgiveness of our sins the supremacy of the son of god the son is the image of the invisible god the firstborn over all of creation for in him all things were created things in heaven and things on earth visible and invisible whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities all things have been be created through him and in him he is before all things and in him all things hold together and he is the head of the body the church he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead so that in everything he might have the supremacy for god was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him and through him to reconcile to himself all things whether things on earth or things in heaven by making peace through his blood shed on the cross once you were alienated from god and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior but now he has reconciled you to by christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight without blemish free from accusation if you continue in your faith established and firm and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel this is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven and of which i paul have become a servant now i rejoice in what i am suffering for you and i fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to christ's afflictions for the sake of his body which is the church i have become its servant by the commission god gave me to present you the word of god in its fullness the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations but is now disclosed to the lord's people to them god has chosen to make known among the gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery which is christ in you the hope of glory he is the one we proclaim admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom so that we may present everyone fully mature in christ to this end i strenuously contend with all energy christ so powerfully works in me colossians 2 i want you to know how hard i am contending for you and for those at laodicea and for all who have not met me personally my goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding in order that they may know the mystery of god namely christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge i tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine sounding arguments for though i am absent from you in body i am present with you in spirit and delight to see to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in christ is spiritual fullness in christ so then just as you received christ jesus as lord continue to live your lives in him rooted and built up in him strengthened in the faith that you were taught and overflowing with thankfulness see to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on christ for in christ all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form and in christ you have been brought to fullness he is the head over every power and authority in him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by christ having been buried with him in baptism in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of god who raised him from the dead when you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh god made you alive in christ he forgave us all our sins having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness which stood against us and condemned us he has taken it away nailing it to the cross and having disarmed the powers and authorities he made a public spectacle of them triumphing over them at the cross and with that i will pass it back to karis to pick up at verse 16 and colossians 2. freedom from human rules therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink or with regard to a religious festival a new moon celebration or sabbath day these are a shadow of the things that were to come the reality however is found in christ do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind they have lost connection with the head from whom the whole body supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews grows as god causes it to grow since you died with christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world why as though you still belong to the world do you submit to its rules do not handle do not taste do not touch these rules which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use are based on merely human commands and teachings such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom with their self-imposed worship their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence chapter three living as those of me alive made alive in christ since then you have been raised with your with christ set your hearts on things above where christ is seated at the right hand of god set your minds on things above not on earthly things for you died and your life is now hidden with christ in god when christ who is your life appears then you also will appear with him in glory put to death therefore whatever belongs to your earthly nature sexual immorality impurity lust evil desires and greed which is idolatry which because of these the wrath of god is coming you used to walk in these ways in the light life that you once lived but now you must also rid yourself of all such things as these anger rage malice slander and filthy language from your lips do not lie to each other since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its creator here there is no gentile or jew circumcised or uncircumcised barbarian scythian slave or free but christ is all and is in all therefore as god's chosen people holy and dearly loved clothe yourselves with compassion kindness humility gentleness and patience bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against against someone forgive as the lord forgave you and all these virtues put on love which binds them all together in perfect union let the peace of christ rule in your hearts since as members of one body you were called to peace and be thankful but the message of christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms hymns and songs from the spirit singing to god with gratitude in your hearts and whatever you do whether in word or deed do it all in the name of the lord jesus giving thanks to god the father through him instructions to christian households wives submit yourselves to your husbands as is fitting in the lord husbands love your wives and do not be harsh with them children obey your parents and everything for this pleases the lord fathers do not embitter your children or they will become discouraged slaves obey your earthly masters and everything and do it not only with their eyes when their eyes on you and to carry their favor but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the lord whatever you do work at it with all your heart as working for the lord not for human masters since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the lord as a reward it is the lord christ you are serving anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs and there is no favoritism colossians chapter 4. masters provide your slaves with what is right and fair because you know that you also have a master in heaven further instructions devote yourselves to prayer being watchful and thankful and pray for us too that god may open a door for our message so that we may proclaim the mystery of christ for which i am in chains pray that i may proclaim it clearly as i should be wise in the way you act towards outsiders make the most of every opportunity let your conversation be always full of grace seasoned with salt so that you may know how to answer everyone and final greetings of this name again and sometimes tyshikas and will tell you all the news about me he is a dear brother a faithful minister and fellow servant in the lord i am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts he is coming with wha uh on assume us or our faithful and dear brother who is one of you they will tell you everything that is happening here my fellow prisoner aristarchus sends you his greetings as does mark the cousin of barnabas you have received instructions about him if he comes to you welcome him jesus who is called justice also sends greeters greetings these are the only jews among my co-workers for the kingdom of god and they have proved a comfort to me epaphras who is one of you and a servant of christ jesus sends greetings he's always wrestling in prayer for you that you may stand firm in all the will of god mature and fully assured i vouch for him that he is working for you and for those in laodicea and higher polis our dear friend luke the doctor and dem ascend greetings give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in laodicea and to nympha and the church in her house after this letter has been read to you see that it is also read in the church of the laodiceans that you in turn read the letter from laodicea tell octopus see to whether you complete the ministry ministry you have received in the lord i paul write this greeting in my own hand remember my chains grace be with you and now we transition to one thessalonians one paul silas and timothy to the church of the thessalonians and god the father and the lord jesus christ grace and peace to you thanksgiving for the thessalonians faith we always thank god for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers we remember before our god and father your work produced by faith your labor prompted by love and your endurance inspired by hope in our lord jesus christ for we know brothers and sisters loved by god that he has chosen you because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power but the holy spirit and deep conviction you know how we lived among you for your sake you became imitators of us and of the lord for you welcome the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the holy spirit and so you became a model to all the believers in macedonia and ikea the lord's message rang out from you not only in macedonia and ikea your faith in god has become known everywhere therefore we do not need to say anything about it for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us they tell how you turn to god from idols to serve the living and true god and to wait for his son from heaven who may raise from the dead jesus who rescues us from the coming wrath chapter 2 paul's ministry in thessalonica you know brothers and sisters that our visit to you was not without results we had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in philippi as you know and with the help of our god we dare to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition for the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives nor are we trying to trick you on the contrary we speak as those approved by god to be entrusted with the gospel we are not trying to please people but god who tests our hearts you know we never used flattery nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed god is our witness we were not looking for praise from people nor not from you or anyone else even those and though as apostles of christ we we could have asserted our authority instead we were like young children among you just as a nursing mother cares for her children so we cared for you because we loved you so much we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of god but our lives as well surely you remember brothers and sisters our toil and hardship we worked night and day in order to be a burden to anyone while we preach the gospel of god to you you are witnesses and so is god of how holy righteous and blameless we were among you who believed for you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children encouraging comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of god who calls you into his kingdom and glory and we also thank god continually because when you received the word of god which you heard from us you accepted it not as a human word but as it actually is the word of god which is indeed at work in you who believe for you brothers and sisters became imitators of god's churches in judea which are in christ jesus you suffered from from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the jews who killed the lord jesus and the prophets and also drove us out they displeased god and are hostile to everyone in their effort to keep us in speaking to the gentiles so that they may be saved in this way they also keep up their sins to the limit the wrath of god has come upon them at last paul's longing to see the thessalonians but brothers and sisters when we were orphaned by being separated from you from a short time in person not in thought out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you for we wanted to come to you certainly i paul did again and again but satan blocked our way for what is our hope our joy or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our lord jesus when he comes is it not you indeed you are our glory and joy chapter three so when we could stand it no longer we thought it best to be left by ourselves in athens we sent timothy who was our brother and co-worker in god's service in spreading the gospel of christ to strengthen and encourage you in your faith so that no one would be unsettled by these trials for you know quite well that we are destined for them in fact when we were with you we kept telling you that we would be persecuted and it turned out that way as you well know for this reason when i could stand it no longer i said to find out about your faith i was afraid that in some way the temper had tempted you tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain timothy's encouraging report but timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love he has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us just as we all so long to see you therefore brothers and sisters in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith how can we thank god enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our god because of you night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what's lacking in our faith in your faith now may our god and father himself and our lord jesus christ clear the way for us to come to you may the lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else just as orange does for you may he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our god and father when our lord jesus comes with all his holy ones and i'll pass to katrina for a chapter 4. great first thessalonians chapter 4 living to please god as for the other matters brothers and sisters we instructed you how to live in order to please god as in fact you are living now we ask you and urge you in the lord jesus to do this more and more for you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the lord jesus it is god's will that you should be sanctified that you should avoid sexual immoral immorality that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable not in passionate lust like the pagans who do not know god and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister the lord will punish all those who commit such sins as we told you and warned you before for god did not call us to be impure but to live a holy life therefore anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but god the very god who gives you his holy spirit now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you for you yourselves have been taught by god to love each other and in fact you do love all of god's family throughout macedonia yet we urge you brothers and sisters do so more and more and to make it your ambition to leave a quiet life you should mind your own business and work with your hands just as we told you so that your daily life may win the respective outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anyone believers who have died brothers and sisters we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind who have no hope for we believe that jesus died and rose again and so we believe that god will bring with jesus those who have fallen asleep with him according to the lord's word we tell you that we who are still alive who are left until the coming of the lord will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep for the lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command and with the voice of the archangel and with a trumpet call of god and the dead and christ will rise first after that we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the lord in the air and so we will be with the lord forever therefore encourage one another with these words chapter 5 the day of the lord now brothers and sisters about times and dates we do not need to write to you for you know very well that the day of the lord will come like a thief in the night while people are saying peace and safety destruction will come on them suddenly as labor pains on a pregnant woman and they will not escape but you brothers and sisters are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief you are all children of the light and children of the day we do not belong to the night or to the darkness so then let us not be like the others who are asleep but let us be awake and sober for those who sleep sleep at night and those who get drunk get drunk at night but since we belong to the day let us be sober putting on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet for god did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our lord jesus christ he died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him therefore encourage one another and build each other up just as in fact you are doing now we ask you brothers and sisters to acknowledge those who work hard among you who care for you in the lord and who admonish you hold them in the highest regard and love because of their work live in peace with each other and we urge you brothers and sisters warn those who are idle and disruptive encourage the disheartened help the weak be patient with everyone make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else rejoice always pray continually give thanks in all circumstances for this is god's will for you in christ jesus do not quench the spirit do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all hold on to what is good reject every kind of evil may god himself the god of peace sanctify you through and through may your whole spirit soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our lord jesus christ the one who calls you is faithful and he will do it brothers and sisters pray for us greet all god's people with a holy kiss i charge you before the lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters the grace of our lord jesus christ be with you and that brings us to 2 thessalonians chapter 1 paul silas and timothy to the church of the thessalonians and god our father in the lord jesus christ grace and peace to you from god the father and the lord jesus christ thanksgiving and prayer we ought always to thank god for you brothers and sisters and rightly so because your faith is growing more and more and the love all of you have for one another is increasing therefore among god's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you're enduring all of this is evidence that god's judgment is right and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of god for which you are suffering god is just he will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled and to us as well this will happen when the lord jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels he will punish those who do not know god and do not obey the gospel of our lord jesus they will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the lord and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed this includes you because you believed our testimony to you with this in mind we constantly pray for you that our god may make you worthy of his calling and that by his power he may bring you to fruition your every desire for goodness and every deed prompted by faith we pray this so that the name of our lord jesus may be glorified in you and you in him according to the grace of our god and the lord jesus christ chapter 2 the man of lawlessness concerning the coming of our lord jesus christ and are being gathered to him we ask you brothers and sisters not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter asserting that the day of the lord has already come do not let anyone deceive you in any way for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed the man doomed to destruction he will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called god or is worshipped so that he sets himself up in god's temple proclaiming himself to be god don't you remember that when i was with you i i used to tell you these things and now you know what is holding him back so that he may be be revealed at the proper time for the secret power of lawlessness is already at work but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way and then the lawless one will be revealed whom the lord jesus will overthrow with a breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming the coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how satan works he will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders to serve the lie and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing they perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved for this reason god sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness stand firm but we ought always to thank god for you brothers and sisters loved by the lord because god chose you as first firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the spirit and through belief in the truth he called you to this through our gospel that you might share in the glory of our lord jesus christ so then brothers and sisters stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you whether by word of mouth or letter may the lord our jesus christ himself and god our father who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal couragement and good hope encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word chapter 3 request for prayer as for other matters brothers and sisters pray for us that the message of the lord may spread rapidly and be honored just as it was with you and pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people for not everyone has faith but the lord is faithful and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one we have confidence in the lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command may the lord direct your hearts into god's love and christ's perseverance warning against idleness in the name of the lord jesus christ we command you brothers and sisters to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us for you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example we were not idle when we were with you nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it on the contrary we worked night and day laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you we did this not because we do not have the right to such help but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate for even when we were with you you we gave you this rule the one who is unwilling to work shall not eat we hear that some among you are idle and disruptive they are not busy they are busy bodies such people we command and urge in the lord jesus christ to settle down and earn the food they eat as for you brothers and sisters never tire of doing what is good take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter do not associate them with them in order that they may feel ashamed yet do not regard them as an enemy but warn them as you would a fellow believer final greetings now may the lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way the lord be with all of you i paul write this greeting in my own hand which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters this is how i write the grace of the lord jesus christ be with you all and that brings us to first timothy chapter 1 paul an apostle of christ jesus by the command of god our savior and of christ jesus our hope to timothy my true son and the faith grace mercy and peace from god the father and christ jesus our lord timothy