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Let no one who delights in humility and the worship of angels cheat you out of the prize by rejoicing about what he has seen. Such a person is puffed up for no reason by his carnal mind.


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He does not hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, which is nourished and held together by its joints and ligaments, grows as God enables it.


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If you have died with the Messiah to the basic principles of the world, why are you submitting to its decrees as though you still lived in the world?


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All of these things will be destroyed as they are used, because they are based on human commands and teachings.


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These things have the appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion, humility, and harsh treatment of the body, but they have no value against self-indulgence.


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Therefore, if you have been raised with the Messiah, keep focusing on the things that are above, where the Messiah is seated at the right hand of God.


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So put to death your worldly impulses: sexual sin, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry).


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and have clothed yourselves with the new nature, which is being renewed in full knowledge, consistent with the image of the one who created it.


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In him there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free person. Instead, the Messiah is all and in all.


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Therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.


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Be tolerant of one another and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, you also should forgive.


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Let the peace of the Messiah also rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body, and be thankful.


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Let the word of the Messiah inhabit you richly with wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and singing to God with thankfulness in your hearts.


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And whatever you do, whether by speech or action, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.


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Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched in order to please them, but with a sincere heart, fearing the Lord.


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Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing it for the Lord and not merely for people.


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You know that it is from the Lord that you will receive the inheritance as a reward. It is the Lord Messiah whom you are serving!


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Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.


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At the same time also pray for us-that God would open before us a door for the word so that we may tell the secret about the Messiah, for which I have been imprisoned.


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Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.


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Tychicus will tell you everything that has happened to me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord.


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He is coming with Onesimus, that faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.


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Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. You have received instructions about him. If he comes to you, welcome him.


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Jesus, who is called Justus, also greets you. These are the only ones of the circumcision who are fellow workers for the kingdom of God. They have been an encouragement to me.


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Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of the Messiah Jesus, sends you his greetings. He is always wrestling in his prayers for you, so that you may stand mature, completely convinced of the entire will of God.


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For I can testify on his behalf that he has a deep concern for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.


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Give my greetings to the brothers in Laodicea, especially to Nympha and the church that is in her house.


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When this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and be sure to read the one from Laodicea.


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This greeting is written with my own signature-"Paul." Remember that I remain imprisoned. May grace be with you! Amen.


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From: Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy. To: The church of the Thessalonians in union with God the Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, be yours!


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In the presence of our God and Father, we constantly remember how your faith is active, your love is hard at work, and your hope in our Lord Jesus the Messiah is enduring.


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for the gospel we brought did not come to you in words only, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit, and with deep conviction. Indeed, you know what kind of people we proved to be while we were with you, acting on your behalf.


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You became imitators of us and of the Lord. In spite of a great deal of suffering, you welcomed the word with the joy that the Holy Spirit produces.


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From you the word of the Lord has spread out not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place where your faith in God has become known. As a result, we do not need to say anything about it.


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For people keep telling us what kind of welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve a living and true God


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and to wait for his Son whom he raised from the dead to come back from heaven. This Jesus is the one who rescues us from the coming wrath.


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As you know, we suffered persecution and were mistreated in Philippi. Yet we were encouraged by our God to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.


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Rather, because we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, we speak as we do, not trying to please people but God, who tests our motives.


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As you know, we did not come with flattering words or with a scheme to make money. God is our witness!


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even though as apostles of the Messiah we might have made such demands. Instead, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother tenderly caring for her own children.


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We cared so deeply for you that we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but our very lives. That is how dear you were to us.


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Brothers, you remember our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not become a burden to any of you while we proclaimed the gospel of God to you.


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We comforted and encouraged you, urging you to live in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.


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Here is another reason why we constantly give thanks to God: When you received God's word, which you heard from us, you did not accept it as the word of humans but for what it really is-the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.


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For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in union with the Messiah Jesus. You suffered the same persecutions from the people of your own country as they did from those Jews


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who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, who have persecuted us, and who please neither God nor any group of people,


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as they try to keep us from telling the gentiles how they can be saved. As a result, they are constantly adding to the number of sins they have committed. However, wrath has overtaken them at last!


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Brothers, although we have been separated from you for a little while-in person but not in heart-we eagerly desire to see you again face to face.


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That is why we wanted to come to you. Certainly I, Paul, wanted to come time and again, but Satan blocked our way.


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After all, who is our hope, joy, or reason for rejoicing in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? It is you, isn't it?


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and send Timothy, our brother who works with us for God in the gospel of the Messiah, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,


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so that no one would be shaken by these persecutions, for which you are aware that we were destined.


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In fact, when we were with you, we told you ahead of time that we were going to suffer persecution. And as you know, that is what happened.


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But when I could stand it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out about your faith. I was afraid that the tempter had tempted you in some way, and that our work had been a waste of time.


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But Timothy has just now returned from visiting you and has told us the good news about your faith and love. He also told us that you always have fond memories of us and want to see us, just as we want to see you.


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That's why, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we have been encouraged about you by your faith.


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How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we have in God's presence because of you?


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We pray very hard night and day that we may see you again face to face, so that we may equip you with whatever is lacking in your faith.


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Then your hearts will be strong, blameless, and holy in the presence of God, who is our Father, when our Lord Jesus appears with all his saints.


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Now then, brothers, you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God, as in fact you are doing. We ask and encourage you in the Lord to do so even more.


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Furthermore, you must never take advantage of or exploit a brother in this regard, because the Lord avenges all these things, just as we already told you and warned you.


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Therefore, whoever rejects this instruction is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.


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Now you do not need anyone to write to you about brotherly love, since you have been taught by God to love each other.


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In fact, you are showing love to all the brothers throughout Macedonia, but we urge you, brothers, to keep on doing this even more.


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Also, make it your goal to live quietly, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you,


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But we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve like other people who have no hope.


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For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so through Jesus God will bring those who have died with him.


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For we declare to you what the Lord has told us to say: We who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have died.


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With a shout of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of God's trumpet, the Lord himself will come down from heaven, and the dead who belong to the Messiah will rise first.


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Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.


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When people say, "There is peace and security," destruction will strike them as suddenly as labor pains come to a pregnant woman, and they will not be able to escape.


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However, brothers, you are not in the darkness, in order that the Day of the Lord might surprise you like a thief.


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For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to darkness.


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But since we belong to the day, let's be sober. We must put on the breastplate of faith and love, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.


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For God has not destined us to receive wrath but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus, the Messiah,


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Brothers, we ask you to show your appreciation for those who work among you, set an example for you in the Lord, and instruct you.


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We urge you, brothers, to admonish those who are idle, cheer up those who are discouraged, and help those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.


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Make sure that no one pays back evil for evil. Instead, always pursue what is good for each other and for everyone else.


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May the God of peace himself make you holy in every way. And may your whole being-spirit, soul, and body-remain blameless when our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, appears.


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From: Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy. To: The church of the Thessalonians in union with God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah.


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Brothers, at all times we are obligated to thank God for you. It is right to do this because your faith is growing all the time and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.


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As a result, we rejoice about you among God's churches-about your endurance and faith through all the persecutions and afflictions you are experiencing.


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This is evidence of God's righteous judgment and is intended to make you worthy of God's kingdom, for which you are suffering.


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and to give us who are afflicted relief when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels


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in blazing fire. He will take revenge on those who do not know God and on those who refuse to obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.


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Such people will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction by being separated from the Lord's presence and from his glorious power,


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when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be regarded with wonder on that day by all who have believed-including you-because you believed our testimony.


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With this in mind, we always pray for you, asking that our God might make you worthy of his calling and that through his power he might help you accomplish every good desire and faithful action.


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That way the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified by you, and you by him, according to the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus, the Messiah.


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Now we ask you, brothers, regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and our gathering together to him,


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not to be so quickly upset or alarmed when someone claims that we said, either by some spirit, conversation, or letter that the Day of the Lord has already come.


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Do not let anyone deceive you in any way, for it will not come unless the rebellion takes place first and the man of sin, who is destined for destruction, is revealed.


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He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god and object of worship. As a result, he seats himself in the sanctuary of God and himself declares that he is God.


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For the secret of this lawlessness is already at work, but only until the person now holding it back gets out of the way.


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Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will destroy with the breath of his mouth, rendering him powerless by the manifestation of his coming.


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The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the power of Satan. He will use every kind of power, including miraculous signs, lying wonders,


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and every type of evil to deceive those who are dying, those who refused to love the truth that would save them.


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Then all who have not believed the truth but have taken pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned.


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At all times we are obligated to thank God for you, brothers who are loved by the Lord, because God chose you to be the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through faith in the truth.


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With this purpose in mind, he called you through our proclamation of the gospel so that you would obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah.


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So then, brothers, stand firm, and cling to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter.


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May our Lord Jesus, the Messiah himself, and may God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope,


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Finally, brothers, pray for us-that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly, and that it may be honored the way it is among you.


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Also pray that we may be rescued from worthless and evil people, since not everyone holds to the faith.


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In the name of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is living in idleness and not living according to the tradition that they received from us.


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We did not eat anyone's food without paying for it. Instead, with toil and labor we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to any of you.


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We hear that some of you are living in idleness. You are not busy working-you are busy interfering in other people's lives!


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We order and encourage such people by the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.


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If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of him. Have nothing to do with him so that he will feel ashamed.


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Now may the Lord of peace give you his peace at all times and in every way. May the Lord be with all of you.


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I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand. This is the mark in every letter of mine. It is the way I write.


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From: Paul, an apostle of the Messiah Jesus, by the command of God our Savior and the Messiah Jesus, our hope.


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To: Timothy, my genuine child in the faith. May grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Messiah Jesus, our Lord, be yours!


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When I was on my way to Macedonia, I urged you to stay in Ephesus so that you could instruct certain people to stop teaching false doctrine


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and occupying themselves with myths and endless genealogies. These things promote controversies rather than God's ongoing purpose, which involves faith.


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The goal of this instruction is love that flows from a pure heart, from a clear conscience, and from a sincere faith.


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They want to be teachers of the Law, yet they do not understand either what they are talking about or the things about which they speak so confidently.


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that is, if he understands that the Law is not intended for righteous people but for lawbreakers and rebels, for ungodly people and sinners, for those who are unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers, their mothers, or other people,


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for those involved in sexual immorality, for homosexuals, for kidnappers, for liars, for false witnesses, and for whatever else goes against the healthy teaching


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I thank the Messiah Jesus, our Lord, who gives me strength, that he has considered me faithful and has appointed me to his service.


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In the past I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man. But I received mercy because I acted ignorantly in my unbelief,


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and the grace of our Lord overflowed toward me, along with the faith and love that are in the Messiah Jesus.


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This is a trustworthy saying that deserves complete acceptance: To this world Messiah came, sinful people to reclaim. I am the worst of them.


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But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the worst sinner, the Messiah Jesus might demonstrate all of his patience as an example for those who would believe in him for eternal life.


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Now to the King Eternal-the immortal, invisible, and only God-be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen.


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Timothy, my child, I am instructing you in keeping with the prophecies made earlier about you, so that by following them you may continue to fight the good fight


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with faith and a good conscience. By ignoring their consciences, some people have destroyed their faith like a wrecked ship.


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These include Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan so that they may learn not to blaspheme.


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First of all, then, I urge you to offer to God petitions, prayers, intercessions, and expressions of thanks for all people,


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for kings, and for everyone who has authority, so that we might lead a quiet and peaceful life with all godliness and dignity.


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There is one God. There is also one mediator between God and human beings-a human, the Messiah Jesus.


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For this reason I was appointed to be an announcer, an apostle, and a faithful and true teacher of the gentiles. (I am telling you the truth. I am not lying.)


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Therefore, I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without being angry or argumentative.


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Women, for their part, should display their beauty by dressing modestly and decently in appropriate clothes, not with elaborate hairstyles or by wearing gold, pearls, or expensive clothes,


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Moreover, in the area of teaching, I am not allowing a woman to instigate violence towards a man. Instead, she is to remain calm.


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However, women will be saved by having children, if they continue to have faith, love, and holiness, along with good judgment.


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Therefore, an elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife, stable, sensible, respectable, hospitable to strangers, and teachable.


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He must not drink excessively or be a violent person, but instead be gentle. He must not be argumentative or love money.


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He must manage his own family well and have children who are submissive and respectful in every way.


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He must not be a recent convert, so that he won't become arrogant and fall into the devil's condemnation.


