mGNT Concordance for ὑμῶν

“You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me.

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

“For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

“But let your ‘yes' mean ‘yes,' and your ‘no' mean ‘no.' Anything more than this is from the evil one.

“But I tell you, love your enemies[fn] and pray for those who[fn] persecute you,

“And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what are you doing out of the ordinary?[fn] Don't even the Gentiles[fn] do the same?

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness[fn] in front of others to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward with your Father in heaven.

“Don't be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.

“For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well.

“Therefore I tell you: Don't worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing?

“For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

“Don't give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.

“Who among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him.

Perceiving their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts?[fn]

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? ”

Then he touched their eyes, saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.”

“Don't acquire gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts.

“and if the household is worthy, let your peace be on it; but if it is unworthy, let your peace return to you.

“because it isn't you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father is speaking through you.

“Aren't two sparrows sold for a penny?[fn] Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's consent.[fn]

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

He replied to them, “Who among you, if he had a sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn't take hold of it and lift it out?

“And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? For this reason they will be your judges.

“Blessed are your eyes because they do see, and your ears because they do hear.

He answered them, “Why do you break God's commandment because of your tradition?

he does not have to honor his father.'[fn] In this way, you have nullified the word of God[fn] because of your tradition.

Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.”

“Because of your little faith,” he[fn] told them. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of[fn] a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”[fn]

When they came to Capernaum, those who collected the temple tax approached Peter and said, “Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax? ”

“In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

“Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you[fn] pray for, it will be done for you[fn] by my Father in heaven.

“So also my heavenly Father will do to you unless every one of you forgives his brother or sister[fn] from your[fn] heart.”

He told them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of the hardness of your hearts, but it was not like that from the beginning.

“It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there with her colt. Untie them and bring them to me.

“Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruit.

“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,' because you have one Teacher,[fn] and you are all brothers and sisters.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as you are!

“Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors' sins!

“This is why I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.

“See, your house is left to you desolate.

“Pray that your escape may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.

“Therefore be alert, since you don't know what day[fn] your Lord is coming.

“The foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.'

While they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

“But I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.”

“teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember,[fn] I am with you always,[fn] to the end of the age.”

Right away Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were thinking like this within themselves and said to them, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?

“If any place does not welcome you or listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”[fn]

He answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written:

This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me.

He also said to them, “You have a fine way of invalidating God's command in order to set up[fn] your tradition!

“You nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other similar things.”

Aware of this, he said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact you have no bread? Don't you understand or comprehend? Do you have hardened hearts?

He replied to them, “You unbelieving generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.”

But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts.

“But it is not so among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant,

and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it.

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing.”[fn]

While they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me ​— ​one who is eating with me.”

Some soldiers also questioned him, “What should we do? ”

He said to them, “Don't take money from anyone by force or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

He began by saying to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.”

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”

But perceiving their thoughts, Jesus replied to them, “Why are you thinking this in your hearts?[fn]

Blessed are you when people hate you,

when they exclude you, insult you,

and slander your name as evil

because of the Son of Man.

“But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you,

“But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High. For he is gracious to the ungrateful and evil.

“Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure ​— ​pressed down, shaken together, and running over ​— ​will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

He said to them, “Where is your faith? ”

They were fearful and amazed, asking one another, “Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey him! ”

“If they do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”

Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and perverse[fn] generation, how long will I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

“Let these words sink in:[fn] The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.”

“Don't stop him,” Jesus told him, “because whoever is not against you is for you.”[fn]

“If a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.

“‘We are wiping off even the dust of your town that clings to our feet as a witness against you. Know this for certain: The kingdom of God has come near.'

“Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

“However, don't rejoice that[fn] the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

He also said to them, “Suppose one of you[fn] has a friend and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

“What father among you, if his son[fn] asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish?

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him? ”

“And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? For this reason they will be your judges.

But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and evil.

Then he said, “Woe also to you experts in the law! You load people with burdens that are hard to carry, and yet you yourselves don't touch these burdens with one of your fingers.

“Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

“Can any of you add one moment to his life span[fn] by worrying?