charged to oppose false teachers as i urged you when i was in macedonia stay there in ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing god's work which is by faith the goal of this command is love which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk they want to be teachers of the law but they do not know what they are talking about or or what they so confidently affirm we know that the law is good if one uses it properly we also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for the law breakers and rebels the ungodly and the sinful the unholy and irreligious for those who kill their fathers and mothers for murderers for the sexually immoral for those practicing homosexuality for slave traders and liars and perjurers and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed god which he entrusted to me the lord's grace to paul i thank christ jesus our lord who has given me strength that he considered me trustworthy appointing me to his service even though i was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man i was shown mercy because i acted in ignorance and unbelief the grace of our lord was poured out on me abundantly along with the faith and love that are in christ jesus here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance christ jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom i am the worst but for that very reason i was shown mercy so that in me the worst of sinners christ jesus might display his immense patience as an example to those who would believe in him and receive eternal life now to the king eternal immortal and visible the only god be honor and glory forever and ever amen timothy my son i am giving you this command and keeping with the prophecies once made about you so that by recalling them you might fight the battle well holding on to faith and in good conscience which some have rejected and have so suffered shipwreck with regard to faith among them are hamienes and alexander whom i have handed over to satan to be taught not to blaspheme and i will hand it back to ruth stark for chapter 2 of first timothy thank you chapter 2 instructions on worship i urge then first of all that petitions prayers intercessions and thanksgiving may be made for all people for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness this is good and pleases god our savior who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth for there is one god and one mediator between god and mankind the man christ jesus who gave himself as a ransom for all people this has now been witnessed to at the proper time and for this purpose i was appointed a herald and an apostle i'm telling the truth i'm not lying and a true and faithful teacher of the gentiles therefore i want the men everywhere to pray lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing i also want the women to dress modestly with decency and propriety adorning themselves not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes but with good deeds appropriate for women who profess to worship god a woman should learn in quietness and full submission i do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man she must be quiet for adam was formed first then eve and adam was not the one deceived it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner but women will be saved through childbearing if they continue in faith love and holiness with propriety chapter 3 qualifications for overseers and deacons here is a trustworthy saying whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task now the overseer is to be above reproach faithful to his wife temperate self-controlled respectable hospitable able to teach not given to drunkenness not violent but gentle not quarrelsome not a lover of money he must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect if anyone doesn't know how to manage his own family how can he take care of god's church he must not be a recent convert or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil he must also have a good reputation with outsiders so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap in the same way deacons are to be worthy of respect sincere not indulging in much wine and not pursuing dishonest gain they must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience they must first be tested and then if there is nothing against them let them serve as deacons in the same way the women are to be worthy of respect not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything a deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in christ jesus reasons for paul's instructions although i hope to come to you soon i'm writing to you with these instructions so that if i'm delayed you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in god's household which is the church of the living god the pillar and foundation of the truth beyond all question the mystery from which true godliness springs is great he appeared in the flesh was vindicated by the spirit was seen by angels was preached among the nations was believed on in the world was taken up in glory chapter four the spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons such teachings come through hypocritical liars whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron they forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods which god created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth for everything god created is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving because it is concentrated by the word of god and prayer if you point these things out to the brothers and sisters you will be a good minister of christ jesus nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teachings that you followed have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives tales rather train yourself to be godly for physical training is of some value but godliness has value for all things holding promise for both the present life and the life to come this is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance that is why we labor and strive because we have put our hope in the living god who is the savior of all people and especially of those who believe command and teach these things don't let anyone look down on you because you're young but set an example for the believers in speech in conduct in love and faith and impurity until i come devote yourself to the public reading of scripture to preaching and to teaching do not neglect your gift which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you be diligent in these matters give yourselves holy to them so that everyone may see your progress watch your life and doctrine closely persevere in them because if you do you will save both yourself and your hearers chapter 5 widows elders and slaves do not rebuke an older man harshly but exhort him as if you were your father treat younger men as brothers older women as mothers and younger women as sisters with absolute purity give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need but if a widow has children or grandchildren these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents for this is pleasing to god the widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in god and continues night and day to pray and to ask god for help but the widow who lives her pleasure is dead even while she lives give the people these instructions so that no one may be open to blame anyone who does not provide for their relatives and especially for the in their own household has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever no widow may be put on the list of widows unless she's over 60 has been faithful to her husband and is well known for her good deeds such as bringing up children showing hospitality washing the feet of the lord's people helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds as for younger widows do not put them on such a list for when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to christ they want to marry thus they bring judgment on themselves because they have broken their first pledge besides they get into the hard habit of being idle and going about from house to house and not only do they become idlers but also busy bodies who talk nonsense saying things they ought not to so i can't say younger widows to marry to have children to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander some have in fact already turned away to follow satan if any woman who is a believer has widows in her care she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them so that the church can help those widows who are really in need the elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour especially those whose work is preaching and teaching for scripture says do not muzzle an ox while it is trading out the grain and the worker deserves his wages do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses but those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone so that the others may take warning i charge you in the sight of god and christ jesus and the elect angels to keep these instructions without partiality and to do nothing out of favoritism do not be hasty in the laying of on of hands and do not share in the sins of others keep yourselves pure stop drinking only water and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses the sins of some are obvious reaching the place of judgment ahead of them the sins of others trail behind them in the same way good deeds are obvious and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever chapter 6 all who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect so that god's name and our teaching may not be slandered those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers instead they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves false teachers and the love of money these are the things you're to teach and insist on if anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our lord jesus christ and to godly teaching they are conceited and understand nothing they have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy strife malicious talk evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain but godliness with contentment is great being for we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it but if we have food and clothing we will be content with that those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction 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 final charge to timothy but you man of god flee from all this and pursue righteousness godliness faith love endurance and gentleness fight the good fight of the faith take hold of eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses in the sight of god who gives life to everything and of christ jesus who while testifying before pontius pilate made the good confession i charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our lord jesus christ which god will bring about in his own time god the blessed and only ruler the king of kings and lord alone lords and lord of lords who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light whom no one has seen or can't see to him be honour and might forever amen command those who are rich in this pleasant world not to be arrogant not to put their hope in wealth which is so uncertain but to put their hope in god who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment command them to do good to be rich in good deeds and to be generous and willing to share in this way they will lay up treasures for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life timothy guard what has been entrusted to your care turn away from godless charter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge which some have professed and in doing so have departed from the faith grace be with you all and a hand over to eric and lisa now ii timothy thank you mr stark 2 timothy chapter 1 paul an apostle of christ jesus by the will of god in keeping with the promise of life that is in christ jesus to timothy my dear son grace mercy and peace from god the father and jesus christ our lord thanksgiving i thank god whom i serve as my ancestors did with a clear conscience as day and night i constantly remember you in my prayers recalling your tears i longed to see you so that i might be filled with joy i am reminded of your sincere faith which first lived in your grandmother lois and in your mother eunice and and i am persuaded now lives in you also appeal for loyalty to paul and the gospel for this reason i remind you to fan into flame the gift of god which is in you through the laying on of my hands for the spirit god gave us does not make us timid but gives us power love and self-discipline so do not be ashamed of the testimony about our lord or of me his prisoner rather join with me in suffering for the gospel by the power of god he has saved us and called us to a holy life not because of anything we've done but because of his own purpose and grace this grace was given us in christ jesus before the beginning of time but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our savior christ jesus who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel and of this gospel i was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher that is why i'm suffering as i am yet this is no cause for shame because i know whom i have believed and i am convinced that he is able to guard what i have entrusted to him until that day what you heard from me keep as the pattern of sound teaching with faith and love in christ jesus guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you guard it with the help of the holy spirit who lives in us examples of disloyalty and loyalty you know that everyone in the province of asia has deserted me including fig ellis and hermogenes may the lord show mercy to the household of one sephoras because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains on the contrary when he was in rome he searched hard for me until he found me may the lord grant that he will find mercy from the lord on that day you know very well in how many ways he helped me in ephesus 2 timothy chapter 2 the appeal renewed you then my son be strong in the grace that is in christ jesus and the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others join with me in suffering like a good soldier of christ jesus no one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs but rather tries to please his commanding officer similarly anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor's crown except by competing according to the rules the hard-working farmer should be the first to receive the share of the crops reflect on what i'm saying for the lord will give you insight into all of this remember jesus christ raised from the dead descended from david this is my gospel for which i'm suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal but god's word is not chained therefore i endure every day for the sake of the elect that they too might obtain the salvation that is in christ jesus with eternal glory here is a trustworthy saying if we died with him we will also live with him if we endure we will also reign with him if we disown him he will also disown us if we are faithless he remains faithful for he cannot disown himself dealing with false teachers keep reminding god's people of these things warn them before god against quarreling about words it is of no value and only ruins those who listen do your best to present yourself to god as one approved a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who handles and who correctly handles the word of truth avoid godless chatter because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly their teachings will spread like gangrene among them are hymenaeus and philatus who have departed from the truth they say that the resurrection has already taken place and they destroy the faith of some nevertheless god solid foundation stands firm sealed with this inscription the lord knows those who are his and everyone who confesses the name of the lord must turn away from wickedness in a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay some of these are for special purposes and some for common use those who cleanse themselves from the ladder will be instruments for special purpose made holy useful to the master and prepared to do any good work flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness faith love and peace along with those who call on the lord out of a pure heart don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments because you know they produce quarrels and the lord's servants must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone able to teach and not resentful opponents must be gently instructed in the hope that god will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth and they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil who has taken them captive to do his will second timothy chapter three but mark this there will be terrible times in the last days people will be lovers of themselves lovers of money boastful proud abusive disobedient to their parents ungrateful unholy without love unforgiving slanderous without self-control brutal not lovers of the good treacherous rash conceited lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of god having a form of godliness but denying its power have nothing to do with such people they are the kind who worm their way into homes again and gain control over gullible women who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth just as janus and jambres opposed uh moses so also these teachers oppose the truth they are men of depraved minds who as far as the faith is concerned they're rejected but they will not get very far because as in the case of those men their folly will be clear to everyone a final charge to timothy you however know all about my teaching my way of life my purpose faith patience love endurance persecutions sufferings what kind of things happened to me in antioch iconium and lystra the persecutions that i endured yet the lord rescued me from all of them in fact everyone who wants to live a godly life in jesus christ must be or will be persecuted while evildoers and imposters will go from bad to worse deceiving and being deceived but as for you continue on in what you have learned and have become convinced of because you know that because you know those from whom you learned it and from how and how from infancy you have known the holy scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in christ jesus all scripture is god-breathed and is useful for teaching rebuking correcting and training in righteousness so that the servant of god may be thoroughly equipped for every good work second timothy chapter 4 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 preach the word be prepared in season and out of season correct rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction for the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine instead to suit their own desires so gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear they will turn away their ears from the truth and turn aside to myths but you keep your head in all situations endure hardship do the work of an evangelist and discharge all of the duties of your ministry for i am already being poured out like a drink offering and the time of my departure is near i have fought the good fight i have finished the race i have kept the faith now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the lord the righteous judge will award me on that day and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing his personal remarks do your best to come to me quickly for dimas because he loved this world has deserted me and gone to thessalonica crescens has gone to galatia and titus to dalmatia only luke is with me get mark and bring him with you because he's helpful to me in my ministry i sent tikius to ephesus when you come bring the cloak that i left with corpus at troas and my scrolls especially the parchments alexander the metal worker did me a great deal of harm the lord will repay him for what he has done you too should be on your guard against him because he strongly opposed our message at my first defense no one came to my support but everyone deserted me may it not be held against them 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 the lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom to him be glory forever and ever amen the final greetings greet priscilla and aquila in the in the house of vanessa forest arrest aristas stayed in corinth and i left uh trophamus sick emilitus do your best to get there before winter ubulus greets you as do putins linus claudia and all the brothers and sisters the lord be with your spirit grace be with you all all right the book of titus chapter 1 paul is servant of god and an apostle of jesus christ to further the faith of god's elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness in the hope of eternal life which god who does not lie promised before the beginning of time in which now at his appointed season he has brought me is brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of our god of god our savior to titus my true son in our common faith grace and peace from god the father and christ jesus our savior appointing elders who love what is good the reason i left you in crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town as i directed you an elder must be blameless faithful to his wife a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient since an overseer manages god's household he must be blameless not overbearing not quick tempered not given to drunkenness not violent not pursuing dishonest gain rather he must be hospitable one who loves what is good who is self-controlled upright holy and disciplined he must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it rebuking those who fail to do good for there are many rebellious people full of meaningless talk and deception especially those of the circumcision group they must be silenced because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things that they ought not to teach and that for the sake of dishonest gain one of crete's own prophets has said it cretans are always liars evil brutes and lazy gluttons this saying is true therefore rebuke them sharply so that they will be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to jewish jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth to the pure all things are pure but to those who are corrupted and do not believe nothing is pure in fact both their minds and consciences are corrupted they claim to know god but by their actions they deny him they are detestable disobedient and unfit for anything good titus chapter 2 doing good for the sake of the gospel you however must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine teach the older men to be temperate worthy of respect self-controlled and sound in faith in love and in endurance likewise teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine but to teach what is good then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children to be self-controlled and pure to be busy at home to be kind and to be subject to their husbands so that no one will malign the word of god similarly encourage the young men to be self-controlled in everything set them in everything set them an example by doing what is good your teaching in your teaching show integrity seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything to try to please them not talk back to them and to not steal from them but to show that they can be fully trusted so that in every way they can make the teaching about god our savior attractive for the grace of god has appeared that offers salvation to all people it teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled upright and godly lives in this present age while we wait for that blessed hope the appearing of the glory of our great god and savior jesus christ who gave for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own eager to do what is good these then are the things you should teach encourage and rebuke with all authority do not let anyone despise you titus chapter 3 saved in order to do good remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities to be obedient to be ready to do whatever is good to slander no one to be peaceable and considerate and to always be gentle toward everyone at one time we too were foolish disobedient deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures we lived in malice and envy being hated and hating one another but when the kindness and love of our god of god our savior appeared he saved us not because of righteous things we had done but because of his mercy he saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the holy spirit whom he poured out to us on us generously through jesus christ our savior so that having been justified by his grace we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life this is a trustworthy saying and i want you to stress these things so that those who have trusted in god may be careful to devote themselves to what is doing to to doing what is good these things are excellent and profitable for everyone but avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law because these are unprofitable and useless warn a divisive person once and then warn them a second time after that have nothing to do with them you may be sure that such people are warped and sinful they are self-condemned as soon as i send artemis or tisiakis to you do your best to come to me at necopolis because i have decided to winter there do everything you can to help zenith the loyal the lawyer and apollos on their way to see that they have everything that they need our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives everyone with me sends you greetings greet those who love us in the faith grace be to you all philemon paul a prisoner of christ jesus and timothy our brother to filament our dear friend and fellow worker also to affia our sister and archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home grace and peace to you from god our father and the lord jesus christ i always thank my god as i remember you in my prayers because i hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the lord jesus i pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of christ your love has given me great joy and encouragement because you brother have refreshed the hearts of the lord's people therefore although in christ i could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do yet i prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love it is as none other than paul an old man and now also a prisoner of christ jesus that i appeal to you for my son onesimus who became my son while i was in chains formally he was useless to you but now his he has become useful both to you and to me i am sending him who's my very heart back to you i would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place while helping me while i'm in chains for the gospel but i did not want to do anything without your consent so that in any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever no longer as a slave but better than a slave as a dear brother he is very dear to me but even dearer to you both as a fellow man and as a brother in the lord so if you consider me a partner welcome him as you would welcome me if he has done you any wrong or owes you anything charge it to me i paul am writing this with my own hand i will pay it back not to mention that you owe me your very self i do wish brother that i may have some benefit from you in the lord refresh my heart in christ confident of your obedience i write to you knowing that you will do even more than i ask one thing more prepare a guest room for me because i hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers at paphras my fellow prisoner in christ jesus sends you greetings and so do mark aristicus demos and luke my fellow workers the grace of the lord jesus christ be with your spirit hebrews chapter 1 god's final word his son in the past god spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways but in these last days he has spoken to us by his son whom he appointed heir of all things and through whom he made the universe the son is the radiance of god's glory and the exact representation of his being sustaining all things by his powerful word after he provided purification for sins he sat down at the right hand of the majesty in heaven so he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs for to which of the angels did god ever say you are my son today i have become your father or again i will be his father and he will be my son and again when god brings his firstborn into the world he says let all god's angels worship him in speaking of the angels he says he makes his angels spirits and his servants flames of fire but about the son he says your throne o god will last forever and ever a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness therefore god your god has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy he also says in the beginning lord you laid the foundations of the earth and the heavens are the works of your hands they will perish but you remain they will all wear out like a garment you will roll them up like a robe like a garment they will be changed but you remain the same and your years will never end to which of the angels did god ever say sit at my right hand until i make your enemies a footstool for your feet are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation hebrews chapter 2 a warning to pay attention we must pay the most careful attention therefore to what we have heard so that we do not drift away for since the message spoken through angels was binding every violation and disobedience received is just punishment how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation this salvation which was first announced by the lord was confirmed to us by those who hurt him god also testified to it by signs wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the holy spirit distributed according to his will it is not to angels that he subjected the world to come about which we are speaking there is a place where someone but there is a place where someone has testified what is mankind that you are mindful of them a son of man that you care for him you made them a little lower than the angels you crown them with glory and honor and put everything under their feet in putting everything under them god left nothing that is not subject to them yet at present we do not see everything subject to them but we do see jesus who is made lower than the angels for a little while now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death so that by the grace of god he might taste death for everyone in bringing many sons and daughters to glory it was fitting that god for whom and through whom everything exists should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family so jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters he says i will declare your name to my brothers and sisters in the assembly i will sing your praises and again i will put my trust in him and again he says here am i and the children god has given me since the children have flesh and blood he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death that is the devil and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death for surely it is not angels he helps but abraham's descendants for this reason he had to be made like them fully human in every way in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to god that he might make atonement for the sins of the people because he himself suffered when he was tempted he is able to help those who are being [Music] tempted hebrews chapter 3 emma would you like to pick it up there thank you doing an outstanding job as ever lisa and eric hebrews we're on the home street aren't we you're going to feel that by probably the end of play today we will have got to the end of revelation so nobody go anywhere because we are nearly there in the book of revelation few more chapters to go hebrews what a mammoth effort hebrews chapter 3 jesus greater than moses therefore holy brothers and sisters who share in the heavenly calling fix your thoughts on jesus whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest he was faithful to the one who appointed him just as moses was faithful in all god's house jesus has been fined worthy of greater honor than moses just as the builder of the house has a greater honor than the house itself for every house is built by someone but god is the builder of everything moses was faithful as a servant in all god's house bearing witness to what would be spoken by god in the future but christ is faithful as the sun over god's house and we are his heist if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we have glory warning against unbelief so as the holy spirit says today if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion during the time of testing in the wilderness where your ancestors tested and tried me through 40 years they saw what i did that is why i was angry with that generation i said their hearts are always going astray and they have and they have not known my ways so i declared an oath in my anger they shall never enter my rest see to it brothers and sisters that none of you has a sinful unbelieving heart that turns away from the living god but encourage one another daily as long as it is called today so that none of you may be hardened by sins deceitfulness we have come to share in christ if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end as has just been said today if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion who were they who heard and rebelled were they not all those moses led out of egypt and with whom was he angry for forty years was it not with those who sinned whose bodies perished in the wilderness and to whom did god swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed so we see that they were not able to enter because of their unbelief david over to you for chapter four thank you hebrews chapter 4 a sabbath rest for the people of god therefore since the promise of entering his rest still stands let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it for we also have had the good news proclaimed to us just as they did but the message they heard was of no value to them because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed now we who have believed enter that rest just as god has said so i declared on oath in my anger they shall never enter my rest and yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world for somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words on the seventh day god rested from all his works and again in the passage above he says they shall never enter my rest therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience god again set a certain day calling it today this he did when a long time later he spoke through david as in the passage already quoted today if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts for if joshua had given them rest god would not have spoken later about another day there remains then a sabbath rest for the people of god for anyone who enters god's rest also rests from their works just as god did from his let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience for the word of god is alive and active sharper than any double-edged sword it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit joints and marrow it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart nothing in all creation is hidden from god's sight everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account therefore since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven jesus the son of god let us hold firmly to the faith we profess for we do not have a high priest who is unable to feel sympathy for our weaknesses but we have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are yet he did not sin let us then approach god's throne of grace with confidence so that we may we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need hebrews 5. every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to god to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins he is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray since he himself is subject to weakness this is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well for the sins of the people and no one takes this honor on himself but he receives it when called by god just as aaron was in the same way christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest but god said to him you are my son today i have become your father and he says in another place you are priest forever in the order of melchizedek during the days of jesus life on earth he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death and he was heard because of his reverent submission son though he was he learnt obedience from what he suffered and once made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by god to be high priest in the order of melchizedek warning against falling away we have much to say about this but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand in fact though by this time you ought to be teachers you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of god's word all over again you need milk not solid food anyone who lives on milk being still an infant is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness but solid food is for the mature who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil david chapter 6 hebrews 6. therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about christ and be taken forward to maturity not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death and of faith in god instruction about cleansing rights the laying on of hands the resurrection of the dead and internal judgment and god permitting we will do so it is impossible for those who have once been enlightened who have tasted the heavenly gift who have shared in the holy spirit who have tasted the goodness of the word of god and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away to be brought back to repentance to their loss they are crucifying the son of god all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessings of god but land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed in the end it will be burned even though we speak like this dear friends we are convinced of better things in your case the things that have to do with salvation god is not unjust he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help him we want each of you to show the same diligence to the very end so that what you hope for may be fully realized we do not want you to become lazy but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised when god made his promise to abraham since there was no one greater for him to swear by he swore by himself saying i will surely bless you and give you many descendants and so after waiting patiently abraham received what was promised people swear by someone greater than themselves and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument because god wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised he confirmed it with an oath god did this so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for god to lie we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged we have this hope as an anchor for the soul firm and secure it enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain where our forerunner jesus has entered on our behalf he has become a high priest forever in the order of melchizedek hebrews chapter 7 melchizedek the priest 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 and abraham gave him a tenth of everything first the name melchizedek means king of righteousness then also king of salem means king of peace without father or mother without genealogy without beginning of days or end of life resembling the son of god he remains a priest forever just think how great he was even the patriarch abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder now the law requires the descendants of levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the the people that is from their fellow israelites even though they are also descended from abraham this man however did not trace his descendant from levi yet he collected a tenth from abraham and blessed him who had the promises and without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater in the one case the tenth is collected by people who die but in the other case by him who is declared to be living one might even say that levi who collects the tenth paid the tenth through abraham because when melchizedek met abraham levi was still in the body of his ancestor jesus like melchizedek verse 11 if perfection could have been attained through the levitical priesthood and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood why was there still need for another priest to come one in the order of melchizedek not in the order of aaron for when the priesthood is changed the law must be changed also he of whom these things are said belong to a different tribe and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar for it is clear that our lord descended from judah and in regards to that tribe moses said nothing about priests and what we have said is even more clear if another priest appears like his attack one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life for it is declared you are a priest forever in the order of melchizedek the former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless for the law made nothing perfect and a better hope is introduced by which we draw near to god and it was not without an oath because other priests without any oath but he became a priest with an oath when god said to him the lord has sworn and will not change his mind you are a priest forever because of this oath jesus has become a guarantor of a better covenant now there have been many of those priests since death preventing them from continuing in office but because jesus lives forever he has a permanent priesthood therefore he is able to save completely those who come to god through him because he always lives to intercede for them such a high priest truly meets our need one who is holy blameless pure set apart from sinners exalted above the heavens unlike the other high priests he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day for his own sins and then for the sins of the people he sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself for the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness but the oath which came after the law appointed the son who has been made perfect for ever well my dad has come and he's going to read hebrews 8 thank you emma the high priest of a new covenant now the main point of what we are saying is this we do not have such a high priest who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in heaven and who serves in the sanctuary the true tabernacle set up by the lord not by a mere human being every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer if he were on earth he would not be a priest for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law they serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven this is why moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle see to it that you make everything according to the patent shown you on the mountain but in fact the ministry jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one since the new covenant is established on better promises for if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant no place would have been sought for another but god found fought with the people and said the days are coming declares the lord when i will make a new covenant with the people of israel and with the people of judah it will not be like the covenant i made with their ancestors when i took them by the hand and led them out of egypt because they did not remain faithful to my covenant and i turned away from them declares the lord this is the covenant i will establish with the people of israel after that time declares the lord i will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts i will be their god and they will be my people no longer will they teach their neighbors or say to one another know the lord because they will all know me from the least of them to the greatest for i will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more by calling this covenant new he has made the first one obsolete and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear david over to you thank you we're on hebrews chapter nine worship in the earthly tabernacle now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary a tabernacle was set up in its first room with a lamp stand and the table was its consecrated bread this was called the holy place behind the second curtain was a room called the most holy place which had the golden altar of incense and the gold covered covered ark of the covenant this arc contained the gold jar of mana aaron's staff that had budded and the stone tablets of the covenant above the ark with the cherubim of the glory overshadowing the atonement cover but we cannot discuss these things in detail now when everything had been arranged like this the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry but only the high priest entered the inner room and that only once a year and never without blood which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance the holy spirit was showing by this that the way into the most holy place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning this is an anil this is an illustration for the present time indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshipper they are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings external regulations applying until the time of the new order but when christ became came as high priest of the good things that are now already here he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands that is to say it is not a part of this creation he did not enter by the means of the blood of goats and calves but he entered the most holy place once for all by his own blood so obtaining eternal redemption the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean how much more then will the blood of christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself unblemished to god cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death so that we may serve the living god for this reason christ is the mediator of a new covenant that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant in the case of a will it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it because a will is in force only when someone has died it never takes effect while the one who made it his living this is what i even the first covenant was not in put into effect without blood when moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people he took the blood of calves together with water scarlet wool and branches of hyssop and sprinkled the scroll and all the people he said this is the blood of the covenant which god has commanded you to keep in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies in fact the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness it was necessary then for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these for christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one he entered heaven itself now to appear for us in god's presence nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again the way the high priest enters the most holy place every year with blood that is not his own otherwise christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world but he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself just as people are destined to die once and after that to face judgment so christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many and he will appear a second time not to bear sin but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him john hebrews 10. thanks david chapter 10 christ sacrificed once for all the law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming not the realities themselves for this reason it can never by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year make