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When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became
known that he was at home. Many gathered together so that there
was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he
preached the word to them. They came bringing to him a paralytic
carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the
crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken
through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Child,
your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting
there asking themselves, "Why does this man speak that way?
He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?" Jesus
immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to
themselves, so he said, "Why are you thinking such things in
your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins
are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk'? But
that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive
sins on earth" - he said to the paralytic, "I say to
you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home." He rose, picked up
his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone. They were
all astounded and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen
anything like this." [MK 2:1-12]
As he was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, his
disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain.
At this the Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing
what is unlawful on the sabbath?" He said to them, "Have
you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his
companions were hungry? How he went into the house of God when
Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of offering that only
the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his
companions?" Then he said to them, "The sabbath was made
for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is
lord even of the sabbath." [MK
2:23-28]
Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,
"How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided
against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is
divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And
if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot
stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man's
house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong
man. Then he can plunder his house." [MK 3:23-27]
He said, "This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is
as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and
rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows
not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade,
then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain
is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come."
[MK 4:26-29]
As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had
been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right
mind. And they were seized with fear. Those who witnessed the
incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man
and to the swine. Then they began to beg him to leave their
district. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been
possessed pleaded to remain with him. But he would not permit him
but told him instead, "Go home to your family and announce to
them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you." Then
the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus
had done for him; and all were amazed. [MK 5:15-20]
Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man,
and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much
perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. [MK 6:20]
Again he left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to
the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. And people
brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged
him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from
the crowd. He put his finger into the man's ears and, spitting,
touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and
said to him, "Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be
opened!") And (immediately) the man's ears were opened, his
speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. He ordered
them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the
more they proclaimed it. [MK 7:31-36]
The Pharisees approached and asked, "Is it lawful for a
husband to divorce his wife?" They were testing him. He said
to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?" They
replied, "Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and
dismiss her." But Jesus told them, "Because of the
hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from
the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female. For
this reason a man shall leave his father and mother (and be joined
to his wife), and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no
longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together,
no human being must separate." In the house the disciples
again questioned him about this. He said to them, "Whoever
divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against
her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she
commits adultery." [MK 10:2-12]
"But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels
in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be watchful! Be
alert! You do not know when the time will come. It is like a man
traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in
charge, each with his work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the
watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the
house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at
cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you
sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: 'Watch!'" [MK 13:32-37]
Then, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve,
arrived, accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs who had come
from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. His betrayer
had arranged a signal with them, saying, "The man I shall
kiss is the one; arrest him and lead him away securely." He
came and immediately went over to him and said, "Rabbi."
And he kissed him. At this they laid hands on him and arrested
him. One of the bystanders drew his sword, struck the high
priest's servant, and cut off his ear. Jesus said to them in
reply, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords
and clubs, to seize me? Day after day I was with you teaching in
the temple area, yet you did not arrest me; but that the
scriptures may be fulfilled." And they all left him and fled.
Now a young man followed him wearing nothing but a linen cloth
about his body. They seized him, but he left the cloth behind and
ran off naked. [MK 14:43-52]
Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them one
prisoner whom they requested. A man called Barabbas was then in
prison along with the rebels who had committed murder in a
rebellion. The crowd came forward and began to ask him to do for
them as he was accustomed. Pilate answered, "Do you want me
to release to you the king of the Jews?" For he knew that it
was out of envy that the chief priests had handed him over. But
the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release
Barabbas for them instead. Pilate again said to them in reply,
"Then what (do you want) me to do with (the man you call) the
king of the Jews?" They shouted again, "Crucify
him." Pilate said to them, "Why? What evil has he
done?" They only shouted the louder, "Crucify him."
So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them
and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be crucified.
[MK 15:6-15]
Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. The veil of the
sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion
who stood facing him saw how he breathed his last he said,
"Truly this man was the Son of God!" [MK 15:37-39]
When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of
James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint
him. Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the
week, they came to the tomb. They were saying to one another,
"Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the
tomb?" When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been
rolled back; it was very large. On entering the tomb they saw a
young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and
they were utterly amazed. He said to them, "Do not be amazed!
You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he
is not here. Behold the place where they laid him." [MK 16:1-6]
Then Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this?
For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years." [LK
1:18]
And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God
into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a
man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's
name was Mary. And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail,
full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among
women. Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought
with herself what manner of salutation this should be. And the
angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with
God. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth
a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and
shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall
give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign
in the house of Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom there shall be
no end. And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done,
because I know not man? And the angel answering, said to her: The
Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High
shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be
born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin
Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this
is the sixth month with her that is called barren: Because no word
shall be impossible with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid
of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel
departed from her. [LK 1:26-38]
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This
man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by
the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen
the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the
custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and
blessed God, saying: "Now, Master, you may let your servant
go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen
your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a
light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your
people Israel." The child's father and mother were amazed at
what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary
his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and
rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted
(and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of
many hearts may be revealed." [LK 2:25-35]
And Jesus advanced (in) wisdom and age and favor before God and
man. [LK 2:52]
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and
said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." [LK
5:8]
As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was
being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a
widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw
her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, "Do not
weep." He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the
bearers halted, and he said, "Young man, I tell you,
arise!" The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus
gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified
God, exclaiming, "A great prophet has arisen in our
midst," and "God has visited his people." This
report about him spread through the whole of Judea and in all the
surrounding region. [LK 7:12-17]
When the men came to him, they said, "John the Baptist has
sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should
we look for another?'" [LK 7:20]
About eight days after he said this, he took Peter, John, and
James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his
face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to
accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been
overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory
and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from
him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good that we are
here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one
for Elijah." But he did not know what he was saying. While he
was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and
they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the
cloud came a voice that said, "This is my chosen Son; listen
to him." After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they
had seen. [LK 9:28-36]
He was driving out a demon (that was) mute, and when the demon
had gone out, the mute person spoke and the crowds were amazed.