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He must be well thought of by outsiders, so he doesn't fall into disgrace and the trap set for him by the devil.


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Their wives must also be serious. They must not be gossips, but instead be stable and trustworthy in everything.


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Those ministers who serve well gain an excellent reputation for themselves and will have great assurance by their faith in the Messiah Jesus.


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in case I am delayed, so that you may know how to behave in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.


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By common confession, the secret of our godly worship is great: In flesh was he revealed to sight, kept righteous by the Spirit's might, adored by angels singing. To nations was he manifest, believing souls found peace and rest, our Lord in heaven reigning!


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Now the Spirit says clearly that in the last times some people will abandon the faith by following deceitful spirits, the teachings of demons,


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They will try to stop people from marrying and from eating certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.


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For everything God created is good, and nothing should be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,


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If you continue to point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good servant of the Messiah Jesus, nourished by the words of the faith and the healthy teaching that you have followed closely.


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Do not have anything to do with godless myths and fables of old women. Instead, train yourself to be godly.


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Physical exercise is of limited value, but Godliness is very dear, a pledge of life, both there and here.


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To this end we work hard and struggle, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, that is, of those who believe.


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Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for other believers in your speech, behavior, love, faithfulness, and purity.


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Until I arrive, give your full concentration to the public reading of Scripture, to exhorting, and to teaching.


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Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy when the elders laid their hands on you.


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Pay close attention to your life and your teaching. Persevere in these things, because if you do so, you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.


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Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him as if he were your father. Treat younger men like brothers,


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But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to respect their own family by repaying their parents, for this is pleasing in God's sight.


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A woman who has no other family members to care for her and who is left all alone has placed her hope in God and devotes herself to petitions and prayers night and day.


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If anyone does not take care of his own relatives, especially his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.


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A widow may be put on the widows' list if she is at least sixty years old and has been the wife of one husband.


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She must be well known for her good actions as a woman who has raised children, welcomed strangers, washed the saints' feet, helped the suffering, and devoted herself to doing good in every way.


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But do not include younger widows on your list. For whenever their natural desires cause them to lose their devotion to the Messiah, they want to remarry.


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At the same time, they also learn how to be lazy while going from house to house. Not only this, but they even become gossips and keep busy by interfering in other people's lives, saying things they should not say.


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Therefore, I want younger widows to remarry, have children, manage their homes, and not give the enemy any chance to ridicule them.


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If any woman is a believer and has relatives who are widows, she should help them. The church should not be burdened, so it can help those widows who have no other family members to care for them.


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Elders who handle their duties well should be considered worthy of double compensation, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.


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For the Scripture says, "You must not muzzle an ox while it is treading out grain," and "A worker deserves his pay."


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As for those who keep on sinning, rebuke them in front of everyone so that the rest will also be afraid.


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With God as my witness, as well as the Messiah Jesus and the chosen angels, I solemnly call on you to carry out these instructions without prejudice, doing nothing on the basis of partiality.


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Stop drinking only water, but use a little wine for your stomach because of your frequent illnesses.


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The sins of some people are obvious, leading them to judgment. The sins of others follow them there.


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All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their own masters as deserving of the highest respect, so that the name of God and our teaching may not be discredited.


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Moreover, those who have believing masters should be respectful to them, because they are fellow believers. In fact, they must serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dear to them. These are the things you must teach and exhort.


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If anyone teaches false doctrine and refuses to agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and godly teaching,


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he is a conceited person and does not understand anything. He has an unhealthy craving for arguments and debates. This produces jealousy, rivalry, slander, evil suspicions,


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and incessant conflict between people who are depraved in mind and deprived of truth. They think that godliness is a way to make a profit.


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But people who want to get rich keep toppling into temptation and are trapped by many stupid and harmful desires that plunge them into destruction and ruin.


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For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, in their eagerness to get rich, have wandered away from the faith and caused themselves a lot of pain.


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But you, man of God, must flee from all these things. Instead, you must pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness.


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Fight the good fight for the faith. Keep holding on to eternal life, to which you were called and about which you gave a good testimony in front of many witnesses.


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Since you are in the presence of God, who gives life to everything, and in the presence of the Messiah Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, I solemnly charge you


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to keep these commands stainlessly and blamelessly until the appearance of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah.


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At the right time, he will make him known. God is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords.


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He alone has endless life and lives in inaccessible light. No one has ever seen him, nor can anyone see him. Honor and eternal power belong to him! Amen.


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Tell those who are rich in this age not to be arrogant and not to place their confidence in anything as uncertain as riches. Instead, let them place their confidence in God, who lavishly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.


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By doing this they store up a treasure for themselves that is a good foundation for the future, so that they can keep their hold on the life that is real.


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Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the pointless discussions and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge.


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From: Paul, an apostle of the Messiah Jesus by God's will in keeping with the promise of life that is in the Messiah Jesus.


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To: Timothy, my dear child. May grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Messiah Jesus our Lord be yours!


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I constantly thank my God-whom I serve with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did-when I remember you in my prayers night and day,


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I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first existed in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am convinced that this faith also exists in you.


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For this reason, I am reminding you to fan into flames the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands.


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Therefore, never be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me, his prisoner. Instead, by God's power, join me in suffering for the sake of the gospel.


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He saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our own accomplishments, but according to his own purpose and the grace that was given to us in the Messiah Jesus before time began.


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Now, however, that grace has been revealed through the coming of our Savior the Messiah Jesus, who has destroyed death and through the gospel has brought life and release from death into full view.


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For the sake of this gospel I was appointed to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the gentiles.


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That is why I suffer as I do. However, I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I'm convinced that he is able to protect what he has entrusted to me until the day that he comes.


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Hold on to the pattern of healthy teachings that you have heard from me, along with the faith and love that are in the Messiah Jesus.


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With the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us, protect the good treasure that has been entrusted to you.


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May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, for he often took care of me and was not ashamed that I was a prisoner.


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May the Lord grant that he finds mercy on the day he comes again. You know very well how much he assisted me in Ephesus.


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What you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well.


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No one serving in the military gets mixed up in civilian matters, for his aim is to please his commanding officer.


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Meditate on Jesus, the Messiah, who was raised from the dead and is a descendant of David. This is the gospel I tell others.


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Because of it I am experiencing trouble, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. However, God's word is not chained.


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For that reason, I endure everything for the sake of those who have been chosen so that they, too, may receive the salvation that is in the Messiah Jesus, along with eternal glory.


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Remind others about these things, and warn them before God not to argue over words. Arguing does not do any good but only destroys those who are listening.


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Do your best to present yourself to God as an approved worker who has nothing to be ashamed of, handling the word of truth with precision.


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They have abandoned the truth by claiming that the resurrection has already taken place, and so they destroy the faith of others.


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However, God's solid foundation still stands. It has this inscription on it: "The Lord knows those who belong to him," and "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from evil."


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In a large house there are not only utensils made of gold and silver, but also those made of wood and clay. Some are for special use, while others are for ordinary use.


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Therefore, if anyone stops associating with these people, he will become a special utensil, set apart for the owner's use, prepared for every good action.


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Flee from youthful passions. Instead, pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace together with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart.


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Do not have anything to do with foolish and stupid discussions, because you know they breed arguments.


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A servant of the Lord must not argue. Instead, he must be kind to everyone, teachable, willing to suffer wrong,


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and gentle when refuting opponents. After all, maybe God will allow them to repent and to come to a full knowledge of the truth,


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so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will.


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People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,


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For some of these men go into homes and deceive foolish women who are burdened with sins and swayed by all kinds of desires.


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Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and their faith is a counterfeit.


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But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those two men, their stupidity will be plain to everyone.


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But you have observed my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance,


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and how I was persecuted and suffered in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.


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But evil people and impostors will go from bad to worse as they deceive others and are themselves deceived.


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But as for you, continue in what you have learned and found to be true, because you know from whom you learned it.


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From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures that are able to give you the wisdom you need for salvation through faith in the Messiah Jesus.


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All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,


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In the presence of God and the Messiah Jesus, who is going to judge those who are living and those who are dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly appeal to you


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to proclaim the message. Be ready to do this whether or not the time is convenient. Refute, warn, and encourage with the utmost patience when you teach.


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For the time will come when people will not tolerate healthy doctrine, but with itching ears will surround themselves with teachers who cater to their people's own desires.


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But you must be clear-headed about everything. Endure suffering. Do the work of an evangelist. Devote yourself completely to your ministry.


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The victor's crown of righteousness is now waiting for me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on the day that he comes, and not only to me but also to all who eagerly wait for his appearing.


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because Demas, having fallen in love with this present world, has abandoned me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.


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When you come, bring the coat I left with Carpus in Troas, as well as the scrolls and especially the parchments.


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At my first trial no one came to my defense. Everyone abandoned me. May it not be held against them!


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However, the Lord stood by me and gave me strength so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the gentiles could hear it. I was rescued out of a lion's mouth.


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The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will take me safely to his heavenly kingdom. Glory belongs to him forever and ever! Amen.


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Do your best to come to me before winter. Eubulus sends you greetings, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.


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From: Paul, a servant of God, and also an apostle of Jesus the Messiah, to bring the faith to those chosen by God, along with full knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness,


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which is based on the hope of eternal life that God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began.


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At the right time he revealed his message through the proclamation that was entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior.


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To: Titus, a genuine child in the faith that we share. May grace and peace from God the Father and the Messiah, Jesus our Savior, be yours!


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The reason I left you in Crete was to complete what still needed to be done and to appoint elders in every city, as I myself commanded you.


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An elder must be blameless. He must be the husband of one wife and have children who are believers and who are not accused of having wild lifestyles or of being rebellious.


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Because an overseer is God's servant manager, he must be blameless. He must not be arrogant or irritable. He must not drink too much, be a violent person, or make money in shameful ways.


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Instead, he must be hospitable to strangers, must appreciate what is good, and be sensible, honest, moral, and self-controlled.


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He must be devoted to the trustworthy message that agrees with what we teach, so that he may be able to encourage others with healthy doctrine and refute those who oppose it.


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For there are many people who are rebellious, especially those who are converts from Judaism. They speak utter nonsense and deceive people.


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They must be silenced, because they are the kind of people who ruin whole families by teaching what they should not teach in order to make money in a shameful way.


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That statement is true. For this reason, refute them sharply so that they may become healthy in the faith


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Everything is clean to those who are clean, but nothing is clean to those who are corrupt and unbelieving. Indeed, their very way of thinking and their consciences have been corrupted.


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They claim to know God, but they deny him by their actions. They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified to do anything good.


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Likewise, older women are to show their reverence for God by their behavior. They are not to be gossips or addicted to alcohol, but to be examples of goodness.


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to be sensible and pure, to manage their households, to be kind, and to submit themselves to their husbands. Otherwise, the word of God may be discredited.


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Use wholesome speech that cannot be condemned. Then any opponent will be ashamed because he cannot say anything bad about us.


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or steal from them. Instead, they are to show complete and perfect loyalty, so that in every way they may make the teaching about God our Savior more attractive.


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It trains us to renounce ungodly living and worldly passions so that we might live sensible, honest, and godly lives in the present age


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as we wait for the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus the Messiah.


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He gave himself for us to set us free from every wrong and to cleanse us so that we could be his special people who are enthusiastic about doing good deeds.


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These are the things you should teach. Encourage and refute with full authority. Do not let anyone look down on you.


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Remind believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, and to be ready to do any honorable kind of work.


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They are not to insult anyone or be argumentative. Instead, they are to be gentle and perfectly courteous to everyone.


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After all, we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, and misled. We were slaves to many kinds of lusts and pleasures, spending our days in malice and jealousy. We were despised, and we hated one another.


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'Twas not for deeds that we had done, but by his steadfast love alone, he saved us through a second birth, renewed us by the Spirit's work,


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This saying is trustworthy. I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have put their faith in God may devote themselves to good actions. These things are good and helpful to other people.


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But avoid foolish controversies, arguments about genealogies, quarrels, and fights about the Law. These things are useless and worthless.


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As soon as I send Artemas to you, or perhaps Tychicus, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.


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Do all you can to send Zenas the expert in the Law and Apollos on their way, and see that they have everything they need.


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Our own people should also learn to make good deeds a priority when urgent needs arise, so they won't be unproductive.


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All who are with me send you greetings. Greet our fellow believers who love us. May grace be with all of you! Amen.