perfect those who draw near to worship otherwise would they not have stopped being offered for the worshippers would have been cleansed once for all and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins but those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins therefore when christ came into the world he said sacrifice an offering you did not desire but a body you prepared for me with burned offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased then i said here i am it is written about me in the scroll i have come to do your will my god first he said sacrifices and offerings burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire nor were you pleased with them though they were offered in accordance with the law then he said here i am i have come to do your will he sets aside the first to establish the second and by that will we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of jesus christ once for all day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties again and again he offers the same sacrifices which can never take away sins but when this priest has offered for all time one sacrifice for sins he sat down at the right hand of god and since that time he awaits for his enemies to be made his footstool for by one's sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy the holy spirit also testifies to us about this first he says this is the covenant i will make with them after that time says the lord excuse me i will put my laws in their hearts verse 17 he's at verse 17 hebrews 10 okay then he adds by their sins and lawless acts i will remember no more and where these have been forgiven there is no longer any sacrifice for sin verse 19 a call to persevere therefore brothers and sisters since we have confidence to enter the most high place by the blood of jesus by a new and living way open for us through the curtain that is his body and since we have a great priest over the house of god let us draw near to god with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who has promised is faithful and let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds not giving up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day approaching if we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth no sacrifice for sin is left but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of a raging fire that will consume the enemies of god ver is he's back and he's had a drink verse 28. anyone who rejected the law of moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses how much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the son of god underfoot who is treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them and who has insulted the spirit of grace for we know him who said it is mine to avenge i will repay and again the lord will judge his people it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living god remember those early days after you had received the light when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated you suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property because you knew that you had you yourselves had better and lasting possessions so do not throw away your confidence it will be richly rewarded you need to persevere so that when you have done the will of god you will receive what he has promised for in just a little while he who is coming will come and will not delay and but my righteous one will live by faith and i take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back but we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed but to those who have faith and are saved oh this is a good one hebrews 11 9 faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see this is what the ancients were commanded for 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 by faith abel brought god a better offering than cain did by faith he was commanded as righteous when god spoke well of his offerings and by faith abel still speaks even though he is dead by faith enoch was taken from this life so that he did not experience death he could not be fined because god had taken him away for before he was taken he was commanded as one who pleased god and without faith it is impossible to please god because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and he rewards those who earnestly seek him by faith noah when warned by 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 is in keeping with faith 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 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 for he was looking forward to the city with foundations whose architect and builder is god and by faith even sarah who was past childbearing age was unable to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise 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 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 admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth people who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own if they had been thinking of the country they had left they would have had opportunity to return 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 by faith abraham when god tested him offered isaac as a sacrifice he who had embraced the promises was a bite to sacrifice his one and only son even though god had said to him it is through isaac that your offspring will be reckoned abraham reasoned that god could even raise the dead and so in a manner of speaking he did receive isaac back from death by faith isaac blessed jacob and esau in regarding their future by faith jacob when he was dying blessed each of joseph's sons and worshipped as he leaned on the top of his staff by faith joseph when his end was near spoke about the exodus of the israelites from egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones 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 by faith moses when he'd grown up refused to be known as the son of pharaoh's daughter he chose to be mistreated along with the people of god rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin he regarded disgrace for the sake of christ as of greater value than all the treasures of egypt because he was looking ahead to his reward by faith he left egypt not fearing the king's anger but he pre persevered because he saw him who is invisible by faith he kept the passover and the application of blood so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of israel by faith the people passed through the red sea as on dry ground but when the egyptians tried to do so they were drowned by faith the walls of jericho fell after the army had marched around them for seven days by faith the prostitute rahab because she welcomed the spies was not killed with those who were disobedient and what more shall i say i do not have time to tell about gideon barack sampson jeffer about david and samuel and the prophets who through faith conquered kingdoms administered justice and gained what was promised who shut the mars of lions quench the fury of the flames and escape the edge of the sword whose weakness was turned to strength and who became powerful in battle and righted foreign armies women received back their dead raised to life again there were others who were tortured refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection some faced jeers and flogging and even chains and imprisonment they were put to death by stoning they were sawed into they were killed by the sword they went to bite in sheepskins and goatskins destitute persecuted and mistreated the world was not worthy of them they wandered in deserts and mountains living in caves and holes in the ground yet where all commended for their faith yet none of them received what had been promised since god had planned something better for us so that only together with us they would be made perfect hebrews 12 therefore therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses let us throw off everything that hinders in the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us fixing our eyes on jesus the pioneer and perfecter of faith for the joy set before him he endured the cross scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of god consider him who endured such opposition from sinners so that you will not grow weary and lose heart lisa and eric hebrews 12 verse 4 god disciplines his children in your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood and have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son it says my son do not make light of the lord's discipline and do not lose heart when he rebukes you because the lord disciplines the one he loves and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son endure hardship as discipline god is treating you as his children for what children are not disciplined by their father if you are not disciplined and everyone undergoes discipline then you are not legitimate not true sons and daughters at all moreover we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it how much more should we submit to the father of spirits and live they disciplined us for a little while as they thought best but god disciplines us for our good in order that we may share in his holiness no discipline seems pleasant at the time but painful later on however it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it therefore strengthen your feeble arms and your weak knees make level paths for your feet so that the lame may not be disabled but rather healed make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy without holiness no one will see the lord see to it that no one falls short of the grace of god and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many see that no one is sexually immoral or is godless like esau who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son afterward as you know when he wanted to inherit his blessing he was rejected even though he sought the blessing with tears he could not change what he had done you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire to darkness gloom and storm to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them because they could not bear what was commanded if even an animal touches the mountain it must be stoned to death the sight was so terrifying that moses said i'm trembling with fear but you have come to mount zion to the city of the living god the heavenly jerusalem you have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly to the church of the firstborn whose names are written in heaven you have come to god the judge of all to the spirits of the righteous made perfect to jesus the mediator of a new covenant and to the sprinkle of blood that speaks a better word than the blood of abel see to it that you do not refuse him who speaks if they do not did not escape when they refused him who warned them on the earth how much less will we if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven at the time at that time his voice shook the earth but now he has promised once more i will shake not only the earth but also the heavens the words once more indicate the removing of what can be shaken that has created things so that they cannot be shaken so that what cannot be shaken may remain therefore since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken let us be thankful and so worship god acceptably with reverence and awe for our god is a consuming fire hebrews chapter 13 concluding exhortations keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters don't forget to show hospitality to strangers for by doing so some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept pure for god will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral 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 so we say with confidence the lord is my helper i will not be afraid what can mere mortals do to me remember your leaders who spoke the word of god to you consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith jesus christ is the same yesterday today and forever do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings it is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace not by eating ceremonial foods which is of no benefit to those who do so we have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat the high priest carries the blood of animals into the most holy place as a sin offering but the bodies are burned outside the camp and so jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood let us then go to him outside the camp bearing the disgrace that he bore for here we do not have an enduring city but we are looking for a city that is to come through jesus therefore let us continually offer to god a sacrifice of praise the fruit of lips said openly profess his name and do not forget to do good and to share with others for with such sacrifices god is pleased have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority because they watch over you as those who who must give an account do this so that their work will be a joy not a burden for that would be of no benefit to you pray for us we are sure that we have clear conscience and desire to live honorably in each way i particularly urge you to pray so that i might be restored to you soon the benediction and final greetings now may the god of peace who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from dead from the dead our lord jesus that great shepherd of the sheep equip you with every good everything good for doing his will and may he work in us what is pleasing to him through jesus christ to whom be glory for ever and ever amen brothers and sisters i urge you to bear with my word of exhortation for in fact i've written to you quite briefly i want you to know that our brother timothy has been released if he arrives soon i will come with him to see you greet all your leaders and all the lord's people those from italy send you their greetings grace be with you all james james chapter 1 james a servant of god and of the lord jesus christ to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters when you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything if any of you lacks wisdom you should ask god who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to you but when you ask you must believe and not doubt because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind that person should not expect to receive anything from the lord such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position but the rich should take pride in their humiliation since they will pass away like a wild flower for the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed in the same way the rich will fade away even while they go about their business blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because having stood the test that person will receive the crown of life that the lord has promised to those who love him when tempted no one should say god is tempting me for god cannot be tempted by evil nor does he tempt anyone but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed then after desire is has conceived it gives birth to sin and sin when it's full grown gives birth to death don't be deceived my dear brothers and sisters every good and perfect gift is from above coming down from the father of heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows he chooses to give us birth through the word of truth that we may be a kind of first fruits of all he created my dear brothers and sisters take note of this everyone should be quick to listen slow to speak and slow to become angry because human anger does not produce righteousness that god desires 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 do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourself do what it says anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like but whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it not forgetting what they have heard but doing it they will be blessed in what they do those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight reign on their tongues deceive themselves and their religion is worthless religion that god our father accepts as pure and faultless is this to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world james chapter 2 favoritism is forbidden my brothers and sisters believers in our lord jesus christ must not show favoritism suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in 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 over there sit on the floor by my feet have you not discriminated amongst yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts listen my dear brothers and sisters has god not chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him but you have dishonored the poor is it not the rich who are exploiting you are they not the ones dragging you into court are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of of him to whom you belong if you really kept keep the royal law found in scripture love your neighbor as yourself you are doing right but if you show favoritism you sin and are convicted by the law as law breakers for whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking at all for he who said you shall not commit adultery also said you shall not murder if you do not commit adultery but you do commit murder you become a lawbreaker speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful mercy triumphs over judgment faith and deeds what good is it my brothers and sisters if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds can such faith save them suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food if one of you says to them go in peace keep warm and well fed but does nothing about their physical needs what good is it in the same way faith by itself if it is not accompanied by action is dead but someone will say you have faith i have deeds well show me your faith without deeds and i will show you my faith by my deeds you believe that there is one god good even the demons believe that and they shudder you foolish person do you want evidence of faith without deeds is useless was not our father abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his sac his son isaac on the altar you see that his faith and his actions were working together and that his faith was made complete by what he did and the scripture was fulfilled that says abraham believed god and it was credited to him as righteousness and he was called god's friend you see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone 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 as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without deeds is dead chapter 3 taming the tongue not many of you should become mighty should become teachers my fellow believers because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly we all stumble in many ways anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect able to keep their whole body in check when we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us we can turn the whole animal or take a ship as an example although they are so large and are driven by strong winds they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go likewise the tongue is a small part of the body but it makes great boasts consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark the tongue also is a fire a world of evil among the parts of the body it corrupts the whole body sets the whole course of one's life on fire and is itself set on fire by hell all kinds of animals birds reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind but no human being can tame the tongue it is a restless evil full of deadly poison with the tongue we praise our lord and father and with it we curse human beings who have been made in god's likeness out of the same mouth came praise and cursing my brothers and sisters this should not be can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring my brothers and sisters can a fig tree bear olives or a grape vine bear figs neither can a salt spring produce fresh water who is wise and understanding among you let them show it by their good life by deeds done with in the humility that comes from wisdom but if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts do not boast about it or deny the truth such wisdom does not come down from heaven but is earthly unspiritual demonic from when from where you have envy and selfish ambition there you find disorder in every evil practice 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 peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness and now katrina hand it over to you at chapter four chapter four submit yourselves to god what causes fights and quarrels among you don't they come from your desires that battle within you you desire but have not so you kill you covet but you cannot get what you want so you quarrel and fight you do not have because you do not ask god when you ask you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives what you may spend what you get on your pleasures you adulterous people don't you know that friendship with a world means enmity with god therefore anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of god or do you think that the scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us but he gives us more grace that is why scripture says god opposes the proud that shows favor to the humble submit yourselves then to god resist the devil and he will flee from you come near to god and he will come near to you wash your hands you sinners and purify your hearts you double-minded grieve mourn and wail change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom humble yourselves before the lord and he will lift you up brothers and sisters do not slander one another anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it when you judge the law you are not keeping it but sitting in judgment on it there is only one lawgiver and judge the one who is able to save and destroy but you who are you to judge your neighbor boasting about tomorrow now listen you who say today or tomorrow we will go to the city or spend a year there carry on a business and make money 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 instead you ought to say if it is the lord's will we will live and do this or that as it is you boast in your arrogant schemes all such boasting is evil if anyone then knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it it is sin for them james chapter 5 warning to rich oppressors now listen you rich people weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you your wealth has rotted and moths have eaten your clothes your gold and silver are corroded their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire you have hoarded wealth in the last days look the wages you failed to pay to the workers who mowed your fields are crying against you the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the lord almighty you have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence you have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter you have condemned and murdered the innocent one who was not oppressing you patience and suffering be patient then brothers and sisters until the lord's coming see how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop patiently waiting for the ottoman spring rains you too be patient and stand firm because the lord's coming is near don't grumble against one another brothers and sisters or you will be judged the judge is standing at the door brothers and sisters as an example of patience and the face of suffering take the prophets who spoke in the name of lord of the lord as you know we count as blessed those who have persevered you have heard of job's perseverance and have seen what the lord finally brought about the lord is full of compassion and mercy above all my brothers do not swear not by heaven or by earth or anything else all you need to say is a simple yes or no otherwise you will be condemned the prayer of faith is anyone among you in trouble let them pray is anyone happy let them sing songs of praise is anyone among you ill let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the lord and the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well the lord will raise them up if they have sinned they will be forgiven therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective elijah was a human being even as we are he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years again he prayed and the heavens gave rain and the earth produced its crops my brothers and sisters if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring back that person remember this whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins and now we are in 1 peter and chapter 1. peter an apostle of jesus christ to god's elect exiles scattered throughout the provinces of pontius galatia cappadocia asia and bithynia you have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of god the father through the sanctifying work of the spirit to be obedient to jesus christ and sprinkled with his blood grace and peace be yours in abundance praise to god for for living hope praise be to the god and father of our lord jesus christ in his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of jesus christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish spoil or fade this inheritance is kept in heaven for you who through faith are shielded by god's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed at the last time in all this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials these have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith of greater worth than gold which perishes even though refined by fire may result in praise glory and honor when christ jesus is revealed though you have not seen him you love him and even though you do not see him now you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy for you are receiving the end result of your faith the salvation of your souls concerning the salvation the prophets who spoke of the grace that was to come to you searched intently and with the greatest care trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the spirit of christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the messiah and the glories that would follow it was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you when they spoke of the things that have now been told to you by those who have been who have preached the gospel to you by the holy spirit sent from heaven even angels long to look into these things be holy therefore with minds that are alert and fully sober set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when jesus christ is revealed at his coming as obedient children do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance but just as he who called you is holy so be holy in all that you do for it is written be holy because i am holy since you call on a father who judges each person's work impartially live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear for you know that it was not with imperishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from ancestors but with the precious blood of christ a lamb without blemish or defect he was chosen before the creation of the world but was revealed in these last times for your sake through him you believe in god who raised him from the dead and glorified him and so by your faith and hope are in god now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for one another love each other deeply from the heart for you have not been born again for you have been born again not of perishable seed but of imperishable through the living and enduring word of god for all people are like grass and all their glory is like the flowers of the field the grass withers and the flowers fall but the word of the lord endures forever and this is the word that was preached to you chapter 2 therefore rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit hypocrisy envy and slander of every kind like newborn babies crave pure spiritual milk so that by it you may grow up in your salvation now that you have tasted that the lord is good the living stone and the chosen people as you come to him the living stone rejected by humans but chosen by god and precious to him you also like living stones are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to god through jesus christ for in scripture it says see i lay a stone in zion a chosen and precious cornerstone and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame now to you who believe this stone is precious but to those who do not believe the stone the builders rejected and has become the cornerstone and a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall they stumble because they disobey the message which is also what they were destined for but you are a chosen people a royal priesthood a holy nation god's special possession that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light once you were not a people but now you are the people of god once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy dear friends i urge you as foreigners and exiles to abstain from sinful desires which wage war against your soul live such good lives among the pagans that though they accuse you of doing wrong they may see your good deeds and glorify god on the day that he visits us submit yourselves for the lord's sake to every human authority whether to the emperor to the as the supreme authority or to governors who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right for it is god's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people live as free people but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil live as god's slaves show proper respect to everyone love the family of believers fear god and honor the emperor slaves and reverent fear of god submit yourselves to your masters not only to those who are good and considerate but also to those who are harsh for it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of god but how is it if to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it but if you suffer for doing good and you endure it this is commendable before god to this you were called because christ suffered for you leaving you as an example that you should follow in his steps he committed no sin and no deceit was found in his mouth when they hurled their insults at him he did not retaliate when he suffered he made no threats instead he entrusted himself to him who judges justly he himself bore our sins in his body on the cross so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness by his wounds we have been healed for you were like sheep going astray but now you have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls and i will pass it to pauline for one peter chapter three thanks katrina one peter chapter 3 wives in the same way submit yourselves to your husbands so that if any of them do not believe the word they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives when you see when they see the purity and reverence of your lives your beauty should not come from outward adornment such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes rather it should be that of your inner self the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is of great worth in god's sight for this is the way the holy men of the past who put their hope in god used to adorn themselves they submitted themselves to their own husbands like sarah who obeyed abraham and called him her lord you are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear husbands in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life so that none nothing will hinder your prayers suffering for doing good finally all of you be like-minded be sympathetic love one another be compassionate and humble do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult on the contrary repay evil with blessing because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing four whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech they must turn from evil and do good they must seek peace and pursue it for the eyes of the lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer but the face of the lord is against those who do evil who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good but even if you should suffer for what is right you are blessed do not fear their threats do not be frightened but in your hearts revere christ as god always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have but do this with gentleness and respect keeping a clear conscience so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in christ may be ashamed of their slander for it is better if it is god's will to suffer for doing good than for doing evil for christ also suffered once for sins the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to god he was put to death in the body but made alive in the spirit after being made alive he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits to those who were disobedient long ago when god waited patiently in the days of noah while the ark was being built in it only a few people eight in all were saved through water and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience towards god it saves you by the resurrection of jesus christ who has gone into heaven and is at god's right hand with angels authorities and powers in submission to him 1 peter chapter 4 living for god therefore since christ suffered in his body arm yourselves also with the same attitude because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin as a result they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires but rather for the will of god for you have spent enough time in the past doing what the pagans choose to do living in debauchery lust drunkenness orgies carousing and detestable idolatry they are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless wild living and they keep abuse on you but they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead for this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who were now dead so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body but live according to god in regard to the spirit the end of thing all things is near therefore be alert and a sober mind so that you may pray above all love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins offer hospitality to one another without grumbling each of you should use whatever gifts you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of god's grace in its various forms if anyone speaks they should do so as one who speaks the very words of god if anyone serves they should do so with the strength god provides so that in all things god may be praised through jesus christ to him be the glory and the power forever and ever are men suffering for being a christian dear friends do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you and so something strange were happening to you but rejoice in as much as your path you participate in the sufferings of christ so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed if you're insulted because of the name of christ you are blessed for the spirit of glory and of god rests on you if you suffer it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal or even as a meddler however if you suffer as a christian do not be ashamed but praise god that you bear that name for it is time for judgment to begin with god's household and if it begins with us what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of god and if it is hard for the righteous to be saved what will become of the ungodly and the sinner so then those who suffer according to god's will should commit themselves to their faithful creator and continue to do good one peter chapter five to the elders and the flock to the elders among you i appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of christ's sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed be shepherds of god's flock that is under your care watching over them not because you must but because you are willing as god wants you to be not pursuing disston is gain but eager to serve not lording it over those who entrusted to you but being examples to the flock and when the chief shepherd appears you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away in the same way you who are younger submit yourselves to the elders all of you clothe yourselves with humility towards one another because god opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble humble yourselves therefore under god's mighty hand that he may lift you up in due time cast all your anxieties on him for he cares for you be alert and of sober mind your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour resist him standing firm in the faith because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings and the god of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in christ after you have suffered a little while will himself restore you and make you strong firm and steadfast to him be the power forever and ever amen final greetings with the help of silas whom i regard as a faithful brother i have written to you briefly encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of god stand fast in it she who is in babylon chosen together with you sends her greetings and so does my son mark greet one another with a kiss of love peace to all of you who are in christ now peter's second letter second peter chapter 1 simon peter a servant and apostle of jesus christ to those who through the righteousness of our god and savior jesus christ have received a faith as precious as ours grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of god and jesus our lord confirming one's call and election his divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness through this he has given us his very great and precious promises so that through them you may participate in the divine nature having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires for this 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 mutual affection and to mutual affection love for if you possess these qualities in increasing measure they will keep you from being ineffective or unproductive in your knowledge of our lord jesus christ but whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins therefore my brothers and sisters make every effort to confirm your calling and election for if you do these things you will never stumble and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our lord and savior jesus christ prophecy of scripture verse 12. so i will always remind you of these things even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you have now have i think it's right to refresh your memory as long as i live in the tent of this body because i know that i will soon put it aside as my lord jesus christ has made clear to me and i will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things for we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our lord jesus christ in power but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty he received honor and glory from the 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 we ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain we also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable 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 above all you must understand that no prophecy of scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things for prophecy never had its origin in the human will but prophets though human spoke from god as they were carried along by the holy spirit 2 peter chapter 2 false teachers and their destruction 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 brought bought them bringing swift destruction on themselves many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute in their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories their condemnation has long been hanging over them and their destruction has not been sleeping for if god did not spare angels when they sinned but sent them to hell putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people but protected noah a preacher of righteousness and seven others if he condemned the cities of sodom and gomorrah by burning them to ashes and made an egg them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly and if he rescued lot a righteous man who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless for that righteous man living among them day after day was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he sought and heard if this is so then the lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteousness for punishment unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment this is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority bold and arrogant they are not afraid to keep abuse on celestial beings yet even angels although they are stronger and more powerful do not heap abuse on such beings when they bring judge bringing judgment on them from the lord but these people blaspheme in matters they don't understand they are like unreasoning animals creatures of instinct born only to be caught and destroyed and like animals too they will perish they will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done the idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight they are blots and blemishes reviling in their pleasures while they feast with you with eyes full of adultery they never stop sinning they seduce the unstable they are experts in greed and are cursed brood they have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of balaam son of beze who loved the wages of wickedness but he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey an animal without speech who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet's madness these people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm blackest darkness is reserved for them for they mouth empty boastful words and by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error they promise them freedom while they themselves are slaves of depravity for people are slaves to whatever has mastered them if they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our lord and savior jesus christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning 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 of them the proverbs are true a dog returns to its vomit and a sour that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud so with two peter chapter three we hand over to the lovely anna thanks pauline so to peter chapter 3 dear friends this is now my second letter to you i have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking i want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our lord and savior savior through the apostles first of all you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come scoffing and following their own evil desires they will say where is this coming he promised ever since our fathers died everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation but they deliberately forget that long ago by god's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of the water and by water by these waters also the word of that world of that time was by the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire being kept for the day of judgment and destruction on ungodly men but do not forget this one thing dear friends with the lord a day is a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day the lord is not slow in keeping his promise as some understand slowness he is patient with you not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance but the day of the lord will come like a thief the heavens will disappear with a roar the elements will be destroyed by fire and the earth and everything in it will be laid bay since everything will be destroyed in this way what kind of people ought we be what we to be you ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of god and speed it's coming that day will bring about destruction of the heavens by fire and the ailments will melt into the heat but in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth the home of the righteousness so then dear friends since you are looking forward to this make every effort to be found spotless blameless and at peace with him bear in mind that our lord's patience means salvation just as our dear brother paul also wrote to you with the wisdom that god gave him he writes the same way in all his letters speaking to them of these matters his letters contain some things that are hard to understand which ignorant and unstable people distort as they do other scriptures to their own destruction therefore dear friends since you already know this be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the era of lawless men and fall from your secure position but grow in grace and knowledge of our lord and savior jesus christ to him be glory both now and forever amen into the book of first john chapter one god is light the word of light that which from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked at and our hands have touched this we proclaim concerning the word of life the life appeared we have seen it and we testified to it and we proclaim to you the eternal life which was the father has appeared to us we proclaim to you what we have seen and heared so that you also will have may have fellowship with us and our fellowship is with the father and with his son jesus christ we write this to make our joy complete walking in the light this is the message we have heard from him and declare to you god is light in him there is no darkness at all if we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness we lie and we do not live by the truth but if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship with one another and the blood of jesus his son purifies us from all sin if we claim to be without sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us if we confess our sin he is faithful and just and he will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness if we claim we have not sinned we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives chapter 2 my dear children i write this to you so that you will not sin but if anybody does sin we have one who speaks to the father in our defense jesus christ the righteous one he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins and not only for ours but for the sins of the whole world we know that we have come to him if we obey his commands the man who says i know him but does not do his commands is a liar but the truth is not in him but if anyone obeys his word god's love is truly made complete in him this is how we know we are in him whoever claims to live in him must walk as jesus did dear friends i'm not writing to you a new command but an old one which you have had since the beginning the old command is the message you have heard yet i am writing you a new command it's its truth is seen in him and you because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness whoever loves his brother lives in the light and there is nothing in him to make him stumble and whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness he does not know where he is going because the darkness has blind in him i write to you dear children because your sin is his name all right i pause then so i'll re say that i write to you dear children because your sins have forgive have been forgiven on the account of his name i write to you fathers because you have known him who is from the beginning i write to you young men because you have overcome the evil one i write to you dear children because you have known the father i write to you fathers because you have known him who is from the beginning i write to you young men because you are strong and the word of god lives in you and you have overcome the evil one do not love the world or anything in the world if anyone loves the world the love of the father is not in him for everything is in the work in the world the cravings of sinful man the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does sorry it comes not from the the world and its desires pass away but the man who does the will of god lives forever dear children this is our last hour and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming even now many antichrists have come this is how we know it is the last hour they went out from us but they did not really belong to us for if they had belonged to us they would have remained