Some of them said, "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of
demons, he drives out demons." Others, to test him, asked him
for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to
them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid
waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided
against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it
is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out
demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out?
Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of
God that (I) drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come
upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his
possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and
overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and
distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and
whoever does not gather with me scatters." [LK 11:14-23]
At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men
of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came
from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and
there is something greater than Solomon here. [LK 11:31]
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this
generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they
repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here. [LK
11:32]
He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how
they were choosing the places of honor at the table. "When
you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at
table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you
may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you
may approach you and say, 'Give your place to this man,' and then
you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place.
Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that
when the host comes to you he may say, 'My friend, move up to a
higher position.' Then you will enjoy the esteem of your
companions at the table. For everyone who exalts himself will be
humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." [LK 14:7-11]
One of his fellow guests on hearing this said to him,
"Blessed is the one who will dine in the kingdom of
God." He replied to him, "A man gave a great dinner to
which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he
dispatched his servant to say to those invited, 'Come, everything
is now ready.' But one by one, they all began to excuse
themselves. The first said to him, 'I have purchased a field and
must go to examine it; I ask you, consider me excused.' And
another said, 'I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way
to evaluate them; I ask you, consider me excused.' And another
said, 'I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come.'
The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master
of the house in a rage commanded his servant, 'Go out quickly into
the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and
the crippled, the blind and the lame.' The servant reported, 'Sir,
your orders have been carried out and still there is room.' The
master then ordered the servant, 'Go out to the highways and
hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. For,
I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my
dinner.'" [LK 14:15-24]
The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen
to him, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
"This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." So to
them he addressed this parable. "What man among you having a
hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the
ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds
it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with
great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his
friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I
have found my lost sheep.' I tell you, in just the same way there
will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over
ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance." [LK 15:1-7]
"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and
fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door
was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly
have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's
table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor
man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld,
where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far
off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, 'Father Abraham,
have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in
water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these
flames.' Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received
what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received
what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are
tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is
established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go
from our side to yours or from your side to ours.' He said, 'Then
I beg you, father, send him to my father's house, for I have five
brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this
place of torment.' But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the
prophets. Let them listen to them.' He said, 'Oh no, father
Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will
repent.' Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and
the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should
rise from the dead.'" [LK 16:19-31]
Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector
and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he
could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in
stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to
see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the
place, Jesus looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down
quickly, for today I must stay at your house." And he came
down quickly and received him with joy. When they all saw this,
they began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to stay at the
house of a sinner." But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the
Lord, "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to
the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall
repay it four times over." And Jesus said to him, "Today
salvation has come to this house because this man too is a
descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to
save what was lost." [LK 19:2-10]
While he was still speaking, a crowd approached and in front
was one of the Twelve, a man named Judas. He went up to Jesus to
kiss him. [LK 22:47]
After arresting him they led him away and took him into the
house of the high priest; Peter was following at a distance. They
lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and
Peter sat down with them. When a maid saw him seated in the light,
she looked intently at him and said, "This man too was with
him." But he denied it saying, "Woman, I do not know
him." A short while later someone else saw him and said,
"You too are one of them"; but Peter answered, "My
friend, I am not." About an hour later, still another
insisted, "Assuredly, this man too was with him, for he also
is a Galilean." But Peter said, "My friend, I do not
know what you are talking about." Just as he was saying this,
the cock crowed, and the Lord turned and looked at Peter; and
Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him,
"Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three
times." He went out and began to weep bitterly. [LK 22:54-62]
The men who held Jesus in custody were ridiculing and beating
him. [LK 22:63]
Then the whole assembly of them arose and brought him before
Pilate. They brought charges against him, saying, "We found
this man misleading our people; he opposes the payment of taxes to
Caesar and maintains that he is the Messiah, a king." Pilate
asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He said to
him in reply, "You say so." Pilate then addressed the
chief priests and the crowds, "I find this man not
guilty." But they were adamant and said, "He is inciting
the people with his teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee
where he began even to here." On hearing this Pilate asked if
the man was a Galilean; and upon learning that he was under
Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at
that time. [LK 23:1-7]
Pilate then summoned the chief priests, the rulers, and the
people and said to them, "You brought this man to me and
accused him of inciting the people to revolt. I have conducted my
investigation in your presence and have not found this man guilty
of the charges you have brought against him, nor did Herod, for he
sent him back to us. So no capital crime has been committed by
him. Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release
him." But all together they shouted out, "Away with this
man! Release Barabbas to us." [LK 23:13-16,18]
Pilate addressed them a third time, "What evil has this
man done? I found him guilty of no capital crime. Therefore I
shall have him flogged and then release him." With loud
shouts, however, they persisted in calling for his crucifixion,
and their voices prevailed. The verdict of Pilate was that their
demand should be granted. So he released the man who had been
imprisoned for rebellion and murder, for whom they asked, and he
handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they wished. [LK 23:22-25]
Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
"Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us." The
other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no
fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And
indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we
received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing
criminal." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you
come into your kingdom." He replied to him, "Amen, I say
to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." [LK 23:39-43]
It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun.
Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried
out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commend my
spirit"; and when he had said this he breathed his last. The
centurion who witnessed what had happened glorified God and said,
"This man was innocent beyond doubt." [LK 23:44-47]
Now there was a virtuous and righteous man named Joseph who,
though he was a member of the council, had not consented to their
plan of action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea and was
awaiting the kingdom of God. He went to Pilate and asked for the
body of Jesus. After he had taken the body down, he wrapped it in
a linen cloth and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb in which no one had
yet been buried. [LK 23:50-53]
But at daybreak on the first day of the week they took the
spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the
stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did
not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzling over
this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them. They
were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to
them, "Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is
not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you
while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed
over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day."
[LK 24:1-7]
A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to
testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He
was not the light, but came to testify to the light. The true
light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. [JN 1:6-9]
He was in the world, and the world came to be through
him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his
own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who
did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those
who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man's decision but of God. And the
Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw
his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full
of grace and truth. John testified to him and cried out, saying,
"This was he of whom I said, 'The one who is coming after me
ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.'" [JN 1:10-15]
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said,
"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the
world. He is the one of whom I said, 'A man is coming after me who
ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.' I did not know
him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he
might be made known to Israel." [JN 1:29-31]
Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jew
about ceremonial washings. So they came to John and said to him,
"Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom
you testified, here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to
him." John answered and said, "No one can receive
anything except what has been given him from heaven. You
yourselves can testify that I said (that) I am not the Messiah,
but that I was sent before him. The one who has the bride is the
bridegroom; the best man, who stands and listens for him, rejoices
greatly at the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine has been
made complete. He must increase; I must decrease." [JN 3:25-30]
At that moment his disciples returned, and were amazed that he
was talking with a woman, but still no one said, "What are
you looking for?" or "Why are you talking with
her?" The woman left her water jar and went into the town and
said to the people, "Come see a man who told me everything I
have done. Could he possibly be the Messiah?" [JN 4:27-29]
The royal official said to him, "Sir, come down before my
child dies." Jesus said to him, "You may go; your son
will live." The man believed what Jesus said to him and left.
While he was on his way back, his slaves met him and told him that
his boy would live. [JN 4:49-51]
They asked him, "Who is the man who told you, 'Take it up
and walk'?" The man who was healed did not know who it was,
for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there. After
this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him,
"Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing
worse may happen to you." The man went and told the Jews that
Jesus was the one who had made him well. Therefore, the Jews began
to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath. [JN 5:12-16]
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this
man give us (his) flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the
Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I
will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my
blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and
I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down
from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever
eats this bread will live forever." [JN 6:52-58]
Jesus answered and said to them, "I performed one work and
all of you are amazed because of it. Moses gave you circumcision -
not that it came from Moses but rather from the patriarchs - and you circumcise a man on the sabbath. If a man can
receive circumcision on a sabbath so that the law of Moses may not
be broken, are you angry with me because I made a whole person
well on a sabbath? Stop judging by appearances, but judge
justly." [JN 7:21-24]
But many of the crowd began to believe in him, and said,
"When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this
man has done?" [JN 7:31]
Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the
world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have
the light of life." So the Pharisees said to him, "You
testify on your own behalf, so your testimony cannot be
verified." Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I
do testify on my own behalf, my testimony can be verified, because
I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know
where I come from or where I am going. You judge by appearances,
but I do not judge anyone. And even if I should judge, my judgment
is valid, because I am not alone, but it is I and the Father who
sent me. Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two
men can be verified. I testify on my behalf and so does the Father
who sent me." [JN 8:12-18]
They answered and said to him, "Our father is
Abraham." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's
children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. But now you are
trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard
from God; Abraham did not do this." [JN 8:39-40]
As he passed by he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples
asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that
he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither he nor his
parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made
visible through him." [JN 9:1-3]
They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees. Now
Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath. So then the
Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them,
"He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can
see." So some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not
from God, because he does not keep the sabbath." (But) others
said, "How can a sinful man do such signs?" And there
was a division among them. So they said to the blind man again,
"What do you have to say about him, since he opened your
eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet." [JN 9:13-17]
They ridiculed him and said, "You are that man's disciple;
we are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but we
do not know where this one is from." The man answered and
said to them, "This is what is so amazing, that you do not
know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God
does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his
will, he listens to him. It is unheard of that anyone ever opened
the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he
would not be able to do anything." [JN 9:28-33]
The Jews again picked up rocks to stone him. Jesus answered
them, "I have shown you many good works from my Father. For
which of these are you trying to stone me?" The Jews answered
him, "We are not stoning you for a good work but for
blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God." Jesus
answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said,
"You are gods"'? If it calls them gods to whom the word
of God came, and scripture cannot be set aside, can you say that
the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world
blasphemes because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? If I do not
perform my Father's works, do not believe me; but if I perform
them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that
you may realize (and understand) that the Father is in me and I am
in the Father." (Then) they tried again to arrest him; but he
escaped from their power. He went back across the Jordan to the
place where John first baptized, and there he remained. Many came
to him and said, "John performed no sign, but everything John