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From: Paul, a prisoner of the Messiah Jesus, and Timothy our brother. To: Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker,


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because I keep hearing about your love for all the saints and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus.


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I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every blessing that is ours in the Messiah.


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For I have received considerable joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed, brother, through you.


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I prefer to make my appeal on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an old man and now a prisoner of the Messiah Jesus,


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I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel.


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Yet I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be something forced, but voluntary.


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no longer as a slave but better than a slave-as a dear brother, especially to me, but even more so to you, both as a person and as a believer.


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I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. (I will not mention to you that you owe me your very life.)


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Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you because I know that you will do even more than I ask.


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Meanwhile, prepare a guest room for me, too, for I am hoping through your prayers to be returned to you.


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God, having spoken in former times in fragmentary and varied fashion to our forefathers by the prophets,


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has in these last days spoken to us by a Son whom he appointed to be the heir of everything and through whom he also made the universe.


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He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact likeness of his being, and he holds everything together by his powerful word. After he had provided a cleansing from sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Highest Majesty


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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"?


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And again, when he brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."


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But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the scepter of your kingdom is a righteous scepter.


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You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. That is why God, your God, anointed you rather than your companions with the oil of gladness."


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And, "In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.


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You will roll them up like a robe, and they will be changed like clothes. But you remain the same, and your life will never end."


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But to which of the angels did he ever say, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"?


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All of them are spirits on a divine mission, sent to serve those who are about to inherit salvation, aren't they?


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because if the message spoken by angels was reliable, and every violation and act of disobedience received its just punishment,


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how will we escape if we neglect a salvation as great as this? It was first proclaimed by the Lord himself, and then it was confirmed to us by those who heard him,


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while God added his testimony through signs, wonders, various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.


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Instead, someone has declared somewhere, "What is man that you should remember him, or the son of man that you should care for him?


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and put everything under his feet." Now when God put everything under him, he left nothing outside his control. However, at the present time we do not yet see everything put under him.


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But we do see someone who was made a little lower than the angels. He is Jesus, who is crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might experience death for everyone.


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It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering as part of his plan to glorify many children,


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because both the one who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified all have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers


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when he says, "I will announce your name to my brothers. I will praise you within the congregation."


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Therefore, since the children have flesh and blood, he himself also shared the same things, so that by his death he might destroy the one who has the power of death (that is, the devil)


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thereby becoming like his brothers in every way, so that he could be a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God and could atone for the people's sins.


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Therefore, holy brothers, partners in a heavenly calling, keep your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession.


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because he is worthy of greater glory than Moses in the same way that the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.


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Moses was faithful in all God's household as a servant who was to testify to what would be said later,


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but the Messiah was faithful as the Son in charge of God's household, and we are his household if we hold on to our courage and the hope in which we rejoice.


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do not harden your hearts as they did when they provoked me during the time of testing in the wilderness.


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for 40 years. That is why I was indignant with that generation and said, 'They are always going astray in their hearts, and they have not known my ways.'


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See to it, my brothers, that no evil, unbelieving heart is found in any of you, as shown by your turning away from the living God.


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Instead, continue to encourage one another every day, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin,


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As it is said, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as they did when they provoked me."


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And with whom was he angry for 40 years? Was it not with those who sinned and whose bodies fell dead in the wilderness?


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And to whom did he swear that they would never enter his rest? It was to those who disobeyed him, was it not?


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Therefore, as long as the promise of entering his rest remains valid, let us be afraid! Otherwise, some of you will fail to reach it,


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because we have had the good news told to us as well as to them. But the message they heard did not help them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened to it.


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We who have believed are entering that rest, just as he has said, "So in my anger I swore a solemn oath that they would never enter my rest," even though his actions had been finished since the creation of the world.


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Somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day as follows: "On the seventh day God rested from all his actions,"


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Therefore, since it is still true that some will enter it, and since those who once heard the good news failed to enter it because of their disobedience,


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he again fixes a definite day-"Today"-saying long afterward through David, as already quoted, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."


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because the one who enters God's rest has himself rested from his own actions, just as God did from his.


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Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fail by following their example of disobedience.


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For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul and spirit, joints and marrow, as it judges the thoughts and purposes of the heart.


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No creature can hide from him, but everyone is exposed and helpless before the eyes of the one to whom we must give a word of explanation.


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Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us live our lives consistent with our confession of faith.


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For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. Instead, we have one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet he never sinned.


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So let us keep on coming boldly to the throne of grace, so that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.


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For every high priest selected from among men is appointed to officiate on their behalf in matters relating to God, that is, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.


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He can deal gently with people who are ignorant and easily deceived, since he himself is subject to weakness.


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For that reason he is obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as for those of the people.


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In the same way, the Messiah did not take upon himself the glory of being a high priest. No, it was God who said to him, "You are my Son. Today I have become your Father."


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As a mortal man, he offered up prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his devotion to God.


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We have much to say about this, but it is difficult to explain because you have become too lazy to understand.


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In fact, though by now you should be teachers, you still need someone to teach you the basic truths of God's word. You have become people who need milk instead of solid food.


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For everyone who lives on milk is still a baby and does not yet know the difference between right and wrong.


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But solid food is for mature people, whose minds are trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.


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Therefore, leaving behind the elementary teachings about the Messiah, let us continue to be carried along to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead actions, faith toward God,


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instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.


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For it is impossible to keep on restoring to repentance time and again people who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have become partners with the Holy Spirit,


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and who have fallen away, as long as they continue to crucify the Son of God to their own detriment by exposing him to public ridicule.


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For when the ground soaks up rain that often falls on it and continues producing vegetation useful to those for whom it is cultivated, it receives a blessing from God.


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However, if it continues to produce thorns and thistles, it is worthless and in danger of being cursed, and in the end will be burned.


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Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case, things that point to salvation.


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For God is not so unjust as to forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have ministered to the saints and continue to minister to them.


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But we want each of you to continue to be diligent to the very end, in order to give full assurance to your hope.


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Then, instead of being lazy, you will imitate those who are inheriting the promises through faith and patience.


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For when God made his promise to Abraham, he swore an oath by himself, since he had no one greater to swear by.


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For people swear by someone greater than themselves, and an oath given as confirmation puts an end to all argument.


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In the same way, when God wanted to make the unchangeable character of his purpose perfectly clear to the heirs of his promise, he guaranteed it with an oath,


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so that by these two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to prove false, we who have taken refuge in him might be encouraged to seize the hope set before us.


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where Jesus, our forerunner, has gone on our behalf, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.


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Now this man Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, met Abraham and blessed him when he was returning from defeating the kings.


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Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything. In the first place, his name means "king of righteousness," and then he is also king of Salem, that is, "king of peace."


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He has no father, mother, or genealogy, no birth date recorded for him, nor a date of death. Like the Son of God, he continues to be a priest forever.


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Just look at how great this man was! Even Abraham-the patriarch himself-gave him a tenth of what he had captured!


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The descendants of Levi who accept the priesthood have a commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their own brothers, even though they are also descendants of Abraham.


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But this man, whose descent is not traced from them, collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the man who had received the promises.


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Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood-for on this basis the people received the Law-what further need would there be to speak of appointing another kind of priest according to the order of Melchizedek, not one according to the order of Aaron?


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For the person we are talking about belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar.


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Furthermore, it is obvious that our Lord was a descendant of Judah, and Moses said nothing about priests coming from that tribe.


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who was appointed to be a priest, not on the basis of a genealogical registry, but rather on the power of an indestructible life.


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but Jesus became a priest with an oath when God told him, "The Lord has taken an oath and will not change his mind. You are a priest forever."


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Therefore, because he always lives to intercede for them, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him.


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We need such a high priest-one who is holy, innocent, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.


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He has no need to offer sacrifices every day like high priests do, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he sacrificed himself.


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For the Law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promised oath, which came after the Law, results in a Son who is eternally perfect.


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Now the main point in what we are saying is this: we do have this kind of high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven


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For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore, this high priest had to offer something, too.


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Now if he were on earth, he would not even be a priest, because other men offer the gifts prescribed by the Law.


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They serve in a sanctuary that is a copy, a shadow of the heavenly one. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tent: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain."


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However, Jesus has now obtained a more superior ministry, since the covenant he mediates is founded on better promises.


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but God found something wrong with his people when he said, "Look! The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.


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It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors at the time when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. Because they did not remain loyal to my covenant, I ignored them, declares the Lord.


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For this is the covenant that I will make with the house 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.


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Never again will everyone teach his neighbor or his brother by saying, 'Know the Lord,' because all of them will know me, from the least important to the most important.


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In speaking of a "new" covenant, he has made the first one obsolete, and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.


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For a tent was set up, and in the first part were the lamp stand, the table, and the bread of the Presence. This was called the Holy Place.


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which had the gold altar for incense and the Ark of the Covenant completely covered with gold. In it were the gold jar holding the manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the Tablets of the Covenant.


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Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the place of atonement. (We cannot discuss these things in detail now.)


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When everything had been arranged like this, the priests always went into the first part of the tent to perform their duties.


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But only the high priest went into the second part, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins committed by the people in ignorance.


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The Holy Spirit was indicating by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first part of the tent was still standing.


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This illustration for today indicates that the gifts and sacrifices being offered could not clear the conscience of a worshiper,


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since they deal only with food, drink, and various washings, which are required for the body until the time when things would be set right.


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But when the Messiah came as a high priest of the good things that have come, he went through the greater and more perfect tent that was not made by human hands and that is not a part of this creation.


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Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood he went into the Most Holy Place once for all and secured our eternal redemption.


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For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are unclean purifies them physically,


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how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead actions so that we may serve the living God!


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This is why the Messiah is the mediator of a new covenant; so that those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance promised them, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the offenses committed under the first covenant.


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For a will is in force only when somebody has died, since it never takes effect as long as the one who made it is alive.


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For after every commandment in the Law had been spoken to all the people by Moses, he took the blood of calves and goats, together with some water, scarlet wool, and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people,


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In fact, under the Law almost everything is cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of the blood there is no forgiveness.


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Thus it was necessary for these earthly copies of the things in heaven to be cleansed by these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves are made clean with better sacrifices than these.


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For the Messiah did not go into a sanctuary made by human hands that is merely a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, to appear now in God's presence on our behalf.


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Nor did he go into heaven to sacrifice himself again and again, the way the high priest goes into the Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.


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Then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the creation of the world. But now, at the end of the ages, he has appeared once for all to remove sin by his sacrifice.


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so the Messiah was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people. And he will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly wait for him.


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For the Law, being only a reflection of the blessings to come and not their substance, can never make perfect those who come near by the same sacrifices repeatedly offered year after year.


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Otherwise, would they not have stopped offering them, because the worshipers, cleansed once for all, would no longer be aware of any sins?


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For this reason, the Scriptures say, when the Messiah was about to come into the world: "You did not want sacrifices and offerings, but you prepared a body for me.


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Then I said, 'See, I have come to do your will, O God' In the volume of the scroll this is written about me."


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In this passage he says, "You never wanted or took delight in sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sin offerings," which are offered according to the Law.


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Then he says, "See, I have come to do your will." He takes away the first in order to establish the second.


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By God's will we have been sanctified once and for all through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus, the Messiah.


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Day after day every priest stands and repeatedly offers the same sacrifices that can never take away sins.


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But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, "he sat down at the right hand of God."


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"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts and will write them on their minds,


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let us continue to come near with sincere hearts in the full assurance that faith provides, because our hearts have been sprinkled clean from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.


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Let us continue to hold firmly to the hope that we confess without wavering, for the one who made the promise is faithful.


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not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another even more as you see the day of the Lord coming nearer.


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For if we choose to go on sinning after we have learned the full truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,


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Anyone who violates the Law of Moses dies without mercy "on the testimony of two or three witnesses."


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How much more severe a punishment do you think that person deserves who tramples on God's Son, treats as common the blood of the covenant by which it was sanctified, and insults the Spirit of grace?


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For we know the one who said, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will pay them back," and again, "The Lord will judge his people."


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But you must continue to remember those earlier days, how after you were enlightened you endured a hard and painful struggle.


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At times you were made a public spectacle by means of insults and persecutions, while at other times you associated with people who were treated this way.


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For you sympathized with the prisoners and cheerfully submitted to the violent seizure of your property, because you know that you have a better and more permanent possession.