“For the Gentile world eagerly seeks all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

“Don't be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom.

But the Lord answered him and said, “Hypocrites! Doesn't each one of you untie his ox or donkey from the feeding trough on the Sabbath and lead it to water?

“See, your house is abandoned to you. I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when[fn] you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord'! ”

And to them, he said, “Which of you whose son or ox falls into a well, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day? ”

“For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn't first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?

“In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce[fn] all his possessions cannot be my disciple.

“What man among you, who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field[fn] and go after the lost one until he finds it?

And he told them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly admired by people is revolting in God's sight.

“Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to pass over from here to you cannot; neither can those from there cross over to us.'

“Which one of you having a servant tending sheep or plowing will say to him when he comes in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat'?

“no one will say,[fn] ‘See here! ' or ‘There! ' For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”[fn]

“Therefore make up your minds[fn] not to prepare your defense ahead of time,

“You will even be betrayed by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will kill some of you.

“but not a hair of your head will be lost.

“But when these things begin to take place, stand up and lift your heads, because your redemption is near.”

“Be on your guard, so that your minds are not dulled[fn] from carousing,[fn] drunkenness, and worries of life, or that day will come on you unexpectedly

“Listen,” he said to them, “when you've entered the city, a man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him into the house he enters.

Then he said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

“For who is greater, the one at the table or the one serving? Isn't it the one at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

“Every day while I was with you in the temple, you never laid a hand on me. But this is your hour ​— ​and the dominion of darkness.”

and said to them, “You have brought me this man as one who misleads the people. But in fact, after examining him in your presence, I have found no grounds to charge this man with those things you accuse him of.

But turning to them, Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and your children.

“Why are you troubled? ” he asked them. “And why do doubts arise in your hearts?

“I baptize with[fn] water,” John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don't know him.

“Don't you say, ‘There are still four more months, and then comes the harvest'? Listen to what I'm telling you: Open[fn] your eyes and look at the fields, because they are ready[fn] for harvest.

“Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope.

“Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.

“But there are some among you who don't believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning those who did not[fn] believe and the one who would betray him.)

Jesus replied to them, “Didn't I choose you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.”

“Didn't Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me? ”

Then Jesus said, “I am only with you for a short time. Then I'm going to the one who sent me.

When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Then he said to them again, “I'm going away; you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I'm going, you cannot come.”

“Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”

“I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the one who sent me is true, and what I have heard from him ​— ​these things I tell the world.”

“You're doing what your father does.”

“We weren't born of sexual immorality,” they said. “We have one Father ​— ​God.”

“You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature,[fn] because he is a liar and the father of lies.

“Who among you can convict me of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me?

“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.”

They asked them, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? How then does he now see? ”

“If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn't have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,' your sin remains.

Jesus answered them, “Isn't it written in your law,[fn] I said, you are gods?

“So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

“I'm not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen. But the Scripture must be fulfilled: The one who eats my bread[fn] has raised his heel against me.

When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in his spirit and testified, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

“Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so now I tell you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.'

“Don't let your heart be troubled. Believe[fn] in God; believe also in me.

Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time and you do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father'?

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor[fn] to be with you forever.

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don't let your heart be troubled or fearful.

“I will not talk with you much longer, because the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me.[fn]

“I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

“You did not choose me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.

“If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you.

“But I have told you these things so that when their time[fn] comes you will remember I told them to you. I didn't tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you.

“Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.

“So you also have sorrow[fn] now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.

“Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

“On that day you will ask in my name, and I am not telling you that I will ask the Father on your behalf.

Pilate told them, “You take him and judge him according to your law.”

“It's not legal for us to put anyone to death,” the Jews declared.

It was the preparation day for the Passover, and it was about noon.[fn] Then he told the Jews, “Here is your king! ”

“Don't cling to me,” Jesus told her, “since I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.

They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.”

“And it will be in the last days, says God,

that I will pour out my Spirit on all people;

then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,

your young men will see visions,

and your old men will dream dreams.

“Fellow Israelites, listen to these words: This Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through him, just as you yourselves know.

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

“By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. So the faith that comes through Jesus has given him this perfect health in front of all of you.

“Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out,

“Moses said:[fn] The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to everything he tells you.

“You are the sons[fn] of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors, saying to Abraham, And all the families of the earth will be blessed through your offspring.

“let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead ​— ​by him this man is standing here before you healthy.

Peter and John answered them, “Whether it's right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide;

“Didn't we strictly order you not to teach in this name? Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood.”

“Brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty.

“This is the Moses who said to the Israelites: God[fn] will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.

“You took up the tent of Moloch

and the star of your god Rephan,

the images that you made to worship.

So I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.

“You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit. As your ancestors did, you do also.

“Look, you scoffers,

marvel and vanish away,

because I am doing a work in your days,

a work that you will never believe,

even if someone were to explain it to you.”

“although he did not leave himself without a witness, since he did what is good by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons and filling you with food and your hearts with joy.”

“Since we have heard that some without our authorization went out from us and troubled you with their words and unsettled your hearts,[fn]

“For as I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed, ‘To an Unknown God.' Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.

When they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his clothes and told them, “Your blood is on your own heads! I am innocent.[fn] From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

As Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or of a serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you Jews.

When they came to him, he said to them, “You know, from the first day I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time,

“Men will rise up even from your own number and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them.

“other than this one statement I shouted while standing among them, ‘Today I am on trial before you concerning the resurrection of the dead.' ”

“I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore, I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this examination is over, I may have something to write.

“Now I urge you to take courage, because there will be no loss of any of your lives, but only of the ship.

“So I urge you to take some food. For this is for your survival, since none of you will lose a hair from your head.”

Disagreeing among themselves, they began to leave after Paul made one statement:[fn] “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your[fn] ancestors through the prophet Isaiah

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because the news of your faith[fn] is being reported in all the world.

that is, to be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey[fn] its desires.

I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh.[fn] For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification.

But now, since you have been set free from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which results in sanctification ​— ​and the outcome is eternal life!

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through[fn] his Spirit who lives in you.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.[fn]

If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Therefore, do not let your good be slandered,

My brothers and sisters, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.

whenever I travel to Spain.[fn] For I hope to see you when I pass through and to be assisted by you for my journey there, once I have first enjoyed your company for a while.

So when I have finished this and safely delivered the funds[fn] to them,[fn] I will visit you on the way to Spain.

May the God of peace be with all of you. Amen.

So you should welcome her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints and assist her in whatever matter she may require your help. For indeed she has been a benefactor of many ​— ​and of me also.

The report of your obedience has reached everyone. Therefore I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise about what is good, and yet innocent about what is evil.

I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus,

For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters, by members of Chloe's people, that there is rivalry among you.

Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective,[fn] not many powerful, not many of noble birth.

so that your faith might not be based on human wisdom but on God's power.

So let no one boast in human leaders, for everything is yours ​— ​

It is of little importance to me that I should be judged by you or by any human court.[fn] In fact, I don't even judge myself.

And you are arrogant! Shouldn't you be filled with grief and remove from your congregation the one who did this?

When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus, and I am with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus,

Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little leaven[fn] leavens the whole batch of dough?

God judges outsiders. Remove the evil person from among you.

If any of you has a dispute against another, how dare you take it to court before the unrighteous,[fn] and not before the saints?

Don't you know that your bodies are a part of Christ's body? So should I take a part of Christ's body and make it part of a prostitute? Absolutely not!

Don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

Do not deprive one another ​— ​except when you agree for a time, to devote yourselves to[fn] prayer. Then come together again; otherwise, Satan may tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

For the unbelieving husband is made holy by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy by the husband.[fn] Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is they are holy.

However, if you do get married, you have not sinned, and if a virgin[fn] marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have trouble in this life,[fn] and I am trying to spare you.

I am saying this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but to promote what is proper and so that you may be devoted to the Lord without distraction.

But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak.

If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you?

For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.

When you come together, then, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.

and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said,[fn] “This is my body, which is[fn] for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don't need you! ” Or again, the head can't say to the feet, “I don't need you! ”

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you;

Or did the word of God originate from you, or did it come to you only?

and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain, and so is your faith.[fn]

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord's work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

On the first day of the week, each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he is prospering, so that no collections will need to be made when I come.

