John 3:1-21      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
The New Birth

       1.Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;  2.this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”  3.Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

       4.Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”  5.Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  6.“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  7.“Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’  8.“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

       9.Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?”  10.Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?  11.“Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony.  12.“If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?  13.“No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.  14.“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;  15.so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

       16.“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  17.“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.  18.“He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  19.“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.  20.“For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.  21.“But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

Acts 4:1-12      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
Peter and John Arrested

       1.As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them,  2.being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.  3.And they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening.  4.But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

       5.On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem;  6.and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent.  7.When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”  8.Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people,  9.if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well,  10.let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health.  11.“He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone.  12.“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

John 14:1-15      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
Jesus Comforts His Disciples

       1.“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.  2.“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.  3.“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.  4.“And you know the way where I am going.”  5.Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?”  6.Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Oneness with the Father

       7.“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

       8.Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”  9.Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  10.“Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.  11.“Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.  12.“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.  13.“Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  14.“If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

       15.“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

Isaiah 9:1-7      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Hebrew Interlinear  
Birth and Reign of the Prince of Peace

       1.But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

       2.The people who walk in darkness
          Will see a great light;
          Those who live in a dark land,
          The light will shine on them.
       3.You shall multiply the nation,
          You shall increase their gladness;
          They will be glad in Your presence
          As with the gladness of harvest,
          As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
       4.For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders,
          The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.
       5.For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult,
          And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.
       6.For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
          And the government will rest on His shoulders;
          And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
          Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
       7.There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
          On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
          To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
          From then on and forevermore.
          The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.  

       33.When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.  34.But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.  35.And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.”  36.The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine,  37.and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!”  38.Now there was also an inscription above Him, “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

       39.One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!”  40.But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?  41.“And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”  42.And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!”  43.And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

       44.It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour,  45.because the sun was obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two.  46.And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT.” Having said this, He breathed His last.  47.Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent.”  48.And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, when they observed what had happened, began to return, beating their breasts.  49.And all His acquaintances and the women who accompanied Him from Galilee were standing at a distance, seeing these things.

       1.I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.  2.And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?”  3.And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it.  4.Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it;  5.and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”

       6.And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.  7.And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.  8.When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  9.And they sang a new song, saying,

 “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with
 Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
 10.“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

Angels Exalt the Lamb

       11.Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures
 and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,  12.saying
 with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”
13.And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”

14.And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

Romans 3:21-31      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
Justification by Faith

       21.But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,  22.even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;  23.for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  24.being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;  25.whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;  26.for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

       27.Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.  28.For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.  29.Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,  30.since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.

       31.Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.

Hebrews 4      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
The Believer’s Rest

       1.Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.  2.For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

3.For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said,
           “AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH,
           THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST,”
           although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.

4.For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS”;  5.and again in this passage, “THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.”  6.Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience,

7.He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before,
           “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,
           DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.”

8.For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that.  9.So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.  10.For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.  11.Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.  12.For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  13.And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

       14.Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  15.For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  16.Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

1 Timothy 2:1-8      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
A Call to Prayer

       1.First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,  2.for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.  3.This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,  4.who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  5.For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,  6.who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.  7.For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

       8.Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.

Luke 18:9-17      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
The Pharisee and the Publican

       9.And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:  10.“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  11.“The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  12.‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’  13.“But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’  14.“I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

       15.And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them.  16.But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  17.“Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”

Matthew 21:28-32      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
Parable of Two Sons

       28.“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’  29.“And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went.  30.“The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go.  31.“Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.  32.“For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.

1 Samuel 16:1-11      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Hebrew Interlinear  
Samuel Goes to Bethlehem

       1.Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have selected a king for Myself among his sons.”  2.But Samuel said, “How can I go? When Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’  3.“You shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one whom I designate to you.”  4.So Samuel did what the LORD said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “Do you come in peace?”  5.He said, “In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

       6.When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’S anointed is before Him.”  7.But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”  8.Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.”  9.Next Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.”  10.Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.”  11.And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the children?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.”