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For you need endurance, so that after you have done God's will you can receive what he has promised.


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but my righteous one will live by faith, and if he turns back, my soul will take no pleasure in him."


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Now, we do not belong to those who turn back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.


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Now faith is the assurance that what we hope for will come about and the certainty that what we cannot see exists.


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By faith we understand that time was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are invisible.


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By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did, and by faith he was declared to be righteous, since God himself accepted his offerings. And by faith he continues to speak, even though he is dead.


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By faith Enoch was taken away without experiencing death. He could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he won approval as one who pleased God.


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Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently search for him.


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By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, reverently prepared an ark to save his family, and by faith he condemned the world and inherited the righteousness that comes by faith.


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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.


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By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who also inherited the same promise,


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By faith Sarah, even though she was old and barren, received the strength to conceive, because she was convinced that the one who had made the promise was faithful.


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Abraham was as good as dead, yet from this one man came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.


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All these people died having faith. They did not receive the things that were promised, yet they saw them in the distant future and welcomed them, acknowledging that they were strangers and foreigners on earth.


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If they had been thinking about what they had left behind, they would have had an opportunity to go back.


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Instead, they were longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, because he has prepared a city for them.


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By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac-he who had received the promises was about to offer his unique son in sacrifice,


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Abraham was certain that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did get Isaac back in this way.


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By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons "and worshiped while leaning on the top of his staff."


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By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelis and gave them instructions about burying his bones.


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By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after he was born, because they saw that he was a beautiful child and were not afraid of the king's order.


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because he preferred being mistreated with God's people to enjoying the pleasures of sin for a short time.


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He thought that being insulted for the sake of the Messiah was of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.


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By faith he left Egypt, without being afraid of the king's anger, and he persevered because he saw the one who is invisible.


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By faith he established the Passover and the sprinkling of blood to keep the destroyer of the firstborn from touching the people.


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By faith they went through the Red Sea as if it were dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do this, they were drowned.


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By faith Rahab the prostitute did not die with those who were disobedient, because she had welcomed the spies with a greeting of peace.


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And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets.


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Through faith they conquered kingdoms, administered justice, received promises, shut the mouths of lions,


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put out raging fires, escaped death by the sword, found strength in weakness, became powerful in battle, and routed foreign armies.


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Women received their dead raised back to life. Other people were brutally tortured, but refused to be ransomed, so that they might gain a better resurrection.


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They were stoned to death, sawed in half, and killed with swords. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins. They were needy, oppressed, and mistreated.


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The world wasn't worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and from caves to holes in the ground.


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Therefore, having so vast a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, and throwing off everything that hinders us and especially the sin that so easily entangles us, let us keep running with endurance the race set before us,


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fixing our attention on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of the faith, who, in view of the joy set before him, endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.


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Think about the one who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you may not become tired and give up.


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You have forgotten the encouragement that is addressed to you as sons: "My son, do not think lightly of the Lord's discipline or give up when you are corrected by him.


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What you endure disciplines you: God is treating you as sons. Is there a son whom his father does not discipline?


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Now if you are without any discipline, in which all sons share, then you are illegitimate and not God's sons.


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Furthermore, we had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them for it. We should submit even more to the Father of our spirits and live, shouldn't we?


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For a short time they disciplined us as they thought best, but God does it for our good, so that we may share in his holiness.


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No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, for those who have been trained by it, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace.


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and straighten the paths of your life, so that your lameness may not become worse, but instead may be healed.


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See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up and causes you trouble, or many of you will become defiled.


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For you know that afterwards, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected because he could not find any opportunity to repent, even though he begged to repent with tears.


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to a trumpet's blast, or to a voice that made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them.


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For they could not endure the command that was given: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death."


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Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to tens of thousands of angels joyfully gathered together,


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to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to a judge who is the God of all, to the spirits of righteous people who have been made perfect,


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to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better message than Abel's.


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See to it that you do not ignore the one who is speaking. For if the hearers did not escape when they ignored the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we turn away from the one who is from heaven!


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At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also heaven."


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The expression "once more" signifies the removal of what can be shaken, that is, what he has made, so that what cannot be shaken may remain.


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Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful and worship God in reverence and fear in a way that pleases him.


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Stop neglecting to show hospitality to strangers, for by showing hospitality some have had angels as their guests without being aware of it.


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Continue to remember those in prison as if you were in prison with them, as well as those who are mistreated, since they also are only mortal.


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Let marriage be kept honorable in every way, and the marriage bed undefiled. For God will judge those who commit sexual sins, especially those who commit adultery.


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Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for God has said, "I will never leave you or abandon you."


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Hence we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?"


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Remember your leaders, those who have spoken God's word to you. Think about the impact of their lives, and imitate their faith.


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Stop being carried away by all kinds of unusual teachings, for it is good that the heart be strengthened by grace, not by food laws that have never helped those who follow them.


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For the bodies of animals, whose blood is taken into the sanctuary by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp.


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That is why Jesus, in order to sanctify the people by his own blood, also suffered outside the city gate.


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Therefore, through him let us always bring God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that confess his name.


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Continue to obey your leaders and to be submissive to them, for they watch over your souls as those who will have to give a word of explanation. By doing this, you will be letting them carry out their duties joyfully, and not with grief, for that would be harmful for you.


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Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.


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Now may the God of peace, who by the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep,


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equip you with everything good to do his will, accomplishing in us what pleases him through Jesus, the Messiah. To him be glory forever and ever! Amen.


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I urge you, brothers, to listen patiently to my encouraging message, for I have written you a short letter.


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You should know that our brother Timothy has been set free. If he comes soon, he will be with me when I see you.


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From: James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. To: The twelve tribes in the Dispersion. Greetings.


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But you must let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.


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Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to everyone generously without a rebuke, and it will be given to him.


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But he must ask in faith, without any doubts, for the one who has doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.


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For the sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the grass. The flower in it drops off, and its beauty is gone. That is how the rich person will fade away in his pursuits.


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How blessed is the man who endures temptation! When he has passed the test, he will receive the victor's crown of life that God has promised to those who keep on loving him.


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When someone is tempted, he should not say, "I am being tempted by God," because God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.


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When that desire becomes pregnant, it gives birth to sin; and when that sin grows up, it gives birth to death.


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Every generous act of giving and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father who made the heavenly lights, in whom there is no inconsistency or shifting shadow.


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In accordance with his will he made us his children by the word of truth, so that we might become the most important of his creatures.


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You must understand this, my dear brothers. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.


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Therefore, rid yourselves of everything impure and every expression of wickedness, and with a gentle spirit welcome the word planted in you that can save your souls.


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For if anyone hears the word but is not obedient to it, he is like a man who looks at himself in a mirror


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But the one who looks at the perfect law of freedom and remains committed to it-thereby demonstrating that he is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of what that law requires-will be blessed in what he does.


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If anyone thinks that he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, but instead deceives himself, his religion is worthless.


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A religion that is pure and stainless according to God the Father is this: to take care of orphans and widows who are suffering, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.


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My brothers, do not let your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus, the Messiah, be tainted by favoritism.


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Suppose a man wearing gold rings and fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in.


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If you give special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Please take this seat," but you say to the poor man, "Stand over there" or "Sit on the floor at my feet,"


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then you will have made false distinctions among yourselves and will have judged from evil motives, will you not?


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Listen, my dear brothers! God has chosen the poor in the world to become rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who keep on loving him, has he not?


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But you have humiliated the man who is poor. Are not rich people the ones who oppress you and drag you into court?


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Nevertheless, you are doing the right thing if you obey the royal Law in keeping with the Scripture, "You must love your neighbor as yourself."


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For the one who said, "Never commit adultery," also said, "Never murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you become a violator of the Law.


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You must make it your habit to speak and act like people who are going to be judged by the law of liberty.


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What good does it do, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but does not prove it with actions? This kind of faith cannot save him, can it?


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and one of you tells them, "Go in peace! Stay warm and eat heartily." If you do not provide for their bodily needs, what good does it do?


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But someone may say, "You have faith, and I have actions." Show me your faith without any actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions.


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Our ancestor Abraham was justified by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar, wasn't he?


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You see that his faith worked together with what he did, and by his actions his faith was made complete.


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And so the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." And so he was called God's friend.


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Likewise, Rahab the prostitute was justified through actions when she welcomed the messengers and sent them away on a different road, wasn't she?


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Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more severely than others.


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For all of us make many mistakes. If someone does not make any mistakes when he speaks, he is perfect and able to control his whole body.


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Now if we put bits into horses' mouths to make them obey us, we can guide their whole bodies as well.


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And look at ships! They are so big that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are steered by a tiny rudder wherever the helmsman directs.


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In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it can boast of great achievements. A huge forest can be set on fire by a little flame.


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The tongue is a fire, a world of evil. Placed among the parts of our bodies, the tongue contaminates the whole body and sets on fire the course of life, and is itself set on fire by hell.


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My brothers, a fig tree cannot produce olives, nor a grapevine figs, can it? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.


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Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his noble conduct that his actions are done humbly and wisely.


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However, the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, willing to yield, full of compassion and good deeds, and without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.


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Where do those fights and quarrels among you come from? They come from your selfish desires that are at war in your bodies, don't they?


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You want something but do not get it, so you commit murder. You covet something but cannot obtain it, so you quarrel and fight. You do not get things because you do not ask for them!


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You ask for something but do not get it because you ask for it for the wrong reason-for your own pleasure.


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You adulterers! Don't you know that friendship with the world means hostility with God? So whoever wants to be a friend of this world is an enemy of God.


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Or do you think the Scripture means nothing when it says that the Spirit that God caused to live in us jealously yearns for us?


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But he gives all the more grace. And so he says, "God opposes the arrogant but gives grace to the humble."


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Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.


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Do not criticize each other, brothers. Whoever makes it his habit to criticize his brother or to judge his brother is judging the Law and condemning the Law. But if you condemn the Law, you are not a practicer of the Law but its judge.


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There is only one Lawgiver and Judge-the one who can save and destroy. So who are you to judge your neighbor?


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Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town, stay there a year, conduct business, and make money."


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You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.


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your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be used as evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasures in these last days.


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Look! The wages that you kept back from the workers who harvested your fields are shouting out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of the Heavenly Armies.


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You have lived in luxury and pleasure on earth. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter.


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So be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious crop from his land, being patient with it until it receives the fall and the spring rains.


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Do not complain about each other, brothers, or you will be condemned. Look! The Judge is standing at the door!


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As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord.


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We consider those who endured to be blessed. You have heard about Job's endurance and have seen the purpose of the Lord-that the Lord is compassionate and merciful.


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Above all, brothers, do not swear oaths by heaven, by earth, or by any other object. Instead, let your "Yes" mean yes and your "No" mean no! Otherwise, you may fall under condemnation.


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Is anyone among you suffering? He should keep on praying. Is anyone cheerful? He should keep reciting psalms.


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Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.


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And the prayer offered in faith will save the person who is sick. The Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.


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Therefore, make it your habit to confess your sins to one another and to pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.


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Elijah was a person just like us, and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, and rain never came to the land for three years and six months.


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you may be sure that whoever brings a sinner back from his wrong path will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.


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From: Peter, an apostle of Jesus, the Messiah. To: The exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,


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the people chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through the sanctifying action of the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus, the Messiah, and to be sprinkled with his blood. May grace and peace be yours in abundance!


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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah! Because of his great mercy he has granted us a new birth, resulting in an immortal hope through the resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah, from the dead


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Through faith you are being protected by God's power for a salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of this era.


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You greatly rejoice in this, even though you have to suffer various kinds of trial for a little while,


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so that your genuine faith, which is more valuable than gold that perishes when tested by fire, may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus, the Messiah, is revealed.


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Though you have not seen him, you love him. And even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,


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Even the prophets, who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours, carefully researched and investigated this salvation.


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They tried to find out what era or specific time the Spirit of the Messiah in them kept referring to when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow.


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It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you in regard to the things that have now been announced to you by those who brought you the good news through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. These are things that even the angels desire to look into.


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Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep a clear head, and set your hope completely on the grace to be given you when Jesus, the Messiah, is revealed.


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As obedient children, do not be shaped by the desires that used to influence you when you were ignorant.


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If you call "Father" the one who judges everyone impartially according to what they have done, you must live in reverent fear as long as you are strangers in a strange land.


