ifindeedyou continuein the faithfirmly establishedand steadfast,and not moved awayfrom the hopeof the gospelthat you have heard,which was proclaimedin allcreationunderheaven,and of whichI, Paul,was madea minister.
But as for those who turnasideto their crookedways,The LORDwill leadthem away with the doersof iniquity.Peacebe upon Israel.
You will pursuethem in angerand destroythem From underthe heavensof the LORD!
"When a righteousmanturnsawayfrom his righteousness,commitsiniquityand diesbecauseof it, for his iniquitywhichhe has committedhe will die.
And those who have turnedbackfrom followingthe LORD,And those whohave not soughtthe LORDor inquiredof Him."
And He saidto them, "Gointo allthe worldand preachthe gospelto allcreation.
but I have prayedfor you, that your faithmay not fail;and you, when onceyou have turned again,strengthenyour brothers."
he is likea manbuildinga house,whodugdeepand laida foundationon the rock;and when a floodoccurred,the torrentburst againstthat houseand couldnot shakeit, becauseit had been wellbuilt.
"Ifanyonedoes not abidein Me, he is thrownawayas a branchand driesup; and they gatherthem, and castthem into the fireand they are burned.
"For he was countedamongus and receivedhis sharein thisministry."
to occupythisministryand apostleshipfrom whichJudasturned asideto goto his ownplace."
but you will receivepowerwhen the HolySpirithas comeupon you; and you shall be My witnessesbothin Jerusalem,and in allJudeaand Samaria,and evento the remotest partof the earth."
Then when he arrivedand witnessedthe graceof God,he rejoicedand [began] to encouragethem allwith resoluteheartto remain[true] to the Lord;
strengtheningthe soulsof the disciples,encouragingthem to continuein the faith,and [saying], "Throughmanytribulationswe mustenterthe kingdomof God."
Nowthere were Jewslivingin Jerusalem,devoutmenfrom everynationunderheaven.
"But I do not considermy lifeof anyaccountas dearto myself,sothat I may finishmy courseand the ministrywhichI receivedfrom the LordJesus,to testify solemnlyof the gospelof the graceof God.
But getup and standon your feet;for thispurpose I have appearedto you, to appointyou a ministerand a witnessnot onlyto the things whichyou have seen,but alsoto the things in whichI will appearto you;
"And there is salvationin nooneelse;for there is noothernameunderheaventhat has been givenamongmenby whichwe mustbe saved."
But I say,surely they have neverheard,have they? Indeedthey have; "THEIR VOICEHAS GONEOUT INTO ALLTHE EARTH,AND THEIR WORDSTO THE ENDSOF THE WORLD."
to be a ministerof ChristJesusto the Gentiles,ministering as a priestthe gospelof God,sothat [my] offeringof the Gentilesmay becomeacceptable,sanctifiedby the HolySpirit.
to thosewho by perseverancein doinggoodseekfor gloryand honorand immortality,eternallife;
and hopedoes not disappoint,becausethe loveof Godhas been pouredout withinour heartsthroughthe HolySpiritwho was givento us.
Therefore,my belovedbrethren,be steadfast,immovable,alwaysaboundingin the workof the Lord,knowingthat your toilis not [in] vainin the Lord.
Whatthenis Apollos?And whatis Paul?Servantsthroughwhomyou believed,evenas the Lordgave[opportunity] to each one.
NowI, Paul,myselfurgeyou by the meeknessand gentlenessof Christ--I whoam meekwhen face to facewith you, but boldtowardyou when absent!
Are they servantsof Christ?--I speakas if insane--I more so;in far morelabors,in far moreimprisonments,beatentimes without number,oftenin danger of death.
whoalsomade us adequate[as] servantsof a newcovenant,not of the letterbut of the Spirit;for the letterkills,but the Spiritgives life.
Therefore,since we havethisministry,as we received mercy,we do not lose heart,
And working together[with Him], we alsourgeyou not to receivethe graceof Godin vain--
I fearfor you, that perhapsI have laboredoveryou in vain.