Ephesians 2      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
Made Alive in Christ

       1.And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,  2.in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.  3.Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.  4.But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,  5.even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),  6.and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  7.so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  8.For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  9.not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.  10.For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

       11.Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands—  12.remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  13.But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  14.For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,  15.by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,  16.and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.  17.AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR;  18.for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.  19.So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,  20.having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,  21.in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,  22.in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Matthew 13:47-58      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
A Dragnet

       47.“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind;  48.and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away.  49.“So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous,  50.and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

       51.“Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes.”  52.And Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”

Jesus Revisits Nazareth

       53.When Jesus had finished these parables, He departed from there.  54.He came to His hometown and began teaching them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?  55.“Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?  56.“And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”  57.And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.”  58.And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

Romans 8:1-25      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
Deliverance from Bondage

       1.Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  2.For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.  3.For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,  4.so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  5.For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.  6.For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,  7.because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,  8.and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

       9.However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.  10.If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.  11.But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

       12.So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—  13.for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  14.For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.  15.For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”  16.The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,  17.and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

       18.For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  19.For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.  20.For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope  21.that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  22.For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.  23.And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.  24.For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?  25.But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

Matthew 7      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
Judging Others

       1.“Do not judge so that you will not be judged.  2.“For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.  3.“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  4.“Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?  5.“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

       6.“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Prayer and the Golden Rule

       7.“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  8.“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  9.“Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?  10.“Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?  11.“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

       12.“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. 

The Narrow and Wide Gates

       13.“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  14.“For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

A Tree and Its Fruit

       15.“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  16.“You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?  17.“So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.  18.“A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.  19.“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  20.“So then, you will know them by their fruits.

       21.“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.  22.“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’  23.“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

The Two Foundations

       24.“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.  25.“And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.  26.“Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  27.“The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

       28.When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching;  29.for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

       25.“There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves,  26.men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  27.“Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory.  28.“But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

       29.Then He told them a parable: “Behold the fig tree and all the trees;  30.as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  31.“So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near.  32.“Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place.  33.“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

       34.“Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap;  35.for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth.  36.“But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

       37.Now during the day He was teaching in the temple, but at evening He would go out and spend the night on the mount that is called Olivet.  38.And all the people would get up early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.

       13.“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

       14.“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;  15.nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  16.“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

       17.“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.  18.“For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.  19.“Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

       20.“For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

       24.“But in those days, after that tribulation, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT,  25.AND THE STARS WILL BE FALLING from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken.  26.“Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory.  27.“And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.

       28.“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.  29.“Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door.  30.“Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.  31.“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.  32.“But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

       33.“Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.  34.“It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert.  35.“Therefore, be on the alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—  36.in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep.  37.“What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’”

2 Corinthians 11      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
Paul Defends His Apostleship

       1.I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me.  2.For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.  3.But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.  4.For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.  5.For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles.  6.But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things.

       7.Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?  8.I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you;  9.and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so.  10.As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.  11.Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

       12.But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting.  13.For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.  14.No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.  15.Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

       16.Again I say, let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little.  17.What I am saying, I am not saying as the Lord would, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.  18.Since many boast according to the flesh, I will boast also.  19.For you, being so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly.  20.For you tolerate it if anyone enslaves you, anyone devours you, anyone takes advantage of you, anyone exalts himself, anyone hits you in the face.  21.To my shame I must say that we have been weak by comparison.
       But in whatever respect anyone else is bold—I speak in foolishness—I am just as bold myself.  22.Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.  23.Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death.  24.Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes.  25.Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.  26.I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren;  27.I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.  28.Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.  29.Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?

       30.If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness.  31.The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.  32.In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me,  33.and I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands.

Galatians 1      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
Introduction

       1.Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead),  2.and all the brethren who are with me,
       To the churches of Galatia:

       3.Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,  4.who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,  5.to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.

Perversion of the Gospel

       6.I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;  7.which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.  8.But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!  9.As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

       10.For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

Paul Defends His Ministry

       11.For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.  12.For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

       13.For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it;  14.and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.  15.But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased  16.to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood,  17.nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.

       18.Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days.  19.But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.  20.(Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.)  21.Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.  22.I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ;  23.but only, they kept hearing, “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy.”  24.And they were glorifying God because of me.

2 Thessalonians 2      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
Man of Lawlessness

       1.Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,  2.that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.  3.Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,  4.who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.  5.Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?  6.And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.  7.For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.  8.Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;  9.that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,  10.and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.  11.For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false,  12.in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

       13.But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.  14.It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.  15.So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.

       16.Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace,  17.comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.

The word apostasy comes directly from the Greek Word: ἀποστασία, apostasía (from aphístemi, "leave, depart," which is derived from apó, "away from" and histémi, "stand") – properly, departure (implying desertion); apostasy – literally, "a leaving, from a previous standing."

       9.“When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations.  10.“There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,  11.or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.  12.“For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you.  13.“You shall be blameless before the LORD your God.  14.“For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do so.