with us but they are going but they are going show that none of them belong to us but you have an anointing from the holy one and all of you know the truth i do not write to you because you do not know the truth but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth who is the liar it is the man who denies that jesus is the christ such a man is the antichrist he denies the father and the son no one who denies the sin has the father whoever acknowledges the son has the father also see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you if it does you also will remain in the sin and in the father and this is what he promised us even eternal life i am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray as for you the anointing you received from him remains in you and you do not need anyone to teach you but as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real not counterfeit just as it has taught you remain in him first john chapter three or a little bit before and now dear children continue in him so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming if you know that he is righteous you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him chapter 3 how great is the love the father has lavished on us that we should be called the children of god and that is what we are the reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him dear friends now we are children of god and what we will be has not yet been made known but we know that when he appears we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is poor everyone who sins breaks the law in fact sin is lawlessness but if you know that he appeared so that he may take away our sins so in him is no sin no one who lives in him keeps on sinning no one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him dear children do not let anyone lead you astray he who does what is right is righteous just as he is righteous he who does what is sinful is of the devil because the devil has been sinning from the beginning the reason the son of god appeared was to destroy the devil the devil's work no one who is born of god will continue to sin because god's seeds remains in him he cannot go on sinning because he has been born of god this is how we know who the children of god are and who the children of the devil are anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of god knows anyone who does not love his brother this is the message you heard from the beginning we should love one another do not be like king who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother and why did he murder him because his own actions were evil and his brothers were righteous do not be surprised my brothers if the world hates you we know that we have been passed from death to life because we love our brothers anyone who does not love remains in death anyone who hates his brothers is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him this is how we know what love is jesus christ laid down his life for us and we ought to lay our lives down for our brothers if anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him how can the love of god be in him dear children let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth this then is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we are set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us for god is greater than our hearts and he knows everything dear friends if our hearts do not condemn us we have confidence before god and receive from him anything we ask because we obey his commands and do not do what pleases him and this is his command to believe in the name of his son jesus christ and to love one another as he commanded us those who obey his commands live in him and he in them and this is how we know that he lives in us we know it by the spirit he gave us i'll hand over to bob at chapter 4. dear friends do not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are of god because many false prophets have gone out into the world this is how you can recognize the spirit of god every spirit that acknowledges that jesus christ has come in the flesh is from god but every spirit does not acknowledge jesus is not from god this is the spirit of antichrist which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world you dear children are from god and have overcome them because one who is in you is greater the one who is in the world they are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world and the world listens to them we are from god and whoever knows god listens to us but whoever is not from god does not listen to us now how this is how we recognize the spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood god's love and ours dear friends let us love one another for love comes from god everyone who loves has been born of god and knows god whoever does not love does not know god because god is love this is how god showed his love amongst among us he sent his one and only son into the world that we might live through him this is love not that we love god but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins dear friends since god loves us we also ought to love one another no one has ever seen god but if we love one another god lives on us and his love is made complete in us this is how we know that we live in him and he and us he has given us of his spirit and we have seen and testify that the father hath sent his son to be the savior of the world if anyone acknowledges that jesus is the son of god god lives in them and they in god and so we know and rely on the love god has for us god is love whoever loves lives in love lives in god and god in them this is how love is made complete among us so that we will have the confidence and on the day of judgement in this in this world we are like jesus there is no fear in love but perfect love drives out fear because love has to do with punishment the one who fears is not made perfect in love we love because he first loved us whoever claims to love god yet hates a brother or sister is a liar for whoever does not love his brother and sister whom they have seen cannot love god whom they have not seen and he has given us this command anyone who loves god must also love their brother and sister now moving into first john chapter five faith in the incarnate son of god everyone who believes that jesus is the christ is born of god and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well this is how we know that we love the children of god by loving god and carrying out his commands in fact this is love for god to keep his commands and his commands are not burdensome for everyone born of god overcomes the world and this is the victory that overcomes the world even our faith who is it that overcomes the world only the one who believes that jesus is the son of god this is the one who came by water and blood jesus christ he did not come by water only but by water and blood it is the spirit who testifies because the spirit is truth and there are three that testify the spirit the water and the blood and the three are in agreement we accept human testimony but god's testimony is greater because it is a testimony of god which he has given about his son whoever believes in the son of god accepts this testimony whoever does not believe in god has made him out to be a liar because they have not believed the testimony that god has given about his son and this is the testimony god has given us eternal life and this life is in his son whoever has the son has life and whoever does not have the son of god does not have life concluding affirmations i write these things to you who believe in the name of the son of god so that you may know that you have eternal life this is the confidence we have in approaching god that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us and if we know that he hears us whatever we ask we know that we have what we asked of him if you see any brother or sister commit of sin that does not lead to death you should pray and god will give them life i refer to those whose sin does not lead to death there is a sin that leads to death and i'm not saying that you should pray about that all wrong during your sin and there is a sin that does not leak today we know that anyone born of god does not continue to sin the one who was born of god keeps them safe and the evil one cannot harm them we know that we are children of god and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one we know also that the son of god has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true and we are in him and we are in we are in him who is who is true by being in his son jesus christ he is a true god and eternal life dear children keep yourself some idols second john chapter one the elder to the lady chosen by god and her children and to her children whom i love in the truth and not only i but also all who know the truth because of the truth which lives in us and will be with us forever grace mercy and peace from god the father and from jesus christ the father son will be with with us in truth and love he has given me great joy to find some of you children walking in the truth just as the father commanded us 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 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 i say this because many deceivers who do not acknowledge jesus christ is coming in the flesh have gone out into the world any such person is a deceiver and the antichrist watch out that you do not lose what you have it's what we have worked worked for but that you may be rewarded fully 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 if anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching do not take them into your house or welcome them anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work i have much to write 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 the children of your sister who is chosen by god send their greetings now to third john chapter again chapter one to third john the elder to my friend gaius whom i love in the truth dear friend i pray that you may enjoy good health and all that may go well with you even as your soul is getting along well it gave me great joy when some believers came to testify about your faithfulness to the truth telling how you continue to walk in it i have no greater joy and to hear that my children are walking in the truth dear friend you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters even though they are strangers to you they have told the church about your love please send them on their way in a manner that honors god it was for the sake of the name that they went out receiving no help from pagans we are therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth i wrote to the church but the operonese who loved to be first uh will not welcome us so when i come i will call attention to what he is doing spreading militias and nonsense about uh nonsense about us not satisfied with that he even refuses to welcome other believers he also stops those who want to do so do so and put them out of the church dear friends do not imitate what is evil but what is good anyone who does what is is good it's from god anyone who does what is evil has not seen god demetrius is well spoken of by everyone and even by the truth itself we also speak well of him and you know that our testimony is true i have much to write you but i do not want to do so with pen and ink i hope to see you soon and we will talk face to face peace be to you the friends here send their greetings greet the friends there by name now to jude jude a servant of jesus christ and brother of james to those who have called who've been called who are loved in god and the father and kept for jesus christ mercy peace and love be used in abundance the sin of doom and ungodly people dear friends although i was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share i felt compelled to write an urge to you argue to contend for the faith that was once of all entrusted to god's holy people for certain individuals those whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you they are ungodly people who convert the grace of our god into a license for immoral immorality and deny jesus christ our only savior our only sovereign and lord though you already know all this i want to remind you that the lord at one time delivered his people out of egypt but later destroyed those who did not believe and the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their their proper dwelling these he has kept in darkness bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great day in similar ways sodom and gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual linearity and perversion they serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire in the same way unto the strength or the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies rejecting reject authority and heat abuse on celestial beings but even the archangel michael when he was disputing with the devil about the body of moses did not himself there to condemn him for slander but said the lord rebuked you yet these people slander whatever they do not understand and the very things they do not understand the instinct as their actionable animals do will destroy them though to them they have taken the way of cain they have rushed for profit into balaam's error they have been destroyed in cora's rebellion these people are blemishes in your love feasts eating with you without the slightest clown shepherds who feed only themselves they are clouds without rain blown along by the wind autumn trees without fruit and uprooted twice dead they are wild waves of the sea foaming up their shame wandering stars for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever enoch the seventh the seventh from adam prophesied about them see the lord is coming with thousands of angels of his holy one of thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone and to conflict all all them that all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness and of the defiant worlds ungodly sinners have spoken against them these people are grumblers and fault finders they follow their own evil desires they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage a call to persevere but dear friends remember what the apostles of the lord jesus christ foretold they said to you in the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires they are people who invite you i have much to write you but i i do not want to do so with pen and ink yeah and we'll talk to you face-to-face peace to you friends send everything greet my friends by your name and hand over to david sam's going to take us from there thank you so much bob we honor you and your ministry and thank you for reading tonight sam can you take over from uh verse 19 there and bring us into revelation yeah awesome thank you bob powerful power folds we it almost hit the final book of the bible but verse 19 of the book of jude these are the people who divide you who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the spirit but you dear friends by building yourself up in your most holy faith and praying in the holy spirit keep yourself in god's love as you wait for the mercy of our lord jesus christ to bring you to eternal life be merciful to those who doubt save others by snatching them from the fire to others show mercy mixed with fear hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy to the only god our savior be glory majesty power and authority through jesus christ our lord before all ages now and forevermore amen and now we begin the final book of the bible the book of revelation and the final moments of our out loud bible week and we're going to start obviously with revelation chapter 1 and i don't know about you but you can just feel the glory of god as we land in this final chapter and this is a moment tonight as we conclude out loud so revelation chapter one and the five of us on the screen are gonna take chapter by chapter for the rest of the evening the revelation from jesus christ which god gave him to show his servants what must soon take place he made it known by sending his angel to his servant john who testifies to everything he saw that is the word of god and the testimony of jesus christ blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and take it to heart what is written because the time is near verse 4 john to the seven churches and the province of asia grace and peace to you from him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven spirits before his throne and from jesus christ who is the faithful witness the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his god and father to him be the glory and power forever and ever amen look he is coming with the clouds and every eye will see him even those who pierced him and all peoples on earth will mourn because of him so shall it be amen i am the alpha and the omega says the lord god who is and who was and who has to come the almighty john's vision of christ i john your brother and companion and the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that ours and that are ours in jesus was on the island of patmos because of the word of god and the testimony of jesus on the lord's day i was in the spirit and i heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet which said right on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches in ephesus smyrna pergamum philadelphia and laodicea i turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me and when i turned i saw seven golden lampstands and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest the hair on his head was white like wool as white as snow and his eyes were blazing like fire his feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters in his right hand he held seven stars and coming out of his mouth was a sharp double-edged sword his face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance when i saw him i fell at his feet as though dead then he placed his right hand on me and said do not be afraid i am the first and the last i am the living one i was dead and now look i am alive forever and ever and i hold the keys of death in hades right therefore what you have seen what is now and what will take place later the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and the seven lampstands are the seven churches katrina for chapter two great revelation two to the church in ephesus to the angel of the church in ephesus right these are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands i know your deeds your hard work and your perseverance i know that you cannot tolerate wicked people that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not and have found them false you have persevered and have endured hardships for my name and have not grown weary yet i hold this against you you have forsaken the love you had at first consider how far you have fallen repent and do the things you did at first if you do not repent i will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place but you have this in your favor you hate the practice of the nicolasians which i also hate whoever has ears let them hear what the spirit says to the churches to the one who is victorious i will give the right to eat from the tree of life which is in the paradise of god to the church in smyrna to the angel of the church in smyrna write these are the words of him who is the first and the last who died and came to life again i know your afflictions and your poverty yet you are rich i know about the slander of those who say they are jews and are not but you are a synonym but are synagogue of satan do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer i tell you the devil will put some of you in prison to test you and you will suffer persecution for 10 days be faithful even to the point of death and i will give you life as your victor's crown whoever has ears let them hear what the spirit says to the churches the one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death to the church in pergamum to the angel of the church in pergamum write these are the words of him who has the sharp double-edged sword i know where you live where satan has his throne yet you remain true to my name you did not renounce your faith in me not even in the days of antipas my faithful witness who was put to death in your city where satan lives nevertheless i have a few things against you there are some among you who hold to the teaching of balaam who taught balak to entice the israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual adultery likewise you have the you also have those who hold to the teaching of the nicolasians repent therefore otherwise i will soon come to you and will fight against them with a sword of my mouth whoever has ears let them hear what the spirit says to the churches to the one who is victorious i will give some of the hidden manna i will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it known only to the one who receives it to the church in thyatira to the angel in the church of the thy and thy retire right these are the words of the son of god whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze i know your deeds your love and faith your service and perseverance and that you were doing now doing more than you did at first nevertheless i have this against you you tolerate that woman jezebel who calls herself a prophet by her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrifice to idols i have given her a time to repent of her immorality but she is unwilling so i will cast her on a bed of suffering and i will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely unless they repent of her ways i will strike her children dead then all the churches will know that i am he who searches hearts and minds and i will repay each according to your own deeds now i say to the rest of you and thyatira to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned satan's so-called deep secrets i will not impose any other burden on you except to hold on to what you have until i come to the one who is victorious and does my will to the end i will give authority over the nations that one will rule over them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery just as i have received authority from my father i will also give that one the morning star whoever has ears let them hear what the spirit says to the churches and for chapter 3 i'll pass it to emma revelation chapter 3 to the church in sardis to the angel of the church in sardis wright these are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of god and the seven stars i know your deeds you have a reputation of being alive but you are dead wake up and strengthen what remains and is about to die for i have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my god remember therefore what you have received and heard hold it fast and repent but if you do not wake up i will come like a thief and you will not know at what time i will come to you yet you have a few people in sardis who have not soiled their clothes they will walk with me dressed in white for they are worthy the one who is victorious will like them be dressed in white i will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life but will acknowledge that name before my father and his angels whoever has ears let them hear what the spirit says to the churches to the church in philadelphia to the angel of the church in philadelphia write these are the words of him who is holy and true who holds the key of david what he opens no one can shut and what he shuts no one can open i know your deeds see i have placed before you an open door that no one can shut i know that you have little strength yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name i will make those who are of the synagogue of satan who claim to be jews though they are not but are liars i will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that i have loved you since you have kept my command to endure patiently i will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth i am coming soon hold on to what you have so that no one will take your crime the one who is victorious i will make a pillar in the temple of my