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For you know that it was not with perishable things like silver or gold that you have been ransomed from the worthless way of life handed down to you by your ancestors,


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On the one hand, he was foreknown before the creation of the world, but on the other hand, he was revealed at the end of time for your sake.


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Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.


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Now that you have obeyed the truth and have purified your souls to love your brothers sincerely, you must love one another intensely and with a pure heart.


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For you have been born again, not by a seed that perishes but by one that cannot perish-by the living and everlasting word of God.


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For "All human life is like grass, and all its glory is like a flower in the grass. The grass dries up and the flower drops off,


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Therefore, rid yourselves of every kind of evil and deception, hypocrisy, jealousy, and every kind of slander.


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Like newborn babies, thirst for the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow in your salvation.


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As you come to him, the living stone who was rejected by people but was chosen and precious in God's sight,


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you, too, as living stones, are building yourselves up into a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, so that you may offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus, the Messiah.


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This is why it says in Scripture: "Look! I am laying a chosen, precious cornerstone in Zion. The one who believes in him will never be ashamed."


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Therefore he is precious to you who believe, but to those who do not believe, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,


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a stone they stumble over and a rock they trip on." They keep on stumbling because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.


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But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people to be his very own and to proclaim the wonderful deeds of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.


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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.


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Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and exiles to keep on abstaining from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul.


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Continue to live such upright lives among the gentiles that, when they slander you as practicers of evil, they may see your good actions and glorify God when he visits them.


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Live like free people, and do not use your freedom as an excuse for doing evil. Instead, be God's servants.


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You household servants must submit yourselves to your masters out of respect, not only to those who are kind and fair, but also to those who are unjust.


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For it is a fine thing if, when moved by your conscience to please God, you suffer patiently when wronged.


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What good does it do if, when you sin, you patiently receive punishment for it? But if you suffer for doing good and receive it patiently, you have God's approval.


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This is, in fact, what you were called to do, because: The Messiah also suffered for you and left an example for you to follow in his steps.


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When he was insulted, he did not retaliate. When he suffered, he did not threaten. It was his habit to commit the matter to the one who judges fairly.


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"He himself bore our sins" in his body on the tree, so that we might die to those sins and live righteously. "By his wounds you have been healed."


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You were "like sheep that kept going astray," but now you have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.


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In a similar way, you wives must submit yourselves to your husbands so that, even if some of them refuse to obey the word, they may be won over without a word through your conduct as wives


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Your beauty should not be an external one, consisting of braided hair or the wearing of gold ornaments and dresses.


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Instead, it should be the inner disposition of the heart, consisting in the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which God values greatly.


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After all, this is how holy women who set their hope on God used to make themselves beautiful in the past. They submitted themselves to their husbands,


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just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. You have become her daughters by doing good and by not letting anything terrify you.


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In a similar way, you husbands must live with your wives in an understanding manner, as with a most delicate partner. Honor them as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing may interfere with your prayers.


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Finally, all of you must live in harmony, be sympathetic, love as brothers, and be compassionate and humble.


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Do not pay others back evil for evil or insult for insult. Instead, keep blessing them, because you were called to inherit a blessing.


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"For the person who wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.


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For the Lord watches the righteous, and he pays attention to their prayers. But the Lord opposes those who do wrong."


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But even if you should suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. "Never be afraid of their threats, and never get upset.


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Instead, exalt the Messiah" as Lord in your lives. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you to explain the hope you have.


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But do this gently and respectfully, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak evil of your good conduct in the Messiah will be ashamed of slandering you.


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For the Messiah also suffered for sins once for all, an innocent person for the guilty, so that he could bring you to God. He was put to death in a mortal body but was brought to life by the Spirit,


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who disobeyed long ago in the days of Noah, when God waited patiently while the ark was being built. In it a few, that is, eight persons, were saved by water.


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Baptism, which is symbolized by that water, now saves you also, not by removing dirt from the body, but by asking God for a clear conscience based on the resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah,


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who has gone to heaven and is at the right hand of God, where angels, authorities, and powers have been made subject to him.


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Therefore, since the Messiah suffered in a mortal body, you, too, must arm yourselves with the same determination, because the person who has suffered in a mortal body has stopped sinning,


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so that he can live the rest of his mortal life guided, not by human desires, but by the will of God.


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For you spent enough time in the past doing what the gentiles like to do, living in sensuality, sinful desires, drunkenness, wild celebrations, drinking parties, and detestable idolatry.


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They insult you now because they are surprised that you are no longer joining them in the same excesses of wild living.


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Indeed, this is why the gospel was proclaimed even to those who have died, so that they could be judged in their mortal flesh like all humans and live in the spiritual realm like God.


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As good servant managers of God's grace in its various forms, serve one another with the gift each of you has received.


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Whoever speaks must speak God's words. Whoever serves must serve with the strength that God supplies, so that in every way God may be glorified through Jesus, the Messiah. Glory and power belong to him forever and ever! Amen.


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Dear friends, do not be surprised by the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.


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Instead, because you are participating in the sufferings of the Messiah, keep on rejoicing, so that you may be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed.


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If you are insulted because of the name of the Messiah, you are blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God is resting on you.


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For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. And if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who refuse to obey the gospel of God?


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"If it is hard for the righteous person to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and sinful person?"


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So then, those who suffer according to God's will should entrust their souls to their faithful Creator and continue to do what is good.


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Therefore, as a fellow elder, a witness of the Messiah's sufferings, and one who shares in the glory to be revealed, I appeal to the elders among you:


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Be shepherds of God's flock that is among you, watching over it, not because you must but because you want to, and not greedily but eagerly, as God desires.


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Then, when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the victor's crown of glory that will never fade away.


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In a similar way, you young people must submit to the elders. All of you must clothe yourselves with humility for the sake of each other, because: "God opposes the arrogant, but gives grace to the humble."


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Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you.


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Be clear-minded and alert. Your opponent, the devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.


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Resist him and be firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.


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After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you by the Messiah Jesus to his eternal glory, will restore you, establish you, strengthen you, and support you.


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Through Silvanus, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written this short letter to encourage you and to testify that this is to be the true grace of God in which you are to stand firm!


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Your sister church in Babylon, chosen along with you, sends you greetings, as does Mark, whom I regard as a son.


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From: Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus, the Messiah. To: Those who have received faith that is as valuable as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus the Messiah.


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His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the full knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence.


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Through these he has given us his precious and wonderful promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, seeing that you have escaped the corruption that is in the world caused by evil desires.


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For this very reason, you must make every effort to supplement your faith with moral character, your moral character with knowledge,


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For if you possess these qualities, and if they continue to increase among you, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in attaining a full knowledge of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah.


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For the person who lacks these qualities is blind and shortsighted, and has forgotten the cleansing that he has received from his past sins.


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So then, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election certain, for if you keep on doing this you will never fail.


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For in this way you will be generously granted entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Messiah.


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Therefore, I intend to keep on reminding you about these things, even though you already know them and are firmly established in the truth that you now have.


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because I know that the removal of my bodily tent will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, has shown me.


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When we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, we did not follow any clever myths. Rather, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.


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For he received honor and glory from God the Father when these words from the Majestic Glory were spoken about him: "This is my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with him."


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Therefore we regard the message of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp that is shining in a gloomy place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.


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First of all, you must understand this: No prophecy in Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation,


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because no prophecy ever originated through a human decision. Instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.


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Now there were false prophets among the people, just as there also will be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves.


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In their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. The ancient verdict against them is still in force, and their destruction is not delayed.


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For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but threw them into the lowest hell and imprisoned them in chains of deepest darkness, holding them for judgment;


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and if he did not spare the ancient world but protected Noah, a righteous preacher, along with seven others when he brought the flood on the world of ungodly people;


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and if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and destroyed them by burning them to ashes, making them an example to ungodly people of what is going to happen to them;


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and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man who was greatly distressed by the immoral conduct of lawless people-


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for as long as that righteous man lived among them, day after day he was being tortured in his righteous soul by what he saw and heard in their lawless actions-


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then the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials and to hold unrighteous people for punishment on the day of judgment,


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especially those who satisfy their flesh by indulging in its passions and who despise authority. Being bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to slander glorious beings.


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Yet even angels, although they are greater in strength and power, do not bring a slanderous accusation against them from the Lord.


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These people, like irrational animals, are mere creatures of instinct that are born to be caught and killed. They insult what they don't understand, and like animals they, too, will be destroyed,


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suffering harm as punishment for their wrongdoing. They take pleasure in wild parties in broad daylight. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceitful pleasures while they eat with you.


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With eyes full of adultery, they cannot get enough of sin. They seduce unsteady souls and have had their hearts expertly trained in greed. They are doomed to a curse.


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They have left the straight path and wandered off to follow the path of Bosor's son Balaam, who loved the reward he got for doing wrong.


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But he was rebuked for his offense. A donkey that normally cannot talk spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet's insanity.


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These men are dried-up springs, mere clouds driven by a storm. Gloomy darkness is reserved for them.


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By talking high-sounding nonsense and using sinful cravings of the flesh, they entice people who have just escaped from those who live in error.


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Promising them freedom, they themselves are slaves to depravity, for a person is a slave to whatever conquers him.


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For if, after escaping the world's corruptions through a full knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Messiah, they are again entangled and conquered by those corruptions, then their last condition is worse than their former one.


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It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to know it and turn their backs on the holy commandment that was committed to them.


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The proverb is true that describes what has happened to them: "A dog returns to its vomit," and "A pig that is washed goes back to wallow in the mud."


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Dear friends, this is now the second of two letters I am writing to you, in which I have been trying to stimulate your pure minds by reminding you


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to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the commandment of our Lord and Savior spoken through your apostles.


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First of all you must understand this: In the last days mockers will come and, following their own desires, will ridicule us


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by saying, "What happened to the Messiah's promise to return? Ever since our ancestors died, everything continues as it did from the beginning of creation."


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But they deliberately ignore the fact that long ago the heavens existed and the earth was formed by God's word out of water and with water,


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Now by that same word, the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire and are being kept for the day when ungodly people will be judged and destroyed.


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Don't forget this fact, dear friends: With the Lord a single day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a single day.


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The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some people understand slowness, but is being patient with you. He does not want anyone to perish, but wants everyone to repent.


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But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day the heavens will disappear with a roaring sound, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be exposed.


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Since everything will be destroyed in this way, think of the kind of holy and godly people you ought to be


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as you look forward to and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved and the elements will melt with fire.


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But in keeping with his promise, we are looking forward to new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.


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So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to have the Lord find you at peace and without spot or fault.


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Think of our Lord's patience as facilitating salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him.


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He speaks about this subject in all his letters. Some things in them are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, leading to their own destruction, as they do the rest of the Scriptures.


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And so, dear friends, since you already know these things, continually be on your guard not to be carried away by the deception of lawless people. Otherwise, you may fall from your secure position.


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Instead, continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Messiah. Glory belongs to him both now and on that eternal day! Amen.


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What existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we observed and touched with our own hands-this is the Word of life!


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This life was revealed to us, and we have seen it and testify about it. We declare to you this eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us.


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What we have seen and heard we declare to you so that you, too, can have fellowship with us. Now this fellowship of ours is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus, the Messiah.


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This is the message that we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness-none at all!


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If we claim that we have fellowship with him but keep living in darkness, we are lying and not practicing the truth.


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But if we keep living in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.


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If we say that we do not have any sin, we are deceiving ourselves and we're not being truthful to ourselves.


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If we make it our habit to confess our sins, in his faithful righteousness he forgives us for those sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.


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My little children, I'm writing these things to you so that you might not sin. Yet if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father-Jesus, the Messiah, one who is righteous.


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It is he who is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world's.


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The person who says, "I have come to know him," but does not continually keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth has no place in that person.


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But whoever continually keeps his commandments is the kind of person in whom God's love has truly been perfected. This is how we can be sure that we are in union with God:


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Dear friends, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning. This old commandment is the word you have heard.


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On the other hand, I am writing to you a new commandment that is truly in him and in you. For the darkness is fading away, and the true light is already shining.


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But the person who hates his brother is in the darkness and lives in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.


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I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known the one who has existed from the beginning. I am writing to you, young people, because you have overcome the evil one.


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I have written to you, little children, because you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have known the one who has existed from the beginning. I have written to you, young people, because you are strong and because God's word remains in you and you have overcome the evil one.


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Stop loving the world and the things that are in the world. If anyone persists in loving the world, the Father's love is not in him.