       15.“The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.  16.“This is according to all that you asked of the LORD your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.’  17.“The LORD said to me, ‘They have spoken well.  18.‘I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.  19.‘It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.  20.‘But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’  21.“You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’  22.“When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

       25.At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.  26.“Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.  27.“All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

       28.“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  29.“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.  30.“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

       1.The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem,  2.and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed.
3.(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders;  4.and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.)  5.The Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?”

6.And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
          ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,
          BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

       7.‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME,
          TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’

8.“Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.”

       9.He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.  10.“For Moses said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER’; and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH’;  11.but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),’  12.you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother;  13.thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”

Jeremiah 17:1-18      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Hebrew Interlinear    
The Deceitful Heart
       1.The sin of Judah is written down with an iron stylus;
          With a diamond point it is engraved upon the tablet of their heart
          And on the horns of their altars,
       2.As they remember their children,
          So they remember their altars and their Asherim
          By green trees on the high hills.
       3.O mountain of Mine in the countryside,
          I will give over your wealth and all your treasures for booty,
          Your high places for sin throughout your borders.
       4.And you will, even of yourself, let go of your inheritance
          That I gave you;
          And I will make you serve your enemies
          In the land which you do not know;
          For you have kindled a fire in My anger
          Which will burn forever.

       5.Thus says the LORD,
          “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind
          And makes flesh his strength,
          And whose heart turns away from the LORD.
       6.“For he will be like a bush in the desert
          And will not see when prosperity comes,
          But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness,
          A land of salt without inhabitant.
       7.“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD
          And whose trust is the LORD.
       8.“For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
          That extends its roots by a stream
          And will not fear when the heat comes;
          But its leaves will be green,
          And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
          Nor cease to yield fruit.

       9.“The heart is more deceitful than all else
          And is desperately sick;
          Who can understand it?
       10.“I, the LORD, search the heart,
           I test the mind,
           Even to give to each man according to his ways,
           According to the results of his deeds.
       11.“As a partridge that hatches eggs which it has not laid,
           So is he who makes a fortune, but unjustly;
           In the midst of his days it will forsake him,
           And in the end he will be a fool.”

       12.A glorious throne on high from the beginning
           Is the place of our sanctuary.
       13.O LORD, the hope of Israel,
           All who forsake You will be put to shame.
           Those who turn away on earth will be written down,
           Because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the LORD.
       14.Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed;
           Save me and I will be saved,
           For You are my praise.
       15.Look, they keep saying to me,
           “Where is the word of the LORD?
           Let it come now!”
       16.But as for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd after You,
           Nor have I longed for the woeful day;
           You Yourself know that the utterance of my lips
           Was in Your presence.
       17.Do not be a terror to me;
           You are my refuge in the day of disaster.
       18.Let those who persecute me be put to shame, but as for me, let me not be put to shame;
           Let them be dismayed, but let me not be dismayed.
           Bring on them a day of disaster,
           And crush them with twofold destruction!

Matthew 24:1-31      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
Signs of Christ’s Return

       1.Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him.  2.And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”

       3.As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

       4.And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.  5.“For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.  6.“You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.  7.“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.  8.“But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

       9.“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.  10.“At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.  11.“Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.  12.“Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.  13.“But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.  14.“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Perilous Times

       15.“Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),  16.then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.  17.“Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house.  18.“Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak.  19.“But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  20.“But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath.  21.“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.  22.“Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.  23.“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him.  24.“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.  25.“Behold, I have told you in advance.  26.“So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them.  27.“For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.  28.“Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

The Glorious Return

29.“But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  30.“And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory.  31.“And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

       22.At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem;  23.it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon.  24.The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”  25.Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me.  26.“But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep.  27.“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;  28.and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.  29.“My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.  30.“I and the Father are one.”

       31.The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him.  32.Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?”  33.The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.”  34.Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law, ‘I SAID, YOU ARE GODS’?  35.“If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken),  36.do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?  37.“If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;  38.but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.”  39.Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.

       40.And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there.  41.Many came to Him and were saying, “While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this man was true.”  42.Many believed in Him there.

Isaiah 43:8-13      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Hebrew Interlinear  
Israel Is God’s Witness
       8.Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes,
          And the deaf, even though they have ears.
       9.All the nations have gathered together
          So that the peoples may be assembled.
          Who among them can declare this
          And proclaim to us the former things?
          Let them present their witnesses that they may be justified,
          Or let them hear and say, “It is true.”
       10.“You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD,
           “And My servant whom I have chosen,
           So that you may know and believe Me
           And understand that I am He.
           Before Me there was no God formed,
           And there will be none after Me.
       11.“I, even I, am the LORD,
           And there is no savior besides Me.
       12.“It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed,
           And there was no strange god among you;
           So you are My witnesses,” declares the LORD,
           “And I am God.
       13.“Even from eternity I am He,
           And there is none who can deliver out of My hand;
           I act and who can reverse it?”