god never again will they leave it i will write on them the name of my god and the name of the city of my god the new jerusalem which is coming dying out of heaven from my god and i will also write on them my new name whoever has ears let them hear what the spirit says to the churches to the church in laodicea to the angel of the church in laodicea right these are the words of the amen the faithful and true witness the ruler of god's creation i know your deeds that you are neither cold nor hot i wish you were either one or the other so because you are look warm neither hot nor cold i am about to spit you out of my mice you say i am rich i have acquired wealth and do not need a thing but you do not realize that you are wretched pitiful purr blind and naked i counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so you can become rich and white clothes to wear so you can cover your shameful nakedness and salve to put on your eyes so you can see those whom i love i rebuke and discipline so be earnest and repent here i am i stand at the door and knock if anyone hears my voice and opens the door i will come in and eat with that person and they with me to the one who is victorious i will give the right to sit with me on my throne just as i was victorious and sat down with my father on his throne whoever has ears let them hear what the spirit says to the churches david chapter 4. revelation chapter 4 the throne in heaven after this i looked and there before me was a door standing open in heaven and the voice had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said come up here and i will show you must what must take place after this at once i was in the spirit and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it and the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby a rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne surrounding the throne where 24 other thrones and seated on them were 24 elders they were dressed in white and had crowns of gold in their head from the throne came flashes of lightning rumbles and peels of thunder in front of the throne seven lamps were blazing these are the seven spirits of god also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass clear as crystal in the center round the throne were four living creatures and they were covered with eyes in front and behind the first living creature was like a lie and the second was like an ox the third had a face like a man the fourth was like a flying eagle each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around even under its wings day and night they never stop saying holy holy holy is the lord god almighty who was and is and is to come whenever the living creatures give glory honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives forever and ever the 24 elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever they lay their crowns before the throne and say you are worthy our lord and god to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by your will they were created and have their being revelation chapter five the scroll and the lamb then i saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals and i saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll but no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it i wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside then one of the elders said to me do not weep see the lion of the tribe of judah the root of david has triumphed he is able to open the scroll and its seven seals then i saw a lamb looking as if it had been slain standing at the center of the throne encircled by the four living creatures and the elders the lamb had seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of god sent out into all the earth he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne and when he had taken it the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the lamb each one had a harp and they were hoarding golden balls full of incense which are the prayers of god's people and they sang a new song saying you are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were slain and with your blood you purchased for god persons from every tribe and language and people and nation you have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our god and they will reign on the earth then i looked and heard the voice of many angels numbering thousands upon thousand and ten thousand times ten thousand they encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders and in a loud voice they were saying worthy is the lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise then i heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea and all that is in them saying to him who sits on the throne and to the lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever the four living creatures said amen and the elders fell down and worshipped [Music] revelation chapter 6 the seals i watched as the lamb opened the first of the seven seals then i heard one of the four living creatures saying a voice like thunder come i looked and there before me was a white horse as rider held a ball and he was given a crown and he rolled out as a conqueror bent on conquest when the lamb had opened the second seal i heard the second living creature say come then another horse came out a fiery red one its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other to him was given a large sword when the lamb opened the third seal i heard the third living creature say come i looked and there before me was a black horse its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand then i heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures saying two pounds of wheat for a day's wages and sex piles of barley for a day's wages and do not damage the oil and the wine when the lamb opened the fourth seal i heard the voice of the fourth living creature say come i looked and there before me was a pale horse as rider was named death and hades was following close behind him they were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword famine and plague and by the wild beasts of the earth when he opened the fifth seal i saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of god and the testimony they had maintained they called out an a loud voice how long sovereign lord holy and true until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood then each of them was given a white robe and they were told to wait a little longer until the full number of their fellow servants their brothers and sisters were killed just as they had been i watched as he opened the sixth seal there was a great earthquake the sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair the whole moon turned blood red and the stars in the sky fell to the earth as figs dropped from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind the heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up and every mountain and ireland was moved from its place then the kings of the earth the princes the generals the rich the mighty and everyone else both slave and free hidden caves among the rocks of the mountains they called to the mountains and the rocks fall on us hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb for the great day of their wrath has come and who can withstand it katrina for chapter 7 144 000 sealed after this i saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or any tree then i saw another angel coming up from the east having the seal of the living god he called out an allowed voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and sea do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servant of of the servants of our god then i heard the number of those who were to be sealed 144 000 from all the tribes of israel from the tribe of judah 12 000 were sealed from the tribe of reuben 12 000 from the tribe of gad 12 000 from the tribe of asher 12 000 from the tribe of naphtali 12 000 from the tribe of manasseh 12 000 from the tribe of levi 12 000 from the tribe of issachar 12 000 from the tribe of zebulun 12 000 from the tribe of joseph 12 12 000 and from the tribe of benjamin 12 000 the great multitude in white robes after this i looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count from every nation tribe people and language standing before the throne of the lamb they were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands and they cried out in a loud voice salvation belongs to our god who sits on the throne and to the lamb all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures they fell down on their faces before the throne and worshipped god saying amen praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength to be to our god forever and ever amen then one of the elders asked me these and white robes who are they and where did they come from i answered sir you know and he said these are they who have come out of the great tribulation they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb therefore they are before the throne of god and serve him day and night in his temple and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence never again will they hunger never again will they thirst the sun will not beat down on them nor any scorching heat for the lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd he will lead them to springs of living water and god will wipe away every tear from their eyes revelation eight the seventh seal and the golden sensor when he opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven for about half an hour and when i saw the seven angels who stand before god and seven trumpets were given to them another angel who had a golden censor came and stood at the altar he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all god's people on the golden altar in front of the throne the smoke of the incense together with the prayers of god's people went up before god from the angel's hand then the angel took the censer filled it with fire from the altar and hurled it on the earth and there came peels of thunder rumblings flashes of lightning and an earthquake the trumpets then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them the first angel sounded his trumpet and there came hail and fire mixed with blood and it was hurled dying upon the earth a third of the earth was burned up a third of the trees were burned up and all the green grass was burned up the second angel signed it his trumpet and something like a huge mountain all ablaze was thrown into the sea a third of the sea turned into blood a third of the living creatures in the sea died and a third of the ships were destroyed the third angel signed his trumpet and a great star blazing like a torch fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water the name of the star is wormwood a third of the waters turned bitter and many people died from the waters that had become bitter the fourth angel sounded his trumpet and a third of the sun was struck a third of the moon and a third of the stars so that a third of them turned dark the third of the day was without light and also a third of the night as i watched i heard an eagle that was flying in mid-air crawl out in a lied voice whoa whoa whoa to the inhabitants of the earth because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels david chapter nine revelation chapter 9 the fifth angel sounded his trumpet and i saw a star that had fallen from the sky to earth the star was given the key to the shaft of the abyss when he opened the abyss smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace the sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the abyss and out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth they were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree but only those people who did not have the seal of god on their foreheads they were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months and the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes during those days people will seek death but will not find it they will long to die but death will elude them the locusts looked like horses prepared for battle on their heads they wore something like crowns of gold and their faces resembled human faces their hair was like woman's hair and their teeth were like lion's teeth they had breastplates like breastplates of iron and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into baton they had tails with stings like scorpions and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months they had as king over them the angel of the abyss whose name in hebrew is abaddon and in greek is apollyon that is destroyer the first woe is past two other woes are yet to come the sixth angel sounded his trumpet and a herd of voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before god it said to the six angel who had the trumpet release the four angels who are bound at the great river euphrates and the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind the number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand i heard their number the horses and riders i saw in my vision looked like this their breastplates were fiery red dark blue and yellow as sulfur the heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions and out of their mouths came fire smoke and sulfur a third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths the power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails for their tails were like snakes having heads with which they inflict injury the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands they did not stop worshiping demons and idols of gold silver bronze stone and wood idols that cannot see or hear or walk nor do they repent of their murders their magic arts their sexual immorality or their thefts revelation chapter 10 the angel and the little scroll then i saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven he was robed in a cloud with a rainbow above his head his face was like the sun and his legs were like fiery pillars he was holding a little scroll which lay open in his hand he planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land and he gave a loud shout like that roar of a lion when he shouted the voices of the seven thunders spoke and when the seven thunders spoke i was about to write but i heard a voice from heaven say seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down then the angel i had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and he swore by him who lives forever and ever who created the heavens and all that is in them the earth and all that is in it and the sea and all that is in it and said there will be no more delay but in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet the mystery of god will be accomplished just as he announced to his servants the prophets then the voice that i had heard from heaven spoke to me once more go take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land so i went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll he said to me take it and eat it it will turn your stomach sour but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey i took the little scroll from the angel's hand and edited it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth excuse me but when i had eaten it my stomach turned sour then i was told you must prophesy again about many people's nations languages and kings revelation 11 the two witnesses i was given a read like a measuring rod and was told go and measure the temple of god and the altar with its worshippers but exclude the outer court do not measure it because it has been given to the gentiles they will trample on the holy city for 42 months and i will appoint my two witnesses and they will prophesy for 1260 days clothed in sackcloth they are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands and they stand before the lord of the earth if anyone tries to harm them fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies this is how anyone who wants to harm them must die they have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying i may have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want now when they have finished their testimony the beast that comes up from the abyss will attack them and overpower and kill them their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city which is figuratively called sodom and egypt where also their lord was crucified for three and a half days some from every people tribe language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial the inhabitants of the earth will glow over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth but after the three and a half days the breath of life from god entered them and they stood on their feet and terror struck those who saw them then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them come up here and they went up to heaven and a cloud while their enemies looked on at that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the god of heaven the second woe has passed the third wall is coming soon the seventh trumpet the seventh angel sounded his trumpet and there were loud voices in heaven which set the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our lord and of his messiah and he will reign forever and ever and the 24 elders who are seated on their thrones before god fell on their faces and worshiped god saying we give thanks to you lord god almighty the one who is and who was because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign the nations were angry and your wrath has come the time has come for judging the dead and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your people who reveal your name both great and small and for destroying those who destroy the earth then god's temple in heaven was opened and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant and there came flashes of lightning rumblings peels of thunder an earthquake and a severe hailstorm katrina for chapter 12 chapter 12 the woman and the dragon a great sign appeared in heaven a woman clothed with the sun with a moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head she was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth then another sign appeared in heaven an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth so that it might devour her child the moment he was born she gave birth to a son a male child who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter and her child was snatched up to god and to his throne the woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by god where she might be taking care of for 1260 days then war broke out in heaven michael and his angels fought against the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought back but he was not strong enough and they lost their place in heaven the great dragon was hurled down that ancient snake called the devil or satan who leads the whole world astray he was hurled to the earth and his angels with him then i heard a loud voice in heaven say now have come now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our god and the authority of his messiah for the accuser of our brothers and sisters who accuses them before our god day and night has been hurled down they triumphed over him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony they did not love their lives so much to shrink away from death therefore rejoice you heavens and you who dwell in them but woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has gone down to you he is filled with fury because he knows that his time is short when the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child the woman was given the two wings of a great eagle so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness where she would be taken care of for a time times and half a time out of the snake's reach then from his mouth the snakes spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away with a torrent but the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring those who keep god's commands and hold fast to their testimony about jesus revelation 13. the beast out of the sea the dragon stood on the shore of the sea and i saw a beast coming out of the sea it had ten horns and seven heads with ten crowns on its horns and on each head a blasphemous name the beast i saw resembled a leopard but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority one of the heads of the beast seemed to have a fatal wound but the fatal wound had been healed the whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast people worshipped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast and they also worshiped the beast and asked who is like the beast who can wage war against it the beast was given a mouth to utter pride words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for 42 months it opened its mouth to blaspheme god and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven it was given power to wage war against god's holy people and to conquer them and it was given authority over every tribe people language and nation all inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast all whose names have not been written in the lamb's book of life the lamb who was slain from the creation of the world whoever has ears let him hear if anyone is to go into captivity into captivity they will go if anyone is to be killed with the sword with the sword they will be killed this calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of god's people the beast out of the earth then i saw a second beast coming out of the earth it had two horns like a lamb but it spoke like a dragon it exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast whose fatal wound had been healed and it performed great signs even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast it deceived the inhabitants of the earth it ordered them to set up an image of honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived the second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast so that the image could speak and cause all who refuse to worship the image to be killed it also forced all people great and small rich and poor free and slave to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark which is the name of the beast or the numbers of its name this calls for wisdom let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast for it is the number of a man that number is 6 6 6. revelation chapter 14 the lamb and the 144 thousand then i looked and there before me was the lamb standing on mount zion and with him 144 000 who had his name and his father's name written on their foreheads and i heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peel of thunder the sound i heard was like that of harpists playing their harps and they sang a new song before the throne and before the living creatures and the elders no one could learn the song except the 144 thousand who had been redeemed from the earth these are those who did not defile themselves with women for they remained virgins they follow the lamb wherever he goes they were purchased from among mankind and offered as first fruits to god and the lamb no lie was found in their mouths they are blameless then i saw another angel flying in mid-air and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth to every nation tribe language and people he said in a loud voice fear god and gave him glory because the hour of his judgment has come worship him who made the heavens the earth the sea and the springs of water a second angel followed and said fallen fallen is babylon the great which made all the nations drink the maddening whine of their adulteries a third angel followed and said in a loud voice if anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand they too will drink the wine of god's fury which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath they will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the lamb and the smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever there will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast in its image or for anyone who receives the mark of its name this calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of god who keep his commands and remain faithful to