"I alsosayto you that you are Peter,and upon thisrockI will buildMy church;and the gatesof Hadeswill not overpowerit.
Thereforethussaysthe LordGOD,"Behold,I am layingin Ziona stone,a testedstone,A costlycornerstone[for] the foundation,firmlyplaced.He who believes[in it] will not be disturbed.
He is alsoheadof the body,the church;and He is the beginning,the firstbornfrom the dead,sothat He Himselfwill cometo have first placein everything.
He broughthim to Jesus.Jesuslookedat him and said,"You are Simonthe sonof John;you shall be calledCephas"(whichis translatedPeter).
Therefore,since we receivea kingdomwhich cannot be shaken,let us showgratitude,by whichwe may offerto Godan acceptableservicewith reverenceand awe;
praisingGodand havingfavorwith allthe people.And the Lordwas addingto their numberday by daythosewho were being saved.
but in caseI am delayed,[I write] sothat you will knowhowone oughtto conducthimself in the householdof God,whichis the churchof the livingGod,the pillarand supportof the truth.
"Noweaponthat is formedagainstyou will prosper;And everytonguethat accusesyou in judgmentyou will condemn.Thisis the heritageof the servantsof the LORD,And their vindicationis from Me," declaresthe LORD.
Thismysteryis great;but I am speakingwith referenceto Christand the church.
sothat the manifoldwisdomof Godmight nowbe made knownthroughthe churchto the rulersand the authoritiesin the heavenly[places].
Wisdomis [too] exaltedfor a fool,He does not openhis mouthin the gate.
"Have the gatesof deathbeen revealedto you, Or have you seenthe gatesof deepdarkness?
And the wallof the cityhadtwelvefoundation stones,and on them [were] the twelvenamesof the twelveapostlesof the Lamb.
Saulwas in hearty agreementwith putting him to death.And on that daya greatpersecutionbeganagainstthe churchin Jerusalem,and they were allscatteredthroughoutthe regionsof Judeaand Samaria,exceptthe apostles.
Be graciousto me, O LORD;Seemy afflictionfrom those who hateme, You who liftme up from the gatesof death,
(but ifa mandoes not know howto managehis ownhousehold,howwill he take careof the churchof God?),
and recognizingthe gracethat had been givento me, Jamesand Cephasand John,who were reputedto be pillars,gaveto me and Barnabasthe right handof fellowship,sothat we [might] [go] to the Gentilesand they to the circumcised.
"Ifhe refusesto listento them, tellit to the church;and ifhe refuses to listenevento the church,let him be to you as a Gentileand a tax collector.
"And you, Capernaum,will not be exaltedto heaven,will you? You will descendto Hades;for ifthe miracleshad occurredin Sodomwhich occurredin you, it would have remainedto this day.
Nowthe namesof the twelveapostlesare these:The first,Simon,who is calledPeter,and Andrewhis brother;and Jamesthe son of Zebedee,and Johnhis brother;
Those who sitin the gatetalkabout me, And I [am] the songof the drunkards.
indeedI will greatlyblessyou, and I will greatlymultiplyyour seedas the starsof the heavensand as the sandwhichis on the seashore;and your seedshall possessthe gateof their enemies.
Thenthe seventhangelsounded;and there were loudvoicesin heaven,saying,"The kingdomof the worldhas become[the kingdom] of our Lordand of His Christ;and He will reignforeverand ever."
"O DEATH,WHEREIS YOUR VICTORY?O DEATH,WHEREIS YOUR STING?"
I said,"In the middleof my lifeI am to enterthe gatesof Sheol;I am to be deprivedof the restof my years."
A spiritof justicefor him who sitsin judgment,A strengthto those who repelthe onslaughtat the gate.
Their soulabhorredallkinds of food,And they drewnearto the gatesof death.
Then the kingsaidto them, "Whateverseemsbestto you I will do."So the kingstoodbesidethe gate,and allthe peoplewentout by hundredsand thousands.
How blessedis the manwhosequiveris fullof them; They will not be ashamedWhenthey speakwith their enemiesin the gate.
"Manytimesthey have persecutedme from my youthup; Yetthey have not prevailedagainst me.
"I descendedto the rootsof the mountains.The earthwith its bars[was] aroundme forever,But You have broughtup my lifefrom the pit,O LORDmy God.
Now as Jesus was walkingby the Seaof Galilee,He sawtwobrothers,Simonwho was calledPeter,and Andrewhis brother,castinga netinto the sea;for they were fishermen.
"Thereforeeveryonewhohearsthesewordsof Mineand actson them, may be comparedto a wisemanwhobuilthis houseon the rock.
"Be on guardfor yourselvesand for allthe flock,amongwhichthe HolySpirithas madeyou overseers,to shepherdthe churchof GodwhichHe purchasedwith His ownblood.