Isaiah 44      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Hebrew Interlinear  
The Blessings of Israel
       1.“But now listen, O Jacob, My servant,
          And Israel, whom I have chosen:
       2.Thus says the LORD who made you
          And formed you from the womb, who will help you,
          ‘Do not fear, O Jacob My servant;
          And you Jeshurun whom I have chosen.
       3.‘For I will pour out water on the thirsty land
          And streams on the dry ground;
          I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring
          And My blessing on your descendants;
       4.And they will spring up among the grass
          Like poplars by streams of water.’
       5.“This one will say, ‘I am the LORD’S’;
          And that one will call on the name of Jacob;
          And another will write on his hand, ‘Belonging to the LORD,’
          And will name Israel’s name with honor.

       6.“Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:
          ‘I am the first and I am the last,
          And there is no God besides Me.
       7.‘Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it;
          Yes, let him recount it to Me in order,
          From the time that I established the ancient nation.
          And let them declare to them the things that are coming
          And the events that are going to take place.
       8.‘Do not tremble and do not be afraid;
          Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it?
          And you are My witnesses.
          Is there any God besides Me,
          Or is there any other Rock?
          I know of none.’”

The Folly of Idolatry

       9.Those who fashion a graven image are all of them futile, and their precious things are of no profit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame.  10.Who has fashioned a god or cast an idol to no profit?  11.Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are mere men. Let them all assemble themselves, let them stand up, let them tremble, let them together be put to shame.

       12.The man shapes iron into a cutting tool and does his work over the coals, fashioning it with hammers and working it with his strong arm. He also gets hungry and his strength fails; he drinks no water and becomes weary.  13.Another shapes wood, he extends a measuring line; he outlines it with red chalk. He works it with planes and outlines it with a compass, and makes it like the form of a man, like the beauty of man, so that it may sit in a house.  14.Surely he cuts cedars for himself, and takes a cypress or an oak and raises it for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a fir, and the rain makes it grow.  15.Then it becomes something for a man to burn, so he takes one of them and warms himself; he also makes a fire to bake bread. He also makes a god and worships it; he makes it a graven image and falls down before it.  16.Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he eats meat as he roasts a roast and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, “Aha! I am warm, I have seen the fire.”  17.But the rest of it he makes into a god, his graven image. He falls down before it and worships; he also prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god.”

       18.They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend.  19.No one recalls, nor is there knowledge or understanding to say, “I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its coals. I roast meat and eat it. Then I make the rest of it into an abomination, I fall down before a block of wood!”  20.He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside. And he cannot deliver himself, nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

God Forgives and Redeems
       21.“Remember these things, O Jacob,
           And Israel, for you are My servant;
           I have formed you, you are My servant,
           O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me.
       22.“I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud
           And your sins like a heavy mist.
           Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”
       23.Shout for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done it!
           Shout joyfully, you lower parts of the earth;
           Break forth into a shout of joy, you mountains,
           O forest, and every tree in it;
           For the LORD has redeemed Jacob
           And in Israel He shows forth His glory.
       24.Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb,
           “I, the LORD, am the maker of all things,
           Stretching out the heavens by Myself
           And spreading out the earth all alone,
       25.Causing the omens of boasters to fail,
           Making fools out of diviners,
           Causing wise men to draw back
           And turning their knowledge into foolishness,
       26.Confirming the word of His servant
           And performing the purpose of His messengers.
           It is I who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited!’
           And of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built.’
           And I will raise up her ruins again.
       27.“It is I who says to the depth of the sea, ‘Be dried up!’
           And I will make your rivers dry.
       28.“It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd!
           And he will perform all My desire.’
           And he declares of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built,’
           And of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’”

Isaiah 45      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Hebrew Interlinear  
God Uses Cyrus
       1.Thus says the LORD to Cyrus His anointed,
          Whom I have taken by the right hand,
          To subdue nations before him
          And to loose the loins of kings;
          To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:
       2.“I will go before you and make the rough places smooth;
          I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars.
       3.“I will give you the treasures of darkness
          And hidden wealth of secret places,
          So that you may know that it is I,
          The LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.
       4.“For the sake of Jacob My servant,
          And Israel My chosen one,
          I have also called you by your name;
          I have given you a title of honor
          Though you have not known Me.
       5.“I am the LORD, and there is no other;
          Besides Me there is no God.
          I will gird you, though you have not known Me;
       6.That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun
          That there is no one besides Me.
          I am the LORD, and there is no other,
       7.The One forming light and creating darkness,
          Causing well-being and creating calamity;
          I am the LORD who does all these.