said about this man was true." And many there began to
believe in him. [JN 10:31-42]
Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the dead
man's sister, said to him, "Lord, by now there will be a
stench; he has been dead for four days." Jesus said to her,
"Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the
glory of God?" So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised
his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you for hearing me. I
know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have
said this, that they may believe that you sent me." And when
he had said this, he cried out in a loud voice, "Lazarus,
come out!" The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with
burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said
to them, "Untie him and let him go." [JN 11:39-44]
Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had
done began to believe in him. But some of them went to the
Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests
and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, "What are
we going to do? This man is performing many signs. If we leave him
alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take
away both our land and our nation." But one of them, Caiaphas,
who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know
nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one
man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may
not perish." He did not say this on his own, but since he was
high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to
die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but also to
gather into one the dispersed children of God. So from that day on
they planned to kill him. [JN 11:45-53]
Jesus, knowing everything that was going to happen to him, went
out and said to them, "Whom are you looking for?" They
answered him, "Jesus the Nazorean." He said to them,
"I AM." Judas his betrayer was also with them. When he
said to them, "I AM," they turned away and fell to the
ground. So he again asked them, "Whom are you looking
for?" They said, "Jesus the Nazorean." Jesus
answered, "I told you that I AM. So if you are looking for
me, let these men go." This was to fulfill what he had said,
"I have not lost any of those you gave me." [JN 18:4-9]
Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the praetorium. It was
morning. And they themselves did not enter the praetorium, in
order not to be defiled so that they could eat the Passover. So
Pilate came out to them and said, "What charge do you bring
(against) this man?" [JN 18:28-29]
Once more Pilate went out and said to them, "Look, I am
bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no guilt
in him." So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and
the purple cloak. And he said to them, "Behold, the
man!" [JN 19:4-5]
When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted
up, and a cloud took him from their sight. While they were looking
intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in
white garments stood beside them. They said, "Men of Galilee,
why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has
been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as
you have seen him going into heaven." [ACTS 1:9-11]
During those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers
(there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons in the
one place). He said, "My brothers, the scripture had to be
fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth
of David, concerning Judas, who was the guide for those who
arrested Jesus. He was numbered among us and was allotted a share
in this ministry... Therefore [since the betrayer, Judas, died],
it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole
time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, beginning from the
baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us,
become with us a witness to his resurrection." So they
proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as
Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed, "You, Lord, who know
the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to
take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned
away to go to his own place." Then they gave lots to them,
and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven
apostles. [Taken from ACTS 1:15-17,21-26]
You who are Israelites, hear these words. Jesus the Nazorean
was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and
signs, which God worked through him in your midst, as you
yourselves know. This man, delivered up by the set plan and
foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify
him. But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of
death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it. [ACTS 2:22-24]
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple area for the
three o'clock hour of prayer. And a man crippled from birth was
carried and placed at the gate of the temple called "the
Beautiful Gate" every day to beg for alms from the people who
entered the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into
the temple, he asked for alms. But Peter looked intently at him,
as did John, and said, "Look at us." He paid attention
to them, expecting to receive something from them. Peter said,
"I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give
you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, (rise and)
walk." Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him
up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong. He leaped up,
stood, and walked around, and went into the temple with them,
walking and jumping and praising God. When all the people saw him
walking and praising God, they recognized him as the one who used
to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were
filled with amazement and astonishment at what had happened to
him. [ACTS 3:1-10]
The God of Abraham, (the God) of Isaac, and (the God) of Jacob,
the God of our ancestors, has glorified his servant Jesus whom you
handed over and denied in Pilate's presence, when he had decided
to release him. You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked
that a murderer be released to you. The author of life you put to
death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses.
And by faith in his name, this man, whom you see and know, his
name has made strong, and the faith that comes through it has
given him this perfect health, in the presence of all of you. Now
I know, brothers, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your
leaders did; but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had
announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that
his Messiah would suffer. Repent, therefore, and be converted,
that your sins may be wiped away, and that the Lord may grant you
times of refreshment and send you the Messiah already appointed
for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the times of
universal restoration of which God spoke through the mouth of his
holy prophets from of old. [ACTS 3:13-21]
Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to
be uneducated, ordinary men, they were amazed, and they recognized
them as the companions of Jesus. Then when they saw the man who
had been cured standing there with them, they could say nothing in
reply. So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, and conferred
with one another, saying, "What are we to do with these men?
Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign was done
through them, and we cannot deny it. But so that it may not be
spread any further among the people, let us give them a stern
warning never again to speak to anyone in this name." So they
called them back and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in
the name of Jesus. Peter and John, however, said to them in reply,
"Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you
rather than God, you be the judges. It is impossible for us not to
speak about what we have seen and heard." After threatening
them further, they released them, finding no way to punish them,
on account of the people who were all praising God for what had
happened. For the man on whom this sign of healing had been done
was over forty years old. [ACTS 4:13-22]
A man named Ananias, however, with his wife Sapphira, sold a
piece of property. He retained for himself, with his wife's
knowledge, some of the purchase price, took the remainder, and put
it at the feet of the apostles. But Peter said, "Ananias, why
has Satan filled your heart so that you lied to the Holy Spirit and retained part of the price of the land? While it remained
unsold, did it not remain yours? And when it was sold, was it not
still under your control? Why did you contrive this deed? You have
lied not to human beings, but to God." When Ananias heard
these words, he fell down and breathed his last, and great fear
came upon all who heard of it. The young men came and wrapped him
up, then carried him out and buried him. After an interval of
about three hours, his wife came in, unaware of what had happened.
