in whosecasethe godof thisworldhas blindedthe mindsof the unbelievingsothat they might not seethe lightof the gospelof the gloryof Christ,whois the imageof God.
"HE HAS BLINDEDTHEIR EYESAND HE HARDENEDTHEIR HEART,SOTHAT THEY WOULD NOT SEEWITH THEIR EYESAND PERCEIVEWITH THEIR HEART,AND BE CONVERTEDAND I HEALTHEM."
But their mindswere hardened;for untilthis verydayat the readingof the oldcovenantthe sameveilremainsunlifted,becauseit is removedin Christ.
to opentheir eyesso that they may turnfrom darknessto lightand from the dominionof Satanto God,that they may receiveforgivenessof sinsand an inheritanceamongthosewho have been sanctifiedby faithin Me.'
"Renderthe heartsof thispeopleinsensitive,Their earsdull,And their eyesdim,Otherwisethey might seewith their eyes,Hearwith their ears,Understandwith their hearts,And returnand be healed."
We knowthat we are of God,and that the wholeworldliesin [the power of] the evil one.
For God,who said,"Lightshall shineout of darkness,"is the One whohas shonein our heartsto give the Lightof the knowledgeof the gloryof Godin the faceof Christ.
in whichyou formerlywalkedaccordingto the courseof thisworld,accordingto the princeof the powerof the air,of the spiritthat is nowworkingin the sonsof disobedience.
For our struggleis not againstfleshand blood,but againstthe rulers,againstthe powers,againstthe world forcesof thisdarkness,againstthe spiritual[forces] of wickednessin the heavenly[places].
"Nowjudgmentis upon thisworld;nowthe rulerof thisworldwill be castout.
ThenJesusagainspoketo them, saying,"I amthe Lightof the world;he who followsMe will not walkin the darkness,but will havethe Lightof life."
SoJesussaidto them, "For a littlewhilelongerthe Lightis amongyou. Walkwhileyou havethe Light,sothat darknesswill not overtakeyou; he who walksin the darknessdoes not knowwherehe goes.
"I will not speakmuchmorewith you, for the rulerof the worldis coming,and he hasnothingin Me;
But we all,with unveiledface,beholding as in a mirrorthe gloryof the Lord,are being transformedinto the sameimagefrom gloryto glory,justas from the Lord,the Spirit.
to whomGodwilledto make knownwhatis the richesof the gloryof thismysteryamongthe Gentiles,whichis Christin you, the hopeof glory.
He is the imageof the invisibleGod,the firstbornof allcreation.
On the other hand,I am writinga newcommandmentto you, whichis true in Him and in you, becausethe darknessis passing awayand the true Lightis alreadyshining.
who,although He existedin the formof God,did not regardequalitywith Goda thing to be grasped,
And the Wordbecameflesh,and dweltamongus, and we sawHis glory,gloryas of the only begottenfrom the Father,fullof graceand truth.
And He is the radianceof His gloryand the exact representationof His nature,and upholdsall thingsby the wordof His power.When He had madepurificationof sins,He sat downat the right handof the Majestyon high,
lookingfor the blessedhopeand the appearingof the gloryof our greatGodand Savior,ChristJesus,
and concerningjudgment,becausethe rulerof thisworldhas been judged.
[So] we havethe propheticword[made] more sure,to whichyou dowellto pay attentionas to a lampshiningin a darkplace,untilthe daydawnsand the morning stararisesin your hearts.
For ifthat which fades away[was] with glory,muchmorethat which remains[is] in glory.
[No], but [I say] that the things whichthe Gentilessacrifice,they sacrificeto demonsand not to God;and I do not wantyou to becomesharersin demons.
"He who seesMe seesthe One who sentMe.
"IfI had not doneamongthem the workswhichno oneelsedid,they would not havesin;but nowthey have bothseenand hatedMe and My Fatheras well.
No onehas seenGodat any time;the only begottenGodwho is in the bosomof the Father,He has explained[Him].
Out of Zion,the perfectionof beauty,Godhas shoneforth.
accordingto the gloriousgospelof the blessedGod,with whichI have been entrusted.
"The LORDsaidto him, 'How?'And he said,'I will goout and be a deceivingspiritin the mouthof allhis prophets.'Then He said,'You are to entice[him] and alsoprevail.Goand doso.'
"And the one on whom seed was sownamongthe thorns,thisis the man who hearsthe word,and the worryof the worldand the deceitfulnessof wealthchokethe word,and it becomesunfruitful.
that the Christwas to suffer,[and] that by reasonof [His] resurrectionfrom the deadHe wouldbe the firstto proclaimlightbothto the [Jewish] peopleand to the Gentiles."
sothat noadvantage would be takenof us by Satan,for we are not ignorantof his schemes.
Nowwhen I cameto Troasfor the gospelof Christand when a doorwas openedfor me in the Lord,
who gaveHimselffor our sinssothat He might rescueus from thispresentevilage,accordingto the willof our Godand Father,
For in the case of thosewho have oncebeen enlightenedand have tastedof the heavenlygiftand have been madepartakersof the HolySpirit,
But the one who hateshis brotheris in the darknessand walksin the darkness,and does not knowwherehe is goingbecausethe darknesshas blindedhis eyes.
