which has come to you, just as also in all the world, and is bearing fruit and growing, just as also among you, from the day which you heard and fully knew the grace of God in truth;
But other seed fell on good ground and it was yielding fruit coming up and growing, and it was producing--some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."
You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you may ask the Father in My name He may give to you.
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
And a certain woman named Lydia, a dealer of purple cloth of the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God, heard us, whose heart the Lord opened to give heed to the things spoken by Paul.
to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the authority of Satan to God, in order for them to receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'
Now I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that often I planned to come to you (and I was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.
in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
(14:25) but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the eternal God, for obedience to the faith--
if indeed you continue in the faith, having been founded and firm and not drifting away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was proclaimed to all creation under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, just as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.
Because of this we also give thanks to God unceasingly, so that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you received not the word of men, but just as it truly is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe.
But we are obligated to give thanks to God always for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth,
By Silvanus the faithful brother, as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying this to be the true grace of God in which you stand.