God’s Supreme Power
       8.“Drip down, O heavens, from above,
           And let the clouds pour down righteousness;
           Let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit,
           And righteousness spring up with it.
           I, the LORD, have created it.

       9.“Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker—
           An earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth!
           Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’
           Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’?
       10.“Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’
            Or to a woman, ‘To what are you giving birth?’”

       11.Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker:
            “Ask Me about the things to come concerning My sons,
            And you shall commit to Me the work of My hands.
       12.“It is I who made the earth, and created man upon it.
            I stretched out the heavens with My hands
            And I ordained all their host.
       13.“I have aroused him in righteousness
            And I will make all his ways smooth;
            He will build My city and will let My exiles go free,
            Without any payment or reward,” says the LORD of hosts.

       14.Thus says the LORD,
            “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush
            And the Sabeans, men of stature,
            Will come over to you and will be yours;
            They will walk behind you, they will come over in chains
            And will bow down to you;
            They will make supplication to you:
            ‘Surely, God is with you, and there is none else,
            No other God.’”

       15.Truly, You are a God who hides Himself,
            O God of Israel, Savior!
       16.They will be put to shame and even humiliated, all of them;
            The manufacturers of idols will go away together in humiliation.
       17.Israel has been saved by the LORD
            With an everlasting salvation;
            You will not be put to shame or humiliated
            To all eternity.

       18.For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited),
            “I am the LORD, and there is none else.
       19.“I have not spoken in secret,
            In some dark land;
            I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,
            ‘Seek Me in a waste place’;
            I, the LORD, speak righteousness,
            Declaring things that are upright.

       20.“Gather yourselves and come;
            Draw near together, you fugitives of the nations;
            They have no knowledge,
            Who carry about their wooden idol
            And pray to a god who cannot save.
       21.“Declare and set forth your case;
            Indeed, let them consult together.
            Who has announced this from of old?
            Who has long since declared it?
            Is it not I, the LORD?
            And there is no other God besides Me,
            A righteous God and a Savior;
            There is none except Me.
       22.“Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;
            For I am God, and there is no other.
       23.“I have sworn by Myself,
            The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness
            And will not turn back,
            That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.
       24.“They will say of Me, ‘Only in the LORD are righteousness and strength.’
            Men will come to Him,
            And all who were angry at Him will be put to shame.
       25.“In the LORD all the offspring of Israel
            Will be justified and will glory.”  

Revelation 1      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear    
The Revelation of Jesus Christ

       1.The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John,  2.who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.  3.Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.

Message to the Seven Churches

       4.John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,  5.and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood—  6.and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.  7.BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

       8.“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

The Patmos Vision

       9.I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.  10.I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet,  11.saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

       12.Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands;  13.and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash.  14.His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire.  15.His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.  16.In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.

       17.When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last,  18.and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.  19.“Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.  20.“As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

John 1:1-18      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
The Deity of Jesus Christ

       1.In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  2.He was in the beginning with God.  3.All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.  4.In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.  5.The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

The Witness John

       6.There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.  7.He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.  8.He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

       9.There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.  10.He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  11.He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.  12.But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,  13.who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Word Made Flesh

       14.And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.  15.John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’”  16.For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.  17.For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.  18.No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

Colossians 1:13-29      New American Standard Bible (NASB)     Greek Interlinear  
The Incomparable Christ

       13.For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,  14.in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

       15.He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  16.For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.  17.He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.  18.He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.  19.For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,  20.and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

       21.And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,  22.yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—  23.if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

       24.Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.  25.Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God,  26.that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints,  27.to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.  28.We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.  29.For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

       39.And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him.  40.When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”  41.And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray,  42.saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”  43.Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.  44.And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.  45.When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow,  46.and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

       46.While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him.  47.Someone said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You.”  48.But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?”  49.And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers!  50.“For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”

       14.And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute; when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed.  15.But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.”  16.Others, to test Him, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven.  17.But He knew their thoughts and said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against itself falls.  18.“If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.  19.“And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? So they will be your judges.  20.“But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.  21.“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed.  22.“But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away from him all his armor on which he had relied and distributes his plunder.  23.“He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters.

       24.“When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’  25.“And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order.  26.“Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”

       27.While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.”  28.But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”