Do everything in love.

For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore recognize such people.

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.

If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer.

while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our[fn] behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many.

just as you have partially understood us ​— ​that we are your reason for pride, just as you also are ours in the day of our[fn] Lord Jesus.

and to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and then come to you again from Macedonia and be helped by you on my journey to Judea.

I call on God as a witness, on my life, that it was to spare you that I did not come to Corinth.

I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn't have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident about all of you that my joy will also be yours.

I wrote for this purpose: to test your character to see if you are obedient in everything.

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some, letters of recommendation to you or from you?

For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus's sake.

Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your consciences.

We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us.

I am very frank with you; I have great pride in you. I am filled with encouragement; I am overflowing with joy in all our afflictions.

and not only by his arrival but also by the comfort he received from you. He told us about your deep longing, your sorrow, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.

So even though I wrote to you, it was not because of the one who did wrong, or because of the one who was wronged, but in order that your devotion to us might be made plain to you in the sight of God.

At the present time your surplus is available for their need, so that their abundance may in turn meet your need, in order that there may be equality.

Thanks be to God, who put the same concern for you into the heart of Titus.

Therefore, show them proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you.

For I know your eagerness, and I boast about you to the Macedonians, “Achaia has been ready since last year,” and your zeal has stirred up most of them.

Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance the generous gift you promised, so that it will be ready as a gift and not as an extortion.

Now the one who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will also provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

Because of the proof provided by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone.

And we are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

For if I boast a little too much about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be put to shame.

We, however, will not boast beyond measure but according to the measure of the area of ministry that God has assigned to us, which reaches even to you.

But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a sincere and pure[fn] devotion to Christ.

I robbed other churches by taking pay from them to minister to you.

I have been a fool; you forced it on me. You ought to have commended me, since I am not in any way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.

So in what way are you worse off than the other churches, except that I personally did not burden you? Forgive me for this wrong!

Have you been thinking all along that we were defending ourselves to you? No, in the sight of God we are speaking in Christ, and everything, dear friends, is for building you up.

We rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. We also pray that you become fully mature.[fn]

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice.[fn] Become mature, be encouraged,[fn] be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

I only want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by believing what you heard?[fn]

I beg you, brothers and sisters: Become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have not wronged me;

You did not despise or reject me though my physical condition was a trial for you.[fn] On the contrary, you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus himself.

Brothers and sisters, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed.

I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins

For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift ​— ​

For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles ​— ​

So, then, I ask you not to be discouraged over my afflictions on your behalf, for they are your glory.

and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love,

There is one body and one Spirit ​— ​just as you were called to one hope[fn] at your calling ​— ​

to be renewed[fn] in the spirit of your minds,

Be angry and do not sin. Don't let the sun go down on your anger,

No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need,[fn] so that it gives grace to those who hear.

Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice.

speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord,

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, because this is right.

Fathers, don't stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

And masters, treat your slaves the same way, without threatening them, because you know that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest,

I am sending him to you for this very reason, to let you know how we are and to encourage your hearts.

I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you,[fn]

Indeed, it is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart,[fn] and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment,

because I know this will lead to my salvation[fn] through your prayers and help from the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Since I am persuaded of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

But even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.

Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you.

But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus ​— ​my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need ​— ​

because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.

Let your graciousness[fn] be known to everyone. The Lord is near.

Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit[fn] that is increasing to your account.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.[fn]

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,

You learned this from Epaphras, our dearly loved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your[fn] behalf,

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for his body, that is, the church.

For I want you to know how greatly I am struggling for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person.

For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ.

And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses.

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth.

And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful.

Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they won't become discouraged.

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.

I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are[fn] and so that he may encourage your hearts.

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestling for you in his prayers, so that you can stand mature and fully assured[fn] in everything God wills.

I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.[fn]

We always thank God for all of you, making mention of you constantly in our prayers.

