Sothe churchthroughoutallJudeaand Galileeand Samariaenjoyedpeace,being builtup; and goingon in the fearof the Lordand in the comfortof the HolySpirit,it continued to increase.
"Is not the LORDyour Godwith you? And has He not givenyou reston everyside?For He has giventhe inhabitantsof the landinto my hand,and the landis subduedbeforethe LORDand beforeHis people.
Behold,a sonwill be bornto you, whoshall be a manof rest;and I will givehim restfrom allhis enemieson everyside;for his nameshall be Solomon,and I will givepeaceand quietto Israelin his days.
But the formergovernorswhowere beforeme laidburdenson the peopleand tookfrom them breadand winebesidesfortyshekelsof silver;eventheir servantsdomineeredthe people.But I did not dosobecauseof the fearof God.
Again I said,"The thingwhichyou are doingis not good;should you not walkin the fearof our Godbecauseof the reproachof the nations,our enemies?
"And to manHe said,'Behold,the fearof the Lord,that is wisdom;And to departfrom evilis understanding.'"
The fearof the LORDis the beginningof wisdom;A goodunderstandinghave allthose who do[His commandments]; His praiseenduresforever.
Teachme Your way,O LORD;I will walkin Your truth;Unitemy heartto fearYour name.
That You may granthim relieffrom the daysof adversity,Untila pitis dugfor the wicked.
The fearof the LORDis the beginningof knowledge;Foolsdespisewisdomand instruction.
Do not let your heartenvysinners,But [live] in the fearof the LORDalways.
"The fearof the LORDis to hateevil;Prideand arroganceand the evilwayAnd the pervertedmouth,I hate.
Then in that dayThe nationswill resortto the rootof Jesse,Whowill standas a signalfor the peoples;And His restingplacewill be glorious.
And He will be the stabilityof your times,A wealthof salvation,wisdomand knowledge;The fearof the LORDis his treasure.
"Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,'[It will] yet[be] that peopleswill come,even the inhabitantsof manycities.
But the wordof the Lordcontinued to growand to be multiplied.
Sothe churcheswere being strengthenedin the faith,and were increasingin numberdaily.
praisingGodand havingfavorwith allthe people.And the Lordwas addingto their numberday by daythosewho were being saved.
"And nowI commendyou to Godand to the wordof His grace,which is ableto build[you] up and to give[you] the inheritanceamongallthosewho are sanctified.
And greatfearcameoverthe wholechurch,and overallwho heardof these things.
The wordof Godkept on spreading;and the numberof the disciplescontinued to increasegreatlyin Jerusalem,and a greatmanyof the priestswere becoming obedientto the faith.
Saulwas in hearty agreementwith putting him to death.And on that daya greatpersecutionbeganagainstthe churchin Jerusalem,and they were allscatteredthroughoutthe regionsof Judeaand Samaria,exceptthe apostles.
for the kingdomof Godis not eatingand drinking,but righteousnessand peaceand joyin the HolySpirit.
So thenwe pursuethe things which make for peaceand the buildingup of one another.
Nowmay the Godof hopefillyou with alljoyand peacein believing,sothat you will aboundin hopeby the powerof the HolySpirit.
and hopedoes not disappoint,becausethe loveof Godhas been pouredout withinour heartsthroughthe HolySpiritwho was givento us.
Soalsoyou, sinceyou are zealousof spiritual[gifts], seekto aboundfor the edificationof the church.
Whatis [the outcome] then,brethren?Whenyou assemble,each onehasa psalm,hasa teaching,hasa revelation,hasa tongue,hasan interpretation.Let all thingsbe donefor edification.
For evenifI boastsomewhatfurtheraboutour authority,whichthe Lordgavefor buildingyou up and not for destroyingyou, I will not be put to shame,
All this timeyou have been thinkingthat we are defendingourselves to you. [Actually], it is in the sightof Godthat we have been speakingin Christ;and allfor your upbuilding,beloved.
For thisreasonI am writingthese thingswhile absent,sothat when presentI [need] not useseverity,in accordancewith the authoritywhichthe Lordgaveme for buildingup and not for tearing down.
Therefore,havingthesepromises,beloved,let us cleanseourselvesfrom alldefilementof fleshand spirit,perfectingholinessin the fearof God.
for the equippingof the saintsfor the workof service,to the buildingup of the bodyof Christ;
from whomthe wholebody,being fittedand held togetherby whateveryjointsupplies,accordingto the properworkingof eachindividualpart,causesthe growthof the bodyfor the buildingup of itselfin love.
Let nounwholesomewordproceedfrom your mouth,but onlysuch[a word] as is goodfor edificationaccording to the need[of the moment], sothat it will givegraceto thosewho hear.
and be subjectto one anotherin the fearof Christ.
"When you crossthe Jordanand livein the landwhichthe LORDyour Godis giving you to inherit,and He givesyou restfrom allyour enemiesaround[you] so that you livein security,
Thereforeifthere is anyencouragementin Christ,ifthere is anyconsolationof love,ifthere is anyfellowshipof the Spirit,ifanyaffectionand compassion,
so that you will walkin a manner worthyof the Lord,to please[Him] in allrespects,bearing fruitin everygoodworkand increasingin the knowledgeof God;
Thereforeencourageone anotherand buildup oneanother,justas you alsoare doing.
norto pay attentionto mythsand endlessgenealogies,whichgive riseto mere speculationratherthan[furthering] the administrationof Godwhich is by faith.
Sothere remainsa Sabbath restfor the peopleof God.
And the LORDgavethem reston everyside,according to allthat He had swornto their fathers,and nooneof alltheir enemiesstoodbeforethem; the LORDgavealltheir enemiesinto their hand.
But you, beloved,buildingyourselvesup on your mostholyfaith,prayingin the HolySpirit,
So Moabwas subduedthat dayunderthe handof Israel.And the landwas undisturbedfor eightyyears.
