saying, “Surely I will bless you greatly and multiply your descendants abundantly.”

May mercy, peace, and love be lavished on you!

and because lawlessness will increase so much, the love of many will grow cold.

But the word of God kept on increasing and multiplying.

May grace and peace be lavished on you as you grow in the rich knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!

“But as the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had declared to Abraham, the people increased greatly in number in Egypt,

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by being set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling with Jesus Christ’s blood. May grace and peace be yours in full measure!

Now in those days, when the disciples were growing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews against the native Hebraic Jews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

The word of God continued to spread, the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.

Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced peace and thus was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, the church increased in numbers.

Now God who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your supply of seed and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow.