holding fastthe wordof life,sothat in the dayof ChristI will have reason to glorybecauseI did not runin vainnortoilin vain.
I have proclaimedgladtidingsof righteousnessin the greatcongregation;Behold,I will not restrainmy lips,O LORD,You know.
O God,You have taughtme from my youth,And I stilldeclareYour wondrousdeeds.
But I said,"I have toiledin vain,I have spentMy strengthfor nothingand vanity;Yet surelythe justice[due] to Me is with the LORD,And My rewardwith My God."
"WhatI tellyou in the darkness,speakin the light;and whatyou hear[whispered] in [your] ear,proclaimupon the housetops.
"And I sayto you, everyonewhoconfessesMe beforemen,the Sonof Manwill confesshim alsobeforethe angelsof God;
"It is the Spiritwho gives life;the fleshprofitsnothing;the wordsthat I have spokento you are spiritand are life.
SimonPeteransweredHim, "Lord,to whomshall we go?You havewordsof eternallife.
"Brethren,sonsof Abraham'sfamily,and thoseamongyou who fearGod,to us the messageof thissalvationhas been sent.
whowill alsoconfirmyou to the end,blamelessin the dayof our LordJesusChrist.
ThereforeI runin sucha way,as not without aim;I boxin such a way,as not beatingthe air;
justas you alsopartiallydid understandus, that we are your reason to be proudas you alsoare ours,in the dayof our LordJesus.
It was becauseof a revelationthat I wentup; and I submittedto them the gospelwhichI preachamongthe Gentiles,but [I did so] in privateto thosewho were of reputation,for fearthat I might be running,orhad run,in vain.
I fearfor you, that perhapsI have laboredoveryou in vain.
sothat you may approvethe things that are excellent,in orderto be sincereand blamelessuntilthe dayof Christ;
[For I am] confidentof thisvery thing,that He who begana goodworkin you will perfectit untilthe dayof ChristJesus.
For whois our hopeorjoyorcrownof exultation?Is it not evenyou, in the presenceof our LordJesusat His coming?
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.
For the wordof Godis livingand activeand sharperthananytwo-edgedsword,and piercingas faras the divisionof souland spirit,of bothjointsand marrow,and able to judgethe thoughtsand intentionsof the heart.
for you have been born againnot of seedwhich is perishablebut imperishable,[that is], throughthe livingand enduringwordof God.
Whatwas from the beginning,whatwe have heard,whatwe have seenwith our eyes,whatwe have lookedat and touchedwith our hands,concerningthe Wordof Life--
The Spiritand the bridesay,"Come."And let the one who hearssay,"Come."And let the one who is thirstycome;let the one who wishestakethe waterof lifewithout cost.