Peter said to her, "Tell me, did you sell the land for this
amount?" She answered, "Yes, for that amount." Then
Peter said to her, "Why did you agree to test the Spirit of
the Lord? Listen, the footsteps of those who have buried your
husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." At
once, she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the
young men entered they found her dead, so they carried her out and
buried her beside her husband. And great fear came upon the whole
church and upon all who heard of these things. [ACTS 5:1-11]
Many signs and wonders were done among the people at the hands
of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon's portico. None
of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them.
Yet more than ever, believers in the Lord, great numbers of men
and women, were added to them. Thus they even carried the sick out
into the streets and laid them on cots and mats so that when Peter
came by, at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them.
A large number of people from the towns in the vicinity of
Jerusalem also gathered, bringing the sick and those disturbed by
unclean spirits, and they were all cured. [ACTS 5:12-16]
Then someone came in and reported to them, "The men whom
you put in prison are in the temple area and are teaching the
people." Then the captain and the court officers went and
brought them in, but without force, because they were afraid of
being stoned by the people. When they had brought them in and made
them stand before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them,
"We gave you strict orders (did we not?) to stop teaching in
that name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and
want to bring this man's blood upon us." But Peter and the
apostles said in reply, "We must obey God rather than men.
The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed
by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as
leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of
sins. We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit that
God has given to those who obey him." When they heard this,
they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death. But a
Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law,
respected by all the people, stood up, ordered the men to be put
outside for a short time, and said to them, "Fellow
Israelites, be careful what you are about to do to these men. Some
time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important, and
about four hundred men joined him, but he was killed, and all
those who were loyal to him were disbanded and came to nothing.
After him came Judas the Galilean at the time of the census. He
also drew people after him, but he too perished and all who were
loyal to him were scattered. So now I tell you, have nothing to do
with these men, and let them go. For if this endeavor or this
activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it
comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even
find yourselves fighting against God." They were persuaded by
him. [ACTS 5:25-39]
So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples
and said, "It is not right for us to neglect the word of God
to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you seven reputable
men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to
this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the
ministry of the word." The proposal was acceptable to the
whole community, so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith
and the Holy Spirit, also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon,
Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They
presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on
them. [ACTS 6:2-6]
Now Stephen, filled with grace and power, was working great
wonders and signs among the people. Certain members of the
so-called Synagogue of Freedmen, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and
people from Cilicia and Asia, came forward and debated with
Stephen, but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit
with which he spoke. Then they instigated some men to say,
"We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses
and God." They stirred up the people, the elders, and the
scribes, accosted him, seized him, and brought him before the
Sanhedrin. They presented false witnesses who testified,
"This man never stops saying things against (this) holy place
and the law. For we have heard him claim that this Jesus the
Nazorean will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses
handed down to us." All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked
intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an
angel. [ACTS 6:8-15]
Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the church; entering
house after house and dragging out men and women, he handed them
over for imprisonment. [ACTS 8:3]
A man named Simon used to practice magic in the city and
astounded the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. All
of them, from the least to the greatest, paid attention to him,
saying, "This man is the 'Power of God' that is called
'Great.'" They paid attention to him because he had astounded
them by his magic for a long time, but once they began to believe
Philip as he preached the good news about the kingdom of God and
the name of Jesus Christ, men and women alike were baptized. Even
Simon himself believed and, after being baptized, became devoted
to Philip; and when he saw the signs and mighty deeds that were
occurring, he was astounded. [ACTS 8:9-13]
Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the
disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for
letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any
men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them back to
Jerusalem in chains. On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a
light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. He fell to the
ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are
you persecuting me?" He said, "Who are you, sir?"
The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now
get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must
do." The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,
for they heard the voice but could see no one. [ACTS 9:1-7]
There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord
said to him in a vision, "Ananias." He answered,
"Here I am, Lord." The Lord said to him, "Get up
and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas
for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is there praying, and (in a
vision) he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay (his)
hands on him, that he may regain his sight." But Ananias
replied, "Lord, I have heard from many sources about this
man, what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem.
And here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all
who call upon your name." But the Lord said to him, "Go,
for this man is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name
before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites, and I will show him what
he will have to suffer for my name." So Ananias went and
entered the house; laying his hands on him, he said, "Saul,
my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the
way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be
filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately things like scales
fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was
baptized, and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength. He
stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus, and he began at
once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of
God. All who heard him were astounded and said, "Is not this
the man who in Jerusalem ravaged those who call upon this name,
and came here expressly to take them back in chains to the chief
priests?" But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded (the)
Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this is the Messiah. [ACTS 9:10-22]
As Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said (to him),
"There are three men here looking for you. So get up, go
downstairs, and accompany them without hesitation, because I have
sent them." Then Peter went down to the men and said, "I
am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your being
here?" They answered, "Cornelius, a centurion, an
upright and God-fearing man, respected by the whole Jewish nation,
was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to
hear what you have to say." So he invited them in and showed
them hospitality. The next day he got up and went with them, and
some of the brothers from Joppa went with him. [ACTS 10:19-23]
When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and, falling at his feet,
paid him homage. Peter, however, raised him up, saying, "Get
up. I myself am also a human being." While he conversed with
him, he went in and found many people gathered together and said
to them, "You know that it is unlawful for a Jewish man to
associate with, or visit, a Gentile, but God has shown me that I
should not call any person profane or unclean. And that is why I
came without objection when sent for. May I ask, then, why you
summoned me?" Cornelius replied, "Four days ago at this
hour, three o'clock in the afternoon, I was at prayer in my house
when suddenly a man in dazzling robes stood before me and said,
'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your almsgiving
remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and summon Simon,
who is called Peter... So I sent for you immediately, and you were
kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence
of God to listen to all that you have been commanded by the
Lord.'" [Taken from ACTS 10:25-33]
"We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the
Jews and (in) Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a
tree. This man God raised (on) the third day and granted that he
be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen
by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from
the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify
that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the
dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who
believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his
name." [ACTS 10:39-43]
Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that arose
because of Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch,
preaching the word to no one but Jews. There were some Cypriots
and Cyrenians among them, however, who came to Antioch and began
to speak to the Greeks as well, proclaiming the Lord Jesus. The
hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who believed
turned to the Lord. The news about them reached the ears of the
church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas (to go) to Antioch.
