But I am hard-pressedfrom both[directions], havingthe desireto departand be with Christ,for [that] is very muchbetter;
we are of good courage,I say, and preferratherto be absentfrom the bodyand to be at homewith the Lord.
As for me, I shall beholdYour facein righteousness;I will be satisfiedwith Your likenesswhen I awake.
And I hearda voicefrom heaven,saying,"Write,Blessedare the deadwho diein the Lordfrom nowon!'" "Yes,"saysthe Spirit,"sothat they may restfrom their labors,for their deedsfollowwith them."
They went on stoningStephenas he calledon [the Lord] and said,"LordJesus,receivemy spirit!"
And He saidto him, "TrulyI sayto you, todayyou shall be with Me in Paradise."
For I am alreadybeing poured out as a drink offering,and the timeof my departurehas come.
"Father,I desirethat they also,whomYou have givenMe, be with Me whereI am,sothat they may seeMy glorywhichYou have givenMe, for You lovedMe beforethe foundationof the world.
"IfanyoneservesMe, he must followMe; and whereI am,thereMy servantwill be also;ifanyoneservesMe, the Fatherwill honorhim.
But Godwill redeemmy soulfrom the powerof Sheol,For He will receiveme. Selah.
Thenwe who are aliveand remainwill be caughtup togetherwith them in the cloudsto meetthe Lordin the air,and sowe shall alwaysbe with the Lord.
"IfI goand preparea placefor you, I will comeagainand receiveyou to Myself,that whereI am,[there] you may be also.
"But I havea baptismto undergo,and howdistressedI am untilit is accomplished!
For thisreasonwe alsoconstantlythankGodthat when you receivedthe wordof Godwhichyou heardfrom us, you accepted[it] not [as] the wordof men,but [for] whatit reallyis, the wordof God,whichalsoperforms its workin you who believe.
Nowbeforethe Feastof the Passover,Jesusknowingthat His hourhad comethat He would departout of thisworldto the Father,having lovedHis ownwhowere in the world,He lovedthem to the end.
But the manfrom whomthe demonshad goneout was beggingHim that he might accompanyHim; but He sent him away,saying,
For you yourselvesknow,brethren,that our comingto you was not in vain,
You are not restrainedby us, but you are restrainedin your own affections.
Then Davidsaidto Gad,"I am in greatdistress.Let us nowfallinto the handof the LORDfor His merciesare great,but do not let me fallinto the handof man."
yetto remainon in the fleshis more necessaryfor your sake.