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For everything that is in the world-the desire for fleshly gratification, the desire for possessions, and worldly arrogance-is not from the Father but is from the world.


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Little children, it is the last hour. Just as you heard that an antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour.


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They left us, but they were not part of us, for if they had been part of us, they would have stayed with us. Their leaving made it clear that none of them was really part of us.


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I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because lies don't come from truth.


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Who is a liar but the person who denies that Jesus is the Messiah? The person who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist.


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What you have heard from the beginning must abide in you. If what you have heard from the beginning abides in you, you will also abide in the Son and in the Father.


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The anointing you received from God abides in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you this. Instead, because God's anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not a lie, abide in him, as he taught you to do.


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Even now, little children, abide in him. Then, when he appears, we will have confidence and will not turn away from him in shame when he comes.


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Since you know that he is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been fathered by God.


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See what kind of love the Father has given us: We are called God's children-and that is what we are! For this reason the world does not recognize us, because it did not recognize him, either.


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Dear friends, we are now God's children, but what we will be like has not been revealed yet. We know that when the Messiah is revealed, we will be like him, because we will see him as he is.


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No one who remains in union with him keeps on sinning. The one who keeps on sinning hasn't seen him or known him.


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Little children, don't let anyone deceive you. The person who practices righteousness is righteous, just as the Messiah is righteous.


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The person who practices sin belongs to the evil one, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason that the Son of God was revealed was to destroy what the devil has been doing.


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No one who has been born from God practices sin, because God's seed abides in him. Indeed, he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born from God.


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This is how God's children and the devil's children are distinguished. No person who fails to practice righteousness and to love his brother is from God.


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Do not be like Cain, who was from the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because what he was doing was evil and his brother's actions were righteous.


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We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love one another. The person who does not love remains spiritually dead.


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Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life present in him.


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This is how we have come to know love: the Messiah gave his life for us. We, too, ought to give our lives for our brothers.


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Whoever has earthly possessions and notices a brother in need and yet withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God be present in him?


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Little children, we must stop expressing love merely by our words and manner of speech; we must love also in action and in truth.


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This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and how we will be able to keep ourselves strong in his presence.


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And this is his commandment: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus the Messiah, and to love one another as he commanded us.


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The person who keeps his commandments abides in God, and God abides in him. This is how we can be sure that he remains in us: he has given us his Spirit.


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Dear friends, stop believing every spirit. Instead, test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.


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This is how you can recognize God's Spirit: Every spirit who acknowledges that Jesus the Messiah has become human-and remains so-is from God.


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But every spirit who does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist. You have heard that he is coming, and now he is already in the world.


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Little children, you belong to God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.


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These people belong to the world. That is why they speak from the world's perspective, and the world listens to them.


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We belong to God. The person who knows God listens to us. Whoever does not belong to God does not listen to us. This is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.


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Dear friends, let us continually love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born from God and knows God.


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This is how God's love was revealed among us: God sent his unique Son into the world so that we might live through him.


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This is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.


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We have seen for ourselves and can testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.


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We have come to know and rely on the love that God has for us. God is love, and the person who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.


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This is how love has been perfected among us: we will have confidence on the day of judgment because, during our time in this world, we are just like him.


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There is no fear where love exists. Rather, perfect love banishes fear, for fear involves punishment, and the person who lives in fear has not been perfected in love.


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Whoever says, "I love God," but hates his brother is a liar. The one who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love the God whom he has not seen.


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And this is the commandment that we have from him: the person who loves God must also love his brother.


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Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah has been born from God, and everyone who loves the parent also loves the child.


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For this demonstrates our love for God: We keep his commandments, and his commandments are not difficult,


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because everyone who is born from God has overcome the world. Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world.


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This man, Jesus the Messiah, is the one who came by water and blood-not with water only, but with water and with blood. The Spirit is the one who verifies this, because the Spirit is the truth.


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If we accept human testimony, God's testimony is greater, because it is the testimony of God and because he has testified about his Son.


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The person who believes in the Son of God believes this testimony personally. The person who does not believe God has made him a liar by not believing the testimony that he has given about his Son.


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The person who has the Son has this life. The person who does not have the Son of God does not have this life.


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I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.


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And this is the confidence that we have in him: if we ask for anything according to his will, he listens to us.


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If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray that God would give him life. This applies to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not telling you to pray about that.


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We know that the person who has been born from God does not go on sinning. Rather, the Son of God protects them, and the evil one cannot harm them.


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We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true God. We are in union with the one who is true, his Son Jesus the Messiah, who is the true God and eternal life.


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From: The Elder, To: The chosen lady and her children, whom I genuinely love, and not only I but also all who know the truth,


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Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus the Messiah, the Father's Son, in truth and love.


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I was overjoyed to find some of your children living truthfully, just as the Father has commanded us.


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Dear lady, I am now requesting of you that we all continue to love one another. It is not as though I am writing to give you a new commandment, but one that we have had from the beginning.


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And this is what demonstrates love: that we live according to God's commandments. Just as you have heard from the beginning what he commanded, you must live by it.


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For many deceivers have gone out into the world. They refuse to acknowledge Jesus the Messiah as having become human. Any such person is a deceiver and an antichrist.


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Everyone who does not remain true to the teaching of the Messiah, but goes beyond it, does not have God. The person who remains true to the teaching of the Messiah has both the Father and the Son.


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If anyone comes to you but does not present his teachings, do not receive him into your house or even welcome him,


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Although I have a great deal to write to you, I would prefer not to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.


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Dear friend, I pray that you are doing well in every way and that you are healthy, just as your soul is healthy.


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I was overjoyed when some brothers arrived and testified about your truthfulness and how you live according to the truth.


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Dear friend, you are faithful in whatever you do for the brothers, especially when they are strangers.


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They have testified before the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.


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I wrote a letter to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be in charge, will not recognize our authority.


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For this reason, when I come I will call attention to what he is doing in spreading false charges against us. And not content with that, he refuses to receive the brothers. He even tries to stop those who want to accept them and throws them out of the church.


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Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The person who does what is good is from God. The person who does what is evil has never seen God.


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Demetrius has received a good report from everyone, including the truth itself. We, too, can testify to this report, and you know that our testimony is true.


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Instead, I hope to see you soon and speak face to face. May peace be with you! Your friends greet you. Greet each of our friends by name.


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This is the revelation of Jesus the Messiah, which God gave him to show his servants the things that must happen soon. He made it known by sending his messenger to his servant John,


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How blessed is the one who reads aloud and those who hear the words of this prophecy and obey what is written in it, for the time is near!


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From John to the seven churches in Asia. May grace and peace be yours from the one who is, who was, and who is coming, from the seven spirits who are in front of his throne,


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and from Jesus the Messiah, the witness, the faithful one, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood


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and has made us a kingdom, priests for his God and Father, be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.


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Look! He is coming in the clouds. Every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him. So be it! Amen.


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"I am the Alpha and the Omega," declares the Lord God, "the one who is, who was, and who is coming, the Almighty."


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I am John, your brother and partner in the oppression, kingdom, and patience that comes because of Jesus. I was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony about Jesus.


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I came to be in the Spirit on the Day of the Lord, when I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet,


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saying, "Write on a scroll what you see, and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea."


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Among the lamp stands there was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash around his chest.


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His head and his hair were white like wool, in fact, as white as snow. His eyes were like flames of fire,


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his feet were like glowing bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of raging waters.


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In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword. His face was like the sun when it shines with full force.


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When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. But he placed his right hand on me and said, "Stop being afraid! I am the first and the last,


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the living one. I was dead, but look-I am alive forever and ever! I have the keys of Death and Hades.


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The secret meaning of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lamp stands is this: the seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lamp stands are the seven churches."


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"To the messenger of the church in Ephesus, write: 'The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lamp stands, says this:


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'I know what you've been doing, your toil, and your endurance. I also know that you cannot tolerate evil people. You have tested those who call themselves apostles, but are not, and have found them to be false.


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Therefore, remember how far you have fallen. Repent and go back to what you were doing at first. If you don't, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place-unless you repent.


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'Let everyone listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To everyone who conquers I will give the privilege of eating from the tree of life that is in God's paradise.'"


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"To the messenger of the church in Smyrna, write: 'The first and the last, who was dead and became alive, says this:


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'I know your suffering and your poverty-though you are rich-and the slander committed by those who claim to be Jews but are not. They are the synagogue of Satan.


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Don't be afraid of what you are going to suffer. Look! The devil is going to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested. For ten days you will undergo suffering. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the victor's crown of life.


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'Let everyone listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will never be hurt by the second death.'"


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"To the messenger of the church in Pergamum, write: 'The one who holds the sharp, two-edged sword, says this:


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'I know where you live. Satan's throne is there. Yet you hold on to my name and have not denied your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was killed in your presence, where Satan lives.


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But I have a few things against you: You have there some who hold to the teaching of Balaam, the one who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel so that they would eat food sacrificed to idols and practice immorality.


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So repent. If you don't, I will come to you quickly and wage war against them with the sword of my mouth.


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'Let everyone listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone. On the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the person who receives it.'"


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"To the messenger of the church in Thyatira, write: 'The Son of God, whose eyes are like flaming fire and whose feet are like glowing bronze, says this:


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'I know what you've been doing-your love, faithfulness, service, and endurance-and that your last actions are greater than the first.


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But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet and who teaches and leads my servants to practice immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.


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Look! I am going to strike her with illness. Those who commit adultery with her will also suffer greatly, unless they repent from acting like her.


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I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will reward each of you as your actions deserve.


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'But as for the rest of you in Thyatira-you who do not hold to this teaching and who have not learned what some people call the deep things of Satan-I won't burden you with anything else.


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To the person who conquers and continues to do what I've commanded to the end, I will give authority over the nations.


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"To the messenger of the church in Sardis, write: 'The one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says this: 'I know what you've been doing. You are known for being alive, but you are dead.


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Be alert, and strengthen the things that are left, which are about to die. I note that your actions are incomplete before my God.


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So remember what you received and heard. Obey it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you won't know the time when I will come to you.


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But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me in white clothes because they are worthy.


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The person who conquers in this way will wear white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the Book of Life. I will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and his angels.


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"To the messenger of the church in Philadelphia, write: 'The one who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens a door that no one can shut, and who shuts a door that no one can open, 'says this:


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'I know what you've been doing. Look! I have put in front of you an open door that no one can shut. You have only a little strength, but you have obeyed my word and have not denied my name.


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I will make those who belong to the synagogue of Satan-those who claim to be Jews and aren't, but are lying-come and bow down at your feet. Then they will realize that I have loved you.


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Because you have obeyed my command to endure, I will keep you from the hour of testing that is coming to the whole world to test those living on the earth.


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I will make the one who conquers to become a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, and he will never go out of it again. I will write on him the name of my God, the name of the city of my God (the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God), and my own new name.


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"To the messenger of the church in Laodicea, write: 'The Amen, the witness who is faithful and true, the originator of God's creation, says this:


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You say, "I am rich. I have become wealthy. I don't need anything." Yet you don't realize that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.


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Therefore, I advise you to buy from me gold purified in fire so you may be rich, white clothes to wear so your shameful nakedness won't show, and ointment to put on your eyes so you may see.


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Look! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eat with me.


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To the one who conquers I will give a place to sit with me on my throne, just as I have conquered and have sat down with my Father on his throne.


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After these things I saw a door standing open in heaven. The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this."


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The person sitting there looked like jasper and carnelian, and there was a rainbow around the throne that looked like an emerald.


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Around the throne were 24 other thrones, and on these thrones sat 24 elders wearing white robes and gold victor's crowns on their heads.


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Flashes of lightning, noises, and peals of thunder came from the throne. Burning in front of the throne were seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God.


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In front of the throne was something like a sea of glass as clear as crystal. In the center of the throne and on each side of the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.


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The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature was like an ox, the third living creature had a face like a human, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.


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Each of the four living creatures had six wings and were full of eyes inside and out. Without stopping day or night they were saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, who is, and who is coming."


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Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,


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the 24 elders bow down and worship in front of the one who sits on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever. They throw their victor's crowns in front of the throne and say,


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"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory, honor, and power, because you created all things; they came into existence and were created because of your will."


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Then I saw in the right hand of the one who sits on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the outside, sealed with seven seals.


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I also saw a powerful angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?"


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"Stop crying," one of the elders told me. "Look! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered. He can open the scroll and its seven seals."