When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and
encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of
heart, for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and
faith. And a large number of people was added to the Lord. Then he
went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him he
brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church
and taught a large number of people, and it was in Antioch that
the disciples were first called Christians. [ACTS 11:19-26]
Then he removed him and raised up David as their king; of him
he testified, 'I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my
own heart; he will carry out my every wish.' From this man's
descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a
savior, Jesus. [ACTS 13:22-23]
The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this and glorified
the word of the Lord. All who were destined for eternal life came
to believe, and the word of the Lord continued to spread through
the whole region. The Jews, however, incited the women of
prominence who were worshipers and the leading men of the city,
stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled
them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet
in protest against them and went to Iconium. The disciples were
filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. [ACTS
13:48-52]
"Men, why are you doing this? We are of the same nature as
you, human beings. We proclaim to you good news that you should
turn from these idols to the living God, 'who made heaven and
earth and sea and all that is in them.'" [ACTS 14:15]
"God has overlooked the times of ignorance, but now he demands
that all people everywhere repent because he has established a day
on which he will 'judge the world with justice' through a man he
has appointed, and he has provided confirmation for all by raising
him from the dead." [ACTS 17:30-31]
On the first day of the week when we gathered to break bread,
Paul spoke to them because he was going to leave on the next day,
and he kept on speaking until midnight. There were many lamps in
the upstairs room where we were gathered, and a young man named
Eutychus who was sitting on the window sill was sinking into a
deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. Once overcome by sleep, he
fell down from the third story and when he was picked up, he was
dead. Paul went down, threw himself upon him, and said as he
embraced him, "Don't be alarmed; there is life in him."
Then he returned upstairs, broke the bread, and ate; after a long
conversation that lasted until daybreak, he departed. And they
took the boy away alive and were immeasurably comforted. [ACTS 20:7-12]
Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which
the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which you tend the
church of God that he acquired with his own blood. I know that
after my departure savage wolves will come among you, and they
will not spare the flock. And from your own group, men will come
forward perverting the truth to draw the disciples away after
them. [ACTS 20:28-30]
But this I do admit to you, that according to the Way, which
they call a sect, I worship the God of our ancestors and I believe
everything that is in accordance with the law and written in the
prophets. I have the same hope in God as they themselves have that
there will be a resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous.
Because of this, I always strive to keep my conscience clear
before God and man. [ACTS 24:14-16]
The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven against
every impiety and wickedness of those who suppress the truth by
their wickedness. For what can be known about God is evident to
them, because God made it evident to them. Ever since the creation
of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and
divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he
has made. As a result, they have no excuse; for although they knew
God they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks.
Instead, they became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless
minds were darkened. While claiming to be wise, they became fools
and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an
image of mortal man or of birds or of four-legged animals or of
snakes. Therefore, God handed them over to impurity through the
lusts of their hearts for the mutual degradation of their bodies. [ROM 1:18-24]
Circumcision, to be sure, has value if you observe the law; but
if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
Again, if an uncircumcised man keeps the precepts of the law, will
he not be considered circumcised? Indeed, those who are physically
uncircumcised but carry out the law will pass judgment on you,
with your written law and circumcision, who break the law. One is
not a Jew outwardly. True circumcision is not outward, in the
flesh. Rather, one is a Jew inwardly, and circumcision is of the
heart, in the spirit, not the letter; his praise is not from human
beings but from God.? [ROM
2:25-29]
"Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not record."
[ROM 4:8]
Are you unaware, brothers (for I am speaking to people who know
the law), that the law has jurisdiction over one as long as one
lives? Thus a married woman is bound by law to her living husband;
but if her husband dies, she is released from the law in respect
to her husband. Consequently, while her husband is alive she will
be called an adulteress if she consorts with another man. But if
her husband dies she is free from that law, and she is not an
adulteress if she consorts with another man. In the same way, my
brothers, you also were put to death to the law through the body
of Christ, so that you might belong to another, to the one who was
raised from the dead in order that we might bear fruit for God. [ROM 7:1-4]
It is widely reported that there is immorality among you, and
immorality of a kind not found even among pagans - a man living
with his father's wife. And you are inflated with pride. Should
you not rather have been sorrowful? The one who did this deed
should be expelled from your midst. I, for my part, although
absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as if present,
pronounced judgment on the one who has committed this deed, in the
name of (our) Lord Jesus: when you have gathered together and I am
with you in spirit with the power of the Lord Jesus, you are to
deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so
that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. Your boasting
is not appropriate. Do you not know that a little yeast leavens
all the dough? Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a
fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened... [For
Christ] has been sacrificed. [1COR 5:1-7]
Now in regard to the matters about which you wrote: "It is
a good thing for a man not to touch a woman," but because of
cases of immorality every man should have his own wife, and every
woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his duty toward
his wife, and likewise the wife toward her husband. A wife does
not have authority over her own body, but rather her husband, and
similarly a husband does not have authority over his own body, but
rather his wife. Do not deprive each other, except perhaps by
mutual consent for a time, to be free for prayer, but then return
to one another, so that Satan may not tempt you through your lack
of self-control. This I say by way of concession, however, not as
a command. Indeed, I wish everyone to be as I am, but each has a
particular gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. [1COR 7:1-7]
I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is
anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord.
But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he
may please his wife, and he is divided. An unmarried woman or a
virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she may be
holy in both body and spirit. A married woman, on the other hand,
is anxious about the things of the world, how she may please her
husband. I am telling you this for your own benefit, not to impose
a restraint upon you, but for the sake of propriety and adherence
to the Lord without distraction. [1COR 7:32-35]
But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man,
and a husband the head of his wife, and God the head of Christ.
Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered brings shame
upon his head. But any woman who prays or prophesies with her head
unveiled brings shame upon her head, for it is one and the same
thing as if she had had her head shaved. For if a woman does not
have her head veiled, she may as well have her hair cut off. But
if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head
shaved, then she should wear a veil. A man, on the other hand,
should not cover his head, because he is the image and glory of
God, but woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from
woman, but woman from man; nor was man created for woman, but
woman for man; for this reason a woman should have a sign of
authority on her head, because of the angels. Woman is not
independent of man or man of woman in the Lord. For just as woman
came from man, so man is born of woman; but all things are from
God. Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God
with her head unveiled? Does not nature itself teach you that if a
man wears his hair long it is a disgrace to him, whereas if a
woman has long hair it is her glory, because long hair has been
given (her) for a covering? But if anyone is inclined to be
argumentative, we do not have such a custom, nor do the churches
of God. [1COR 11:3-16]
When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a
child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside
childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,
but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall
know fully, as I am fully known. [1COR 13:11-12]
So, too, it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a
living being," the last Adam a life-giving spirit. But the
spiritual was not first; rather the natural and then the
spiritual. The first man was from the earth, earthly; the second
man, from heaven. As was the earthly one, so also are the earthly,
and as is the heavenly one, so also are the heavenly. Just as we
have borne the image of the earthly one, we shall also bear the
image of the heavenly one. [1COR 15:45-49]
For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit
again to the yoke of slavery. It is I, Paul, who am telling you
that if you have yourselves circumcised, Christ will be of no
benefit to you. Once again I declare to every man who has himself
circumcised that he is bound to observe the entire law. You are
separated from Christ, you who are trying to be justified by law;
you have fallen from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we
await the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus, neither
circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only
faith working through love. [GAL 5:1-6]
But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of
Christ's gift. Therefore, it says: "He ascended on high
and took prisoners captive; he gave gifts to men." What
does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended
into the lower (regions) of the earth? The one who descended is
also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might
fill all things. And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip
the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body
of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge
of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full
stature of Christ, so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by
waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human
trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful
scheming. Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in
every way into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole
body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with
the proper functioning of each part, brings about the body's
growth and builds itself up in love. [EPH 4:7-16]
So (also) husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.
He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one hates his own
flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does
the church, because we are members of his body. "For this
reason a man shall leave (his) father and
(his) mother and be joined to his wife, and the two
shall become one flesh." This is a great mystery, but I speak
in reference to Christ and the church. In any case, each one of
you should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect
her husband. [EPH 5:28-33]
I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our
Lord, because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the
ministry. I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant
man, but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of
ignorance in my unbelief. Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been
abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. [1TM 1:12-14]
It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,
lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument. Similarly,
(too,) women should adorn themselves with proper conduct, with
modesty and self-control, not with braided hairstyles and gold
ornaments, or pearls, or expensive clothes, but rather, as befits
women who profess reverence for God, with good deeds. A woman must
receive instruction silently and under complete control. I do not
permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man. She must
be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. Further, Adam was
not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed. But she
will be saved through motherhood, provided women persevere in
faith and love and holiness, with self-control. [1TM 2:8-15]
If a man does not know how to manage his own household, how
can he take care of the church of God? [Taken from 1TM 3:5]
Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as a father.
Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger
women as sisters with complete purity.
[1TM 5:1-2]
For the love of money is the root of all evils, and some people
in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have
pierced themselves with many pains. But you, man of God, avoid all
this. Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love,
patience, and gentleness. Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of
eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble
confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge (you)
before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus,
who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate for the noble confession,
to keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the
appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ that the blessed and only
ruler will make manifest at the proper time, the King of kings and
Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in
unapproachable light, and whom no human being has seen or can see.
To him be honor and eternal power. Amen. [1TM 6:10-16]
Be eager to present yourself as acceptable to God, a workman
who causes no disgrace, imparting the word of truth without
deviation. Avoid profane, idle talk, for such people will become
more and more godless, and their teaching will spread like
gangrene. [Taken from 2TM
2:15-17]
For this reason I left you in Crete so that you might set right
what remains to be done and appoint presbyters in every town, as I
directed you, on condition that a man be blameless, married only
once, with believing children who are not accused of
licentiousness or rebellious. [TI 1:5-6] [Note: Religious offices indicated in the New
Testament are in their infancy and can be shown to be developing
even in Scripture. Within a short time, many religious offices in
the Church adopted Jesus' and Paul's recommended observance of celibacy
as a general rule.]
As for yourself, you must say what is consistent with sound
doctrine, namely, that older men should be temperate, dignified,
self-controlled, sound in faith, love, and endurance. Similarly,
older women should be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers,
not addicted to drink, teaching what is good, so that they may
train younger women to love their husbands and children, to be
self-controlled, chaste, good homemakers, under the control of
their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited.
Urge the younger men, similarly, to control themselves, showing
yourself as a model of good deeds in every respect, with integrity
in your teaching, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be
criticized, so that the opponent will be put to shame without
anything bad to say about us. Slaves are to be under the control
of their masters in all respects, giving them satisfaction, not
talking back to them or stealing from them, but exhibiting
complete good faith, so as to adorn the doctrine of God our savior
in every way. [TI 2:1-10]
I rather urge you out of love, being as I am, Paul, an old man,
and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus. I urge you on behalf of
my child Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment,
who was once useless to you but is now useful to (both) you and
me. I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. I should
have liked to retain him for myself, so that he might serve me on
your behalf in my imprisonment for the gospel, but I did not want
to do anything without your consent, so that the good you do might
not be forced but voluntary. Perhaps this is why he was away from
you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer
as a slave but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to
me, but even more so to you, as a man and in the Lord. So if you
regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me. [PHLM 1:9-17]
For it was not to angels that he subjected the world to come,
of which we are speaking. Instead, someone has testified
somewhere: "What is man that you are mindful of
him, or the son of man that you care for him? You made him
for a little while lower than the angels; you crowned him
with glory and honor, subjecting all things under his
feet." In "subjecting" all things (to him), he
left nothing not "subject to him." Yet at present
we do not see "all things subject to him," but we
do see Jesus "crowned with glory and honor" because he
suffered death, he who "for a little while" was made
"lower than the angels," that by the grace of God he
might taste death for everyone. [HEB 2:5-9]
Every high priest is taken from among men and made their
representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he
himself is beset by weakness and so, for this reason, must make
sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. No one takes
this honor upon himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron
was. In the same way, it was not Christ who glorified himself
in becoming high priest, but rather the one who said
to him: "You are my son; this day I have
begotten you"; just as he says in another place: "You
are a priest forever according to the order of
Melchizedek." In the days when he was in the flesh, he
offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the
one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because
of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from
what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the
source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, declared by God
high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. [HEB 5:1-10]
He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day
after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the
people; he did that once for all when he offered himself. For the
law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests, but the
word of the oath, which was taken after the law, appoints a son,
who has been made perfect forever. [HEB 7:27-28]
The main point of what has been said is this: we have such a
high priest, who has taken his seat at the right hand of the
throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister of the sanctuary and
of the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up. [HEB 8:1-2]
By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past
the normal age - and Sarah herself was sterile - for he thought that
the one who had made the promise was trustworthy. So it was that
there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead,
descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless
as the sands on the seashore. [HEB 11:11-12]
But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to
all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it. But he
should ask in faith, not doubting, for the one who doubts is like
a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about by the wind. For
that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from
the Lord, since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his
ways. [JMS
1:5-8]
Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he
has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised
to those who love him. [JMS 1:12]
Know this, my dear brothers: everyone should be quick to hear,
slow to speak, slow to wrath, for the wrath of a man does not
accomplish the righteousness of God. Therefore, put away all filth
and evil excess and humbly welcome the word that has been planted
in you and is able to save your souls. Be doers of the word and
not hearers only, deluding yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer
of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his own
face in a mirror. He sees himself, then goes off and promptly
forgets what he looked like. But the one who peers into the
perfect law of freedom and perseveres, and is not a hearer who
forgets but a doer who acts, such a one shall be blessed in what
he does. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his
tongue but deceives his heart, his religion is vain. Religion that
is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care
for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself
unstained by the world. [JMS 1:19-27]
My brothers, show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in
our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if a man with gold rings on
his fingers and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a
poor person in shabby clothes also comes in, and you pay attention
to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, "Sit here,
please," while you say to the poor one, "Stand
there," or "Sit at my feet," have you not made
distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs?
Listen, my beloved brothers. Did not God choose those who are poor
in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he
promised to those who love him? But you dishonored the poor
person. Are not the rich oppressing you? And do they themselves
not haul you off to court? Is it not they who blaspheme the noble
name that was invoked over you? However, if you fulfill the royal
law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor
as yourself," you are doing well. But if you show partiality,
you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. [JMS 2:1-9]
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you
realize that we will be judged more strictly, for we all fall
short in many respects. If anyone does not fall short in speech,
he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body also. [JMS 3:1-2]
I am writing to you, children, because your sins have been
forgiven for his name's sake. I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to
you, young men, because you have conquered the evil one. I write
to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you,
fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write
to you, young men, because you are strong and the word of God
remains in you, and you have conquered the evil one. Do not love
the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world,
the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the
world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious
life, is not from the Father but is from the world. Yet the world
and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of
God remains forever. [1JN 2:12-17]
Also try:
Son
of Man / Son of God (New Testament references) [S22]
woman
/ women [W9a]
human
[H19]
Father
/ fathers / fatherhood [F5a]
husband [H22]
mother
/ mothers [M6a]
parent
/ parents [P2]
offspring
[D5]
child
/ children [C3a]
family
[F3]
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