For we through the Spirit,by faith,are waitingfor the hopeof righteousness.
You were runningwell;whohinderedyou from obeyingthe truth?
Let us not lose heartin doinggood,for in duetimewe will reapif we do not grow weary.
[I pray that] the eyesof your heartmay be enlightened,sothat you will knowwhatis the hopeof His calling,whatare the richesof the gloryof His inheritancein the saints,
in whomthe wholebuilding,being fitted together,is growinginto a holytemplein the Lord,
so that Christmay dwellin your heartsthroughfaith;[and] that you, being rootedand groundedin love,
from whomthe wholebody,being fittedand held togetherby whateveryjointsupplies,accordingto the properworkingof eachindividualpart,causesthe growthof the bodyfor the buildingup of itselfin love.
ThisdayI will beginto putthe dreadand fearof you upon the peopleseverywhereunderthe heavens,who,when they hearthe reportof you, will trembleand be in anguishbecauseof you.'
"And [beware] not to liftup your eyesto heavenand seethe sunand the moonand the stars,allthe hostof heaven,and be drawnawayand worshipthem and servethem, those whichthe LORDyour Godhas allottedto allthe peoplesunderthe wholeheaven.
Of [this church] I was madea ministeraccordingto the stewardshipfrom Godbestowedon me for your benefit,so that I might fully carryout the [preaching of] the wordof God,
having been firmly rooted[and now] being builtup in Him and establishedin your faith,justas you were instructed,[and] overflowingwith gratitude.
so that no onewould be disturbedby theseafflictions;for you yourselvesknowthat we have been destinedfor this.
For thisreason,when I could endure[it] no longer,I alsosentto findout about your faith,for fearthat the temptermight have temptedyou, and our laborwould be in vain.
But since we are of [the] day,let us be sober,having puton the breastplateof faithand love,and as a helmet,the hopeof salvation.
Nowmay our LordJesusChristHimselfand Godour Father,who has lovedus and givenus eternalcomfortand goodhopeby grace,
I thankChristJesusour Lord,who has strengthenedme, becauseHe consideredme faithful,puttingme into service,
For thisI was appointeda preacherand an apostle(I am tellingthe truth,I am not lying)as a teacherof the Gentilesin faithand truth.
By common confession,greatis the mysteryof godliness:He whowas revealedin the flesh,Was vindicatedin the Spirit,Seenby angels,Proclaimedamongthe nations,Believedon in the world,Takenup in glory.
sothat being justifiedby His gracewe would be madeheirsaccordingto [the] hopeof eternallife.
BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONESHALL LIVEBY FAITH;AND IFHE SHRINKS BACK,MY SOULHASNOPLEASUREIN HIM.
For we have becomepartakersof Christ,ifwe hold fastthe beginningof our assurancefirmuntilthe end,
but Christ[was faithful] as a SonoverHis house--whosehousewe are, ifwe hold fastour confidenceand the boastof our hopefirmuntilthe end.
Therefore,since we havea greathigh priestwhohas passed throughthe heavens,Jesusthe Sonof God,let us hold fastour confession.
Thishope we haveas an anchorof the soul,a [hope] bothsureand steadfastand one which enterswithinthe veil,
Blessedbe the Godand Fatherof our LordJesusChrist,who accordingto His greatmercyhas caused us to be born againto a livinghopethroughthe resurrectionof JesusChristfrom the dead,
who are protectedby the powerof Godthroughfaithfor a salvationreadyto be revealedin the lasttime.
As for you, the anointingwhichyou receivedfrom Him abidesin you, and you havenoneedfor anyoneto teachyou; but as His anointingteachesyou aboutall things,and is true and is not a lie,and justas it has taughtyou, you abidein Him.
Do not fearwhatyou are aboutto suffer.Behold,the devilis aboutto castsome of you into prison,sothat you will be tested,and you will havetribulationfor tendays.Be faithfuluntildeath,and I will giveyou the crownof life.