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Then I saw a lamb standing in the middle of the throne, the four living creatures, and the elders. He looked like he had been slaughtered. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth.


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When the lamb had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders bowed down in front of him. Each held a harp and a gold bowl full of incense, the prayers of the saints.


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They sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slaughtered. With your blood you purchased people for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation.


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Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels, the living creatures, and the elders surrounding the throne. They numbered 10,000's times 10,000 and thousands times thousands.


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They sang with a loud voice, "Worthy is the lamb who was slaughtered to receive power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise!"


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I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and on the sea, and everything that is in them, saying, "To the one who sits on the throne and to the lamb be praise, honor, glory, and power forever and ever!"


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Then I saw the lamb open the first of the seven seals. I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, "Go!"


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Then I looked, and there was a white horse! Its rider had a bow, and a victor's crown had been given to him. He went out as a conqueror to conquer.


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A second horse went out. It was fiery red, and its rider was given permission to take peace away from the earth and to make people slaughter one another. So he was given a large sword.


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When the lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Go!" I looked, and there was a black horse! Its rider held a scale in his hand.


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I heard what sounded like a voice from among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, or three quarts of barley for a denarius. But don't damage the olive oil or the wine!"


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I looked, and there was a pale green horse! Its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. They were given authority over one-fourth of the earth to kill people using wars, famines, plagues, and the wild animals of the earth.


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When the lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God and the testimony they had given.


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They cried out in a loud voice, "Holy and true Sovereign, how long will it be before you judge and take revenge on those living on the earth who shed our blood?"


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Each of them was given a white robe. They were told to rest a little longer until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers was completed, who would be killed as they themselves had been.


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Then I saw the lamb open the sixth seal. There was a powerful earthquake. The sun turned as black as sackcloth made of hair, and the full moon turned as red as blood.


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The stars in the sky fell to the earth like a fig tree drops its fruit when it is shaken by a strong wind.


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The sky vanished like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place.


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Then the kings of the earth, the important people, the generals, the rich, the powerful, and all the slaves and free people concealed themselves in caves and among the rocks in the mountains.


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They told the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb.


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After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth. They were holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on the land, on the sea, or on any tree.


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I saw another angel coming from the east having the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been permitted to harm the land and sea,


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"Don't harm the land, the sea, or the trees until we have marked the servants of our God with a seal on their foreheads."


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I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000. Those who were sealed were from every tribe of Israel:


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12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad,


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12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,


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12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, and 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.


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After these things I looked, and there was a crowd so large that no one was able to count it! They were from every nation, tribe, people, and language. They were standing in front of the throne and the lamb and were wearing white robes, with palm branches in their hands.


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They cried out in a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the lamb!"


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All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell on their faces in front of the throne and worshiped God,


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saying, "Amen! Praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power, and strength be to our God forever and ever! Amen!"


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"Who are these people wearing white robes," one of the elders asked me, "and where did they come from?"


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I told him, "Sir, you know." Then he told me, "These are the people who are coming out of the terrible suffering. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.


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That is why: "They are in front of the throne of God and worship him night and day in his Temple. The one who sits on the throne will shelter them.


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They will never be hungry or thirsty again. Neither the sun nor its heat will ever beat down on them,


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because the lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. He will lead them to springs filled with the water of life, and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."


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Another angel came with a gold censer and stood at the altar. He was given a large quantity of incense to offer on the gold altar before the throne, along with the prayers of all the saints.


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The angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it on the earth. Then there were peals of thunder, noises, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.


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When the first angel blew his trumpet, hail and fire were mixed with blood and thrown on the earth. One-third of the earth was burned up, one-third of the trees was burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.


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When the second angel blew his trumpet, something like a huge mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea. One-third of the sea turned into blood,


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one-third of the creatures that were living in the sea died, and one-third of the ships was destroyed.


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When the third angel blew his trumpet, a huge star blazing like a torch fell from heaven. It fell on one-third of the rivers and on the springs of water.


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The name of the star is Wormwood. One-third of the water turned into wormwood, and many people died from the water because it had turned bitter.


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When the fourth angel blew his trumpet, one-third of the sun, one-third of the moon, and one-third of the stars were struck so that one-third of them turned dark. One-third of the day was kept from having light, as was the night.


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Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying overhead say in a loud voice, "How terrible, how terrible, how terrible for those living on the earth, because of the blasts of the remaining trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!"


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When the fifth angel blew his trumpet, I saw a star that had fallen to earth from the sky. The star was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit.


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It opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and smoke came out of the shaft like the smoke from a large furnace. The sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft.


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Locusts came out of the smoke onto the earth, and they were given power like that of earthly scorpions.


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They were told not to harm the grass on the earth, any green plant, or any tree. They could harm only the people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.


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They were not allowed to kill them, but were only allowed to torture them for five months. Their torture was like the pain of a scorpion when it stings someone.


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In those days people will seek death, but never find it. They will long to die, but death will escape them.


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The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were victor's crowns that looked like gold, and their faces were like human faces.


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They had breastplates like iron, and the noise of their wings was like the roar of chariots with many horses rushing into battle.


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They had tails and stingers like scorpions, and they had the power to hurt people with their tails for five months.


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They had the angel of the bottomless pit ruling over them as king. In Hebrew he is called Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.


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When the sixth angel blew his trumpet, I heard a voice from the four horns of the gold altar in front of God.


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It told the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are held at the great Euphrates River."


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So the four angels who were ready for that hour, day, month, and year were released to kill one-third of humanity.


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This was how I saw the horses in my vision: The riders wore breastplates that had the color of fire, sapphire, and sulfur. The heads of the horses were like lions' heads, and fire, smoke, and sulfur came out of their mouths.


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By these three plagues-the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur that came out of their mouths-one-third of humanity was killed.


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For the power of these horses is in their mouths and their tails. Their tails have heads like snakes, which they use to inflict pain.


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The rest of the people who survived these plagues did not repent from their evil actions or stop worshiping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see, hear, or walk.


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Then I saw another powerful angel come down from heaven. He was dressed in a cloud, and there was a rainbow over his head. His face was like the sun, and his legs were like columns of fire.


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He held a small, opened scroll in his hand. Setting his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,


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he shouted in a loud voice as a lion roars. When he shouted, the seven thunders spoke with voices of their own.


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When the seven thunders spoke, I was going to write, but I heard a voice from heaven say, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and don't write it down."


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He swore an oath by the one who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and everything in it, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it: "There will be no more delay.


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When the time approaches for the seventh angel to blow his trumpet, God's secret plan will be fulfilled, as he had announced to his servants, the prophets."


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Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, "Go and take the opened scroll from the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land."


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So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the small scroll. "Take it and eat it," he told me. "It will turn bitter in your stomach, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth."


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So I took the small scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, it turned bitter in my stomach.


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Then the seven thunders told me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings."


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Then I was given a stick like a measuring rod. I was told, "Stand up and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count those who worship there.


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But don't measure the courtyard outside the Temple. Leave that out, because it is given to the nations, and they will trample the Holy City for 42 months.


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These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands standing in the presence of the Lord of the earth.


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And if anyone should want to hurt them, fire comes out of their mouths and burns up their enemies. If anyone wants to hurt them, he must be killed in this manner.


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These witnesses have authority to close the heavens in order to keep rain from falling while they are prophesying. They also have authority to turn bodies of water into blood and to strike the earth with any plague, as often as they desire.


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When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the bottomless pit will wage war against them, conquer them, and kill them.


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Their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.


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For three and a half days some members of the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will look at their dead bodies and will not allow them to be placed in a tomb.


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Those living on earth will gloat over them, celebrate, and send gifts to each other, because these two prophets had tormented those living on earth.


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But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet. Those who watched them were terrified.


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Then the witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven calling to them, "Come up here!" So they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them.


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At that moment a powerful earthquake struck. One-tenth of the city collapsed, 7,000 people were killed by the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.


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When the seventh angel blew his trumpet, there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The world's kingdom has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will rule forever and ever."


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Then the twenty-four elders who were sitting on their thrones in God's presence fell on their faces and worshiped God.


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They said, "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to rule.


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The nations were angry, but the time for your wrath has come. It is time for the dead to be judged-to reward your servants, the prophets, the saints, and all who fear your name, both unimportant and important, and to destroy those who destroy the earth."


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Then the Temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen inside his Temple. There were flashes of lightning, noises, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.


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A spectacular sign appeared in the sky: a woman dressed with the sun, who had the moon under her feet and a victor's crown of twelve stars on her head.


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Then another sign appeared in the sky: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on its heads.


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Its tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky and knocked them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth so that it could devour her child when it was born.


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She gave birth to a son, a boy, who is to rule all the nations with an iron scepter. But her child was snatched away and taken to God and to his throne.


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Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where a place had been prepared for her by God so that she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.


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Then a war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels fought back.


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The huge dragon was hurled down. That ancient serpent, called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world, was hurled down to the earth, along with its angels.


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Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say, "Now the salvation, the power, the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah have come. For the one who accuses our brothers, who accuses them day and night in the presence of our God, has been thrown out.


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Our brothers conquered him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not cling to their lives even in the face of death.


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So be glad, heavens, and those who live in them! How terrible it is for the earth and the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, filled with rage, knowing that his time is short!"


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When the dragon saw that it had been thrown down to the earth, it pursued the woman who had given birth to the boy.


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However, the woman was given the two wings of a large eagle so that she could fly away from the serpent to her place in the wilderness, where she could be taken care of for a time, times, and half a time.


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From its mouth the serpent spewed water like a river behind the woman in order to sweep her away with the flood.


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But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed from its mouth.


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The dragon became angry with the woman and went away to do battle against the rest of her children, the ones who keep God's commandments and hold on to the testimony about Jesus.


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I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns, seven heads, and ten royal crowns on its horns. On its heads were blasphemous names.


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The beast that I saw was like a leopard. Its feet were like bear's feet, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. The dragon gave it his power, his throne, and complete authority.


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One of the beast's heads looked like it had sustained a mortal wound, but its fatal wound was healed. Rapt with amazement, the whole world followed the beast


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They worshiped the dragon because it had given authority to the beast. They also worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who can fight a war with it?"


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The beast was allowed to speak arrogant and blasphemous things, and it was given authority for 42 months.


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It uttered blasphemies against God, against his name, and against his residence, that is, against those who are living in heaven.


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It was allowed to wage war against the saints and to conquer them. It was also given authority over every tribe, people, languages, and nation.


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All those living on earth will worship it, everyone whose name is not written in the Book of Life belonging to the lamb that was slaughtered from the foundation of the world.


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If anyone is to be taken captive, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with a sword, with a sword he will be killed.


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I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it talked like a dragon.


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It uses all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and it makes the earth and those living on it worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.


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It deceives those living on earth with the signs that it is allowed to do on behalf of the first beast, telling them to make an image for the beast who was wounded by a sword and yet lived.


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The second beast was allowed to impart life to the image of the first beast so that the image of the beast could talk and order the execution of those who would not worship the image of the beast.


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The second beast forces all people-important and unimportant, rich and poor, free and slaves-to be marked on their right hands or on their foreheads,


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so that no one may buy or sell unless he has the mark, which is the beast's name or the number of its name.


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In this case wisdom is needed: Let the person who has understanding calculate the total number of the beast, because it is a human total number, and the sum of the number is 666.


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Then I looked, and there was the lamb, standing on Mount Zion! With him were 144,000 people who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.


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Then I heard a sound from heaven like that of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The sound I heard was like harpists playing on their harps.


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They were singing a new song in front of the throne, the four living creatures, and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.


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They have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins, and they follow the lamb wherever he goes. They have been redeemed from among humanity as the first fruits for God and the lamb.


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Then I saw another angel flying overhead with the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on earth-to every nation, tribe, language, and people.


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He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the time for him to judge has arrived. Worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water."


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Then another angel, a second one, followed him, saying, "Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has made all nations drink the wine, the wrath earned for her sexual sins."


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Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying in a loud voice, "Whoever worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or his hand


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will drink the wine of God's wrath, which has been poured undiluted into the cup of his anger. He will be tortured with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the lamb.


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The smoke from their torture goes up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image or for anyone who receives the mark of its name."


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Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, who keep the commandments of God and hold fast to their faithfulness in Jesus:


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I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write this: How blessed are the dead, that is, those who die in the Lord from now on!" "Yes," says the Spirit. "Let them rest from their labors, for their actions follow them."