jesus then i heard a voice from heaven say write this blessed are the dead who die in the lord from now on yes says the spirit they will rest from their labor for their deeds will follow them harvesting the earth and trampling the winepress i looked and there before me was a white cloud and seated on the cloud was one like the sun of man with a crown of gold in his head and a sharp sickle in his hand then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud take your sickle and reap because the time to reap has come for the harvest of the earth is right so he who was sitted on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth and the earth was harvested another angel came out of the temple in heaven and he too had a sharp sickle still another angel who had charge of the fire came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharpsicle tape take your sharpsicle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine because its grapes are ripe the angel swung his sickle on the earth gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of god's wrath they were trampled in the wine press outside the city and blood flowed out of the press rising as high as the horse's bridles for a distance of 1 600 stadia yeah chapter 15 seven angels with seven plagues i saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign seven angels with seven last plagues last because within god's wrath is completed and i saw what looked like a sea of glass growing with fire and standing beside the sea those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name they held harps given them by god and sang the song of god's servant moses and of the lamb great and marvelous are your deeds lord god almighty just and true are your ways king of the nations who will not fear you lord and bring glory to your name for you alone are holy all nations will come and worship before you for your righteous acts have been revealed after this i looked and i saw in heaven the temple that is the tabernacle of the covenant law and it was open out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues they were dressed in clean shining linen and wore golden sashes round their chests then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of god who lives forever and ever and the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of god and from his power and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed revelation chapter 16 the seven bowls of god's wrath then i heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels go pour out the seven bowls of god's wrath on the earth the first angel went and poured out his ball on the land and ugly festering source broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea and it turned into blood like that of a dead person and every living thing in the seed that the third angel poured out his ball on the rivers and springs of water and they became blood then i heard no angel in charge of the waters say you are just in these judgments o holy one you who are and who where for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve and i heard the altar respond yes lord god almighty true and just are your judgments the fourth angel poured out hezbollah on the sun and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire they were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of god who had control over these plagues but they refused to repent and glorify him the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast and its kingdom was plunged into darkness people nod their tongues in agony and cursed the god of heaven because of their pains and their sores but they refused to repent of what they had done the sixth angel poured out his ball on the great river euphrates and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the east then i saw three empire spirits that looked like frogs they came out of the mouth of the dragon out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet they are demonic spirits that perform signs and they go out to the kings of the whole world to gather them for the battle on the great day of god almighty look i come like a thief blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed so as to not not to go naked and be shamefully exposed then they gathered the kings together to the place that in hebrew is called armageddon the seventh angel poured out his ball into the air and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne saying it is done then there came flashes of lightning rumblings peals of thunder and a severe earthquake no earthquake quake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth so tremendous was the quake the great city split into three parts and the cities of the nations collapsed god remembered babylon the great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of fury of his wrath every island fled away and the mountains could not be found from the sky huge hailstones each weighing about a hundred pounds fell on people and they cursed got an account of the plague of hell because the plague was so terrible chapter 17 katrina babylon the prostitute and the beast one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me come i will show you the punishment of the great prostitute who sits by many waters with her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries then the angel carried me away in the spirit into a desert there i saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with the blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet and was glittering with gold precious stones and pearls she held a golden cup in her hand filled with abominable things and filth of her adulteries the name written on her forehead was a mystery babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth i saw that the woman was drunk on the blood of god's holy people the blood of those who bore the testimony of jesus when i saw her i was greatly astonished then the angel said to me why are you astonished i will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides which has the seven heads and the ten horns the beast which you saw once was now is not and yet will come up out of the abyss and go to its destruction the inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast because it once was now is not and yet will come this calls for a mind of wisdom the seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits they are also seven kings five have fallen one is the other has not yet come but when he does come he must remain for only a little while the meet the beast who once was and now is not is an eighth king he belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction the ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast they have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast they will wage war against the lamb but the lamb will triumph over them because he is lord of lords and king of kings and with him will be his called chosen and faithful followers then the angel said to me the waters that you saw where the prostitute sets our peoples multitudes nations and languages the beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute they will bring her to ruin and leave her naked they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire for god has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over the beast their royal authority until god's words are fulfilled the woman you saw as the great city that rules over the kings of the earth in chapter 18 to emma revelation 18 lament over fallen babylon after this i saw another angel coming down from heaven he had great authority and the earth was illuminated by his splendor with a mighty voice he shouted fallen fallen is babylon the great she has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit a hunt for every unclean bird a hunt for every unclean and detestable animal for all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her idolatries the kings of the earth committed adultery with her and the merchants of the earth grew witch from her excessive luxuries warning to escape babylon's judgment verse 4 then i heard another voice from heaven saying come out of her my people so that you will not share in her sins so that you will not receive any of her plagues for her sins are piled up to heaven and god has remembered her crimes give back to her as she has given pay her back double for what she has done pour her a double portion from her own cup give her as much torment and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself in her heart she boasts i sit enthroned as queen i am not a widow i will never mourn therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her death mourning and famine she will be consumed by fire for mighty is the lord god who judges her threefold woe over babylon's fall when the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning they will weep and mourn over her terrified at her torment they will stand far off and cry whoa whoa to you great city you mighty city of babylon in one r your doom has come the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargos anymore cargos of gold silver precious stones and pearls fine linen purple silk and scarlet craft every sort of citroen wood and articles of every kind made of ivory costly wood bronze iron and marble cargoes of cinnamon and spice of incense myrrh and frankincense of wine and olive oil of fine flour and wheat cattle and sheep horses and carriages and human beings sold as slaves they will say the fruit you long for is gone from you all your luxury and splendor have vanished never to be recovered the merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off terrified at our torment they will weep and mourn and cry out whoa whoa to you great city dressed in fine linen purple and scarlet and glittering with gold precious stones and pearls in one r such great wealth has been brought to ruin every sea captain and all who travel by ship the sailors and all who earn their living from the sea will stand far off when they see the smoke of her burning they will explain was there ever a city like this great city they will throw dust on their heads and with me weeping and mourning cry out whoa whoa to you great city where all who are ships on the sea became rich through her wealth in one r she has been brought to ruin rejoice over her you heavens rejoice you people of god rejoice apostles and prophets for god has judged her with the judgment she imposed on you the finality of babylon's doom verse 21 then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea and said with such violence the great city of babylon will be thrown down never to be found again the music of harpists the musicians pipers and trumpeters will never be heard in you again no worker of any trade will ever be fined in you again the signed of a millstone will never be heard in you again the light of a lamp will never shine in you again the voice of bride groom and bride will never be heard in you again your merchants were the world's important people by your magic spell all the nations were led astray and her was fine the blood of prophets and of god's holy people of all who have been slaughtered on the earth revelation chapter 19 threefold hallelujah over babylon's fall after this i heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting hallelujah salvation and glory and power belong to our god for true and just are his judgments he has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries he has avenged on her the blood of his servants and again they shouted hallelujah the smoke from her goes up forever and ever the 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped god who was seated on the throne and they cried amen hallelujah then a voice came from the throne saying praise our god all you his servants you who fear him both great and small then i heard what sounded like a great multitude like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peels of thunder shouting hallelujah for our lord god almighty reigns let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory for the wedding of the lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready fine linen bright and clean was given her to wear fine linen stands for the righteous acts of god's holy people then the angel said to me write this blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the lamb and he added these are the true words of god at this i fell down at his feet to worship him but he said to me don't do that i am a fairly servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of jesus worship god for it is the spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to jesus verse 11 the heavenly warrior defeats the beast i saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse whose rider is called faithful and true with justice he judges and wages war his eyes are like blazing fire and on his head are many crowns he has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself he is dressed in a rope robe dipped in blood and his name is the word of god the armies of heaven were following him riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen white and clean coming out of his mouth as a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations he will rule them with an iron scepter he treads the wine press of the fury of the wrath of god almighty on his robe and on his thigh he has this name written king of kings and lord of lords and i saw an angel standing in the sun who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in the air come gather together for the great supper of god so that you may eat the flesh of kings generals and the mighty of horses under riders and the flesh of all people free and slave great and small then i saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army but the beast was captured and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf with these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image the two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning silver the rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh chapter 20 the thousand years and i saw an angel coming down out of heaven having the key to the abyss and hoarding in his hand a great chain he sees the dragon that ancient snake who is the devil or satan and bound him for a thousand years he threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it over him to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended after that he must be set free for a short time i saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge and i saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about jesus and because of the word of god they had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands they came to life and reigned with christ for a thousand years the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended this is the first resurrection blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection the second death has no power over them but they will be priests of god and of christ and will reign with him for a thousand years then the thousand years are over satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth god and magog and to gather them for battle in number they are like the sand on the seashore they marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of god's people the city he loves but fire came down from heaven and devoured them and the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown they will be tormented day and night forever and ever then i saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it the earth and the heavens fled from his presence and there was no place for them and i saw the dead great and small standing before the throne and the books were opened another book was opened which is the book of life the dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books the sea gave up the dead that were in it and death and hades gave up the death that were in them and each person was judged according to what they had done then death and hades were thrown into the lake of fire the lake of fire is the second death anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire david chapter 21 thank you this is a great job revelation 21 it is a great chapter indeed a new heaven and a new earth then i saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and there was no longer any sea i saw the holy city the new jerusalem coming down out of heaven from god prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband and i heard a loud voice from the throne saying look god's dwelling place is now among the people and he will dwell with them they will be his people and god himself will be with them and be their god he will wipe every tear from their eyes there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away he was he who was seated on the throne said i am making everything you then he said write these this down for these words are trustworthy and true he said to me it is done i am the alpha and the omega the beginning and the end to the thirsty i will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life those who are victorious will inherit all this and i will be their god and they will be my children but the cowardly the unbelieving the vile the murderers the sexually immoral those who practice magic arts the idolaters and all liars they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulphur this is the second death one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came to me and said said to me come i will show you the bride the wife of the lamb and he carried me away in the spirit to a mountain great and high and showed me the holy city jerusalem coming down out of heaven from god it shone with the glory of god and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel like a jasper clear as crystal it had a great high wall with 12 gates and with 12 angels at the gates on the gates were written the names of the 12 tribes of israel there were three gates on the east three on the north three on the south and three on the west the wall of the city had twelve foundations and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the lamb the angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city its gates and its walls the city was laid out like a square as long as it was wide he measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12 000 stadia in length and and as wide and high as it is long the angel measured the wall using human measurement and it was 144 cubits thick the wall was made of jasper and the city of pure gold as pure as glass the foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone the first foundation was jasper the second sapphire the third agate the fourth emerald the fifth onyx the sixth ruby the seventh chrysolite the eighth barrel the nines topaz the tenth turquoise the eleventh jaqens and the twelfth amethyst the twelve gates were twelve pearls each gate made of a single pearl the great street of the city was of gold as pure as transparent glass i did not see a temple in the city because the lord god almighty and the lamb are its temple the city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it for the glory of god gives it light and the lamb is its lamp the nations will walk by its light and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it on no day will its gates ever be shut for there will be no night there the glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it nothing impure will ever enter it nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful but only those whose names are written in the lamb's book of life emma revelation chapter 22 final chapter revelation 22 eden restored then the angel showed me the river of the water of life as clear as crystal flowing from the throne of god and of the lamb down the middle of the great street of the city on each side of the river stood the tree of life bearing 12 crops of fruit yielding its fruit every month and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations no longer will there be any curse the throne of god and of the lamb will be in the city and his servants will serve him they will see his face and his name will be on their foreheads there will be no more night they will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun for the lord god will give them light and they will reign forever and ever john and the angel the angels said to me these words are trustworthy and true the lord the god who inspires the prophets sent his angel to show his servants the thing that must soon take place look i am coming soon blessed is the one who keeps the words of prophecy written in this scroll i john and the one who heard and saw these things and when i had heard and seen them i fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me but he said to me don't do that i am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll worship god then he told me do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll because the time is near let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong let the vile person continue to be vile that the one who does right continue to do right and let the holy person continue to be holy epilogue invitation and warning verse 12. look i am coming soon my reward is with me and i will give to each person according to what they have done i am the alpha and omega the first and the last the beginning and the end blessed are those who wash their robes that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city outside of the dogs those who practice magic arts the sexually immoral the murderers the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehoods i jesus have sent my angel to you this testimony for the churches i am the root and the offspring of david and the bright morning star the spirit and the bride say come and let the one who hears say come let the one who is thirsty come and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life i warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll if anyone adds anything to them god will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll and if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy god will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the holy city which are described in this scroll he who testifies to these things says yes i am coming soon amen come lord jesus the grace of the lord jesus be with god's people a man what a journey wow hey man we got there whoa let us just pray for you how long does that take us six days seven days seven days i lost today seven full days well done team let me just pray for you to all our family in youtube land and facebook land we bless you from glasgow may script your own your insides may the truth of the old testament and the new testament be written tattooed stained on your inner man that you may have the strength to own it and never depart from it may a new passion for scripture own you may an ease of memorizing it come over you and may you find an ability rising to live by it with greater ease than ever before may understanding of it land on you that no longer would the word of god be something dull or obscure but in the name of jesus we release a new generation of bible lovers of bold truth-tellers of truth owners in the land and we welcome you into that company of those who will not depart from what this book says in jesus name i call you to this high standard that scripture and truth may define and mark you all the days of your life bible lovers arise bible scholars be born this moment and may a new breed of theologians come forth so this does not become dead to a generation in jesus name amen amen amen well thank you some of you i know have barely missed an hour of these days and we thank you for your faithfulness to truth and to supporting us because your comments really kept us going uh particularly in some of the lists of names and before we do this again we're going to have hebrew pronunciation name classes yes all right david play the exit music thank you bye [Music] so [Music] [Music] so so you

Channel: Global Prophetic Alliance-Glasgow Prophetic Centre

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Length: 317min 44sec (19064 seconds)

Published: Thu Apr 08 2021