For the word of the Lord rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith[fn] in God has gone out. Therefore, we don't need to say anything,

and we didn't seek glory from people, either from you or from others.

As you know, like a father with his own children,

But as for us, brothers and sisters, after we were forced to leave you[fn] for a short time (in person, not in heart), we greatly desired and made every effort to return and see you face to face.

And we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker[fn] in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you concerning your faith,

For this reason, when I could no longer stand it, I also sent him to find out about your faith, fearing that the tempter had tempted you and that our labor might be for nothing.

How can we thank God for you in return for all the joy we experience before our God because of you,

May he make your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. Amen.[fn]

For this is God's will, your sanctification: that you keep away from sexual immorality,

to seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business,[fn] and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to give recognition to those who labor among you and lead you[fn] in the Lord and admonish you,

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, since your faith is flourishing and the love each one of you has for one another is increasing.

In view of this, we always pray for you that our God will make you worthy of his calling, and by his power fulfill your every desire to do good[fn] and your work produced by faith,

But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because from the beginning[fn] God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.

May the Lord direct your hearts to God's love and Christ's endurance.

we did not eat anyone's food free of charge; instead, we labored and toiled, working night and day, so that we would not be a burden to any of you.

May the Lord of peace himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

By professing it, some people have departed from the faith.

Grace be with you all.

The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.

All those who are with me send you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with all of you.

Meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, since I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

The grace of the Lord[fn] Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,

on the day of testing in the wilderness,

Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won't be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.

As it is said:

Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.

Therefore, since the promise to enter his rest remains, let us beware[fn] that none of you be found to have fallen short.[fn]

he again specifies a certain day ​— ​today. He specified this speaking through David after such a long time:

Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts.

Even though we are speaking this way, dearly loved friends, in your case we are confident of things that are better and that pertain to salvation.

For you sympathized with the prisoners[fn] and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, because you know that you yourselves have a better and enduring possession.[fn]

For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you won't grow weary and give up.

and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated[fn] but healed instead.

Remember your leaders who have spoken God's word to you. As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith.

Obey your leaders[fn] and submit to them, since they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who are from Italy send you greetings.

because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God ​— ​who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly ​— ​and it will be given to him.

Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent,[fn] humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

For if someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor person dressed in filthy clothes also comes in,

Yet you have dishonored the poor. Don't the rich oppress you and drag you into court?

and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don't give them what the body needs, what good is it?

But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don't boast and deny the truth.

What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don't they come from your passions that wage war within you?[fn]

You ask and don't receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Be miserable and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring ​— ​what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes.

But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

Come now, you rich people, weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you.

You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord's coming is near.

Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “yes” mean “yes,” and your “no” mean “no,” so that you won't fall under judgment.[fn]

so that the proven character of your faith ​— ​more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire ​— ​may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

If you appeal to the Father who judges impartially according to each one's work, you are to conduct yourselves in reverence during your time living as strangers.

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

Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles,[fn] so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.

For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

For you were like sheep going astray, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer[fn] of your souls.

when they observe your pure, reverent lives.

Husbands, in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker partner, showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

but in your hearts regard[fn] Christ[fn] the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.

They are surprised that you don't join them in the same flood of wild living ​— ​and they slander[fn] you.

Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler.[fn]

casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge,

Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, because if you do these things you will never stumble.

We also have the prophetic word strongly confirmed, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Dear friends, this is now the second letter I have written to you; in both letters, I want to stir up your sincere understanding by way of reminder,

These people are dangerous reefs[fn] at your love feasts as they eat with you without reverence. They are shepherds who only look after themselves. They are waterless clouds carried along by winds; trees in late autumn ​— ​fruitless, twice dead and uprooted.

But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

I, John, your brother and partner in the affliction, kingdom, and endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

“Don't be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will experience affliction for ten days. Be faithful to the point of death, and I will give you the crown[fn] of life.

“I will strike her children dead.[fn] Then all the churches will know that I am the one who examines minds and hearts, and I will give to each of you according to your works.

Rejoice over her, heaven,

and you saints, apostles, and prophets,

because God has pronounced on her the judgment she passed on you!