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Then I looked, and there was a white cloud! On the cloud sat someone who was like the Son of Man, with a gold victor's crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.


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Another angel came out of the Temple, crying out in a loud voice to the one who sat on the cloud, "Swing your sickle, and gather the harvest, for the hour has come to gather it, because the harvest of the earth is fully ripe."


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From the altar came another angel who had authority over fire. He called out in a loud voice to the angel who had the sharp sickle, "Swing your sharp sickle, and gather the bunches of grapes from the vine of the earth, because those grapes are ripe."


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So the angel swung his sickle in the earth, gathered the grapes from the earth, and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath.


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The wine press was trampled outside the city, and blood flowed from the wine press as high as a horse's bridle for about 183 miles.


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I saw another sign in heaven. It was both spectacular and amazing. There were seven angels with the seven last plagues, with which God's wrath is completed.


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Then I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire. Those who had conquered the beast, its image, and the number of its name were standing on the sea of glass holding God's harps in their hands.


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They sang the song of God's servant Moses and the song of the lamb: "Your deeds are both spectacular and amazing, Lord God Almighty. Your ways are just and true, King of the nations.


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Lord, who won't fear and praise your name? For you alone are holy, and all the nations will come and worship you because your judgments have been revealed."


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The seven angels with the seven plagues came out of the Temple wearing clean, shining linen with gold sashes around their chests.


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One of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven gold bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever.


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The Temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and his power, and no one could enter the Temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels came to an end.


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Then I heard a loud voice from the Temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth."


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So the first angel went and poured his bowl on the earth. A horrible, painful sore appeared on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped the image.


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The second angel poured his bowl into the sea. It became like the blood of a dead body, and every living thing in the sea died.


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The third angel poured his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood.


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Then I heard the angel in charge of the water say, "You are just. You are the one who is and who was, the Holy One, because you have judged these things.


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You have given them blood to drink because they spilled the blood of saints and prophets. This is what they deserve."


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and they were burned by the fierce heat. They cursed the name of God, who has the authority over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.


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The fifth angel poured his bowl on the throne of the beast. Its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed on their tongues in anguish


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and cursed the God of heaven because of their pain-filled sores. But they did not repent of their behavior.


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The sixth angel poured his bowl on the great Euphrates River. Its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the east.


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Then I saw three disgusting spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.


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They are demonic spirits that perform signs. They go to the kings of the whole earth and gather them for the war of the great Day of God Almighty.


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"See, I am coming like a thief. How blessed is the person who remains alert and keeps his clothes on! He won't have to go naked and let others see his shame."


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The seventh angel threw the contents of his bowl across the sky. A loud voice came from the throne in the Temple and said, "It has happened!"


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There were flashes of lightning, noises, peals of thunder, and a powerful earthquake. There has never been such a powerful earthquake since people have been on the earth.


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The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. God remembered to give Babylon the Great the cup of wine filled with the fury of his wrath.


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Huge hailstones, each weighing about 100 pounds, fell from the sky on people, who cursed God because the plague of hail was so terrible.


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Then one of the seven angels who held the seven bowls came and told me, "Come, I will show you how the notorious prostitute who sits on many waters will be judged.


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The kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and those living on earth became drunk with the wine of her immorality."


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Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was controlled by blasphemy. It had seven heads and ten horns.


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The woman wore purple and scarlet clothes and was adorned with gold, gems, and pearls. In her hand she was holding a gold cup filled with detestable things and the impurities of her immorality.


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On her forehead was written a secret name: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND DETESTABLE THINGS OF THE EARTH


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I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of the witnesses to Jesus. I was very surprised when I saw her.


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"Why are you surprised?" The angel asked me. "I will tell you the secret of the woman and the beast with the seven heads and the ten horns that carries her.


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The beast that you saw existed once, but is no longer, and is going to crawl out of the bottomless pit and then proceed to its destruction. Those living on earth, whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, will be surprised when they see the beast because it was, is no longer, and will come again.


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This calls for a mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is sitting. They are also seven kings.


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Five of them have fallen, one is living, and the other has not yet come. When he comes, he must remain in power for a little while.


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The beast that was and is no longer is the eighth king, but it belongs with the seven kings and goes to its destruction.


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The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom. They will receive authority to rule as kings with the beast for one hour.


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They will wage war against the lamb, but the lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those who are called, chosen, and faithful are with him."


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The angel also told me, "The bodies of water you saw, on which the prostitute is sitting, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.


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The ten horns and the beast you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her abandoned and naked. They will eat her flesh and burn her up with fire,


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for God has placed within them a desire to carry out his purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast until God's words are fulfilled.


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After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was made bright by his splendor.


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He cried out in a powerful voice, "Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a prison for every unclean spirit, a prison for every unclean bird, and a prison for every unclean and hated beast.


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For all the nations have drunk from the wine of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her. The world's businesses have become rich from her luxurious excesses."


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Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, so that you don't participate in her sins and also suffer from her diseases.


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Do to her as she herself has done, and give her double for her deeds. Mix a double drink for her in the cup she mixed.


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Just as she glorified herself and lived in luxury, inflict on her just as much torture and misery. In her heart she says, 'I am a queen on a throne, not a widow. I will never see misery.'


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For this reason, her diseases that result in death, misery, and famine will come in a single day. She will be burned up in a fire, because powerful is the Lord God who judges her."


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The kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality with her and lived in luxury with her, will cry and mourn over her when they see the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her.


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Frightened by the torture that she experiences, they will stand far away and cry out, "How terrible, how terrible it is for that great city, the powerful city Babylon, because your judgment arrived in a single hour!"


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cargo of gold, silver, gems, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all articles made of ivory, all articles made of very costly wood, bronze, iron, marble,


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cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots, and slaves (that is, human souls)-


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"The fruit that you crafted has abandoned you. All your dainties and your splendor are lost, and no one will ever find them again."


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Frightened by the severity of her punishment, businesses that had become rich because of her will stand at a distance, crying and mourning:


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"How terrible, how terrible it is for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet and was adorned with gold, gems, and pearls,


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because all this wealth has been destroyed in a single hour!" Every ship's captain, everyone who traveled by ship, sailors, and everyone who made a living from the sea stood far away.


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When they saw the smoke rising from the fire that consumed her, they began to cry out, "What city was like that great city?"


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Then they threw dust on their heads and shouted while crying and mourning: "How terrible, how terrible it is for the great city, where all who had ships at sea became rich from her wealth, because it has been destroyed in a single hour!


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Then a powerful angel picked up a stone that was like a large millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "The great city Babylon will be thrown down violently-and will never be found again.


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The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters will never be heard within you again. No artisan of any trade will ever be found within you again. The sound of a millstone will never be heard within you again.


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The light from a lamp will never shine within you again. The voice of a bridegroom and bride will never be heard within you again. For your merchants were the important people of the world, and all the nations were deceived by your witchcraft.


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After these things I heard what sounded like the loud voice of a large crowd in heaven, saying, "Hallelujah! Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God.


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His judgments are true and just. He has condemned the notorious prostitute who corrupted the world with her immorality. He has taken revenge on her for the blood of his servants."


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The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures bowed down and worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They said, "Amen! Hallelujah!"


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A voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all who serve and fear him, from the least important to the most important."


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Then I heard what sounded like the voice of a large crowd, like the sound of raging waters, and like the sound of powerful thunderclaps, saying, "Hallelujah! The Lord our God, the Almighty, is reigning.


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Let us rejoice, be glad, and give him glory, because the marriage of the lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready.


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She has been given the privilege of wearing fine linen, dazzling and pure." (The fine linen represents the righteous deeds of the saints.)


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Then the angel told me, "Write this: 'How blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb!'" He also told me, "These are the true words of God."


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I bowed down at his feet to worship him, but he told me, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who rely on what Jesus is saying. Worship God, because what Jesus is saying is the spirit of prophecy!"


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Then I saw heaven standing open, and there was a white horse! Its rider is named Faithful and True. He administers justice and wages war righteously.


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His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many royal crowns. He has a name written on him that nobody knows except himself.


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A sharp sword comes out of his mouth to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod and tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.


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Then I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, "Come! Gather for the great supper of God.


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Eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of warriors, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, both free and slaves, both unimportant and important."


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Then I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army.


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The beast was captured, along with the false prophet who had performed signs on its behalf. By these signs the false prophet had deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.


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The rest were killed by the sword that belonged to the rider on the horse and that came from his mouth, and all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh.


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Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key to the bottomless pit, with a large chain in his hand.


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He captured the dragon, that ancient serpent, also known as the devil and Satan, and tied him up for a thousand years.


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He threw him into the bottomless pit, locked it, and sealed it over him to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were over. After that he must be set free for a little while.


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Then I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given authority to judge. I also 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 worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. They came back to life and ruled with the Messiah for a thousand years.


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The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years were over. This is the first resurrection.


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How blessed and holy are those who participate in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them. They will be priests of God and the Messiah, and will rule with him for a thousand years.


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He will go out to deceive Gog and Magog, the nations at the four corners of the earth, and gather them for war. They are as numerous as the sands of the seashore.


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They marched over the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Fire came from God out of heaven and burned them up,


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and the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were. They will be tortured day and night forever and ever.


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Then I saw a large, white throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and no place was found for them.


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I saw the dead, both unimportant and important, standing in front of the throne, and books were open. Another book was opened-the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to their actions, as recorded in the books.


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The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to their actions.


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Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared, and the sea was gone.


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I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.


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I heard a loud voice from the throne say, "See, the tent of God is among humans! He will make his home with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them, and he will be their God.


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He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There won't be death anymore. There won't be any grief, crying, or pain, because the first things have disappeared."


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The one sitting on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new!" He said, "Write this: 'These words are trustworthy and true.'"


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Then he told me, "It has happened! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give a drink from the spring of the water of life to the one who is thirsty.


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But people who are cowardly, unfaithful, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death."


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Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came to me and said, "Come! I will show you the bride, the wife of the lamb."


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He carried me away in the Spirit to a large, high mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven.


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The glory of God was its radiance, and its light was like a valuable gem, like jasper, as clear as crystal.


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It had a large, high wall with twelve gates. Twelve angels were at the gates, and the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written on the gates.


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There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.


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The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the lamb were written on them.


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The angel who was talking to me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, its gates, and its walls.


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The city was square: its length was the same as its width. He measured the city with his rod, and it was about 1,374 miles long. Its length, width, and height were the same.


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He also measured its wall. According to the human measurement that the angel was using, it was 252 feet.


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The foundations of the city wall were decorated with all kinds of gems: The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,


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the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth and the twelfth amethyst.


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The twelve gates were twelve pearls, and each gate was made of a single pearl. The street of the city was made of pure gold, as clear as glass.


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The city doesn't need any sun or moon to give it light, because the glory of God gave it light, and the lamb was its lamp.


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Nothing unclean, or anyone who does anything detestable, and no one who tells lies will ever enter it. Only those whose names are written in the lamb's Book of Life will enter it.


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Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal. It was flowing from the throne of God and the lamb.


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Between the city street and the river, the tree of life was visible from each side. It produced twelve kinds of fruit, each month having its own fruit. The leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.


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There will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and the lamb will be in the city. His servants will worship him


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There will be no more night, and they will not need any light from lamps or the sun because the Lord God will shine on them. They will rule forever and ever.


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He told me, "These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord God of the spirits and of the prophets has sent his messenger to show his servants the things that must happen soon."


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"See! I am coming soon! How blessed is the person who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book!"


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I, John, heard and saw these things. When I had heard and seen them, I bowed down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing me these things.


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But he told me, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you, your brothers the prophets, and those who keep the words in this book. Worship God!"


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Let the one who does what is evil continue to do what is evil. Let the filthy person continue to be filthy. Let the righteous person continue to do what is right. And let the holy person continue to be holy."


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"How blessed are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city!


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Outside are dogs, sorcerers, immoral people, murderers, idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.


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"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give this testimony to you for the churches. I am the root and descendent of David, the bright morning star."


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The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" Let everyone who hears this say, "Come!" Let everyone who is thirsty come! Let anyone who wants the water of life take it as a gift!


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I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy in this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will strike him with the plagues that are written in this book.


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If anyone takes away any words from the book of this prophecy, God will take away his portion of the tree of life and the holy city that are described in this book.


