But these<n id="1" /> are recorded<n id="2" /> so that you may believe<n id="3" /> that Jesus is the Christ,<n id="4" /> the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.<n id="5" />p>

He motioned to them<n id="1" /> with his hand to be quiet and then related<n id="2" /> how the Lord had brought<n id="3" /> him out of the prison. He said, &#8220;Tell James and the brothers these things,&#8221; and then he left and went to another place.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="otpoetry"><b><i>so that the rest of humanityi>b><n id="1" /> <b><i>may seek the Lord,i>b>p> <p class="otpoetry"><b><i>namely,i>b><n id="2" /> <b><i>all the Gentilesi>b><n id="3" /> <b><i>I have called to be my own,i>b>&#8217;<n id="4" /> <b><i>says the Lord,i>b><n id="5" /> <i>who makes these thingsi>

These Jews<n id="1" /> were more open-minded<n id="2" /> than those in Thessalonica,<n id="3" /> for they eagerly<n id="4" /> received<n id="5" /> the message, examining<n id="6" /> the scriptures carefully every day<n id="7" /> to see if these things were so.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now after all these things had taken place,<n id="1" /> Paul resolved<n id="2" /> to go to Jerusalem,<n id="3" /> passing through Macedonia<n id="4" /> and Achaia.<n id="5" /> He said,<n id="6" /> &#8220;After I have been there, I must also see Rome.&#8221;<n id="7" />

<p class="bodytext">I have applied these things to myself and Apollos because of you, brothers and sisters,<n id="1" /> so that through us you may learn &#8220;not to go beyond what is written,&#8221; so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of the one against the other.

Some of you once lived this way.<n id="1" /> But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ<n id="2" /> and by the Spirit of our God.p>

&#8220;Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both.&#8221;<n id="1" /> The body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing these things so that something will be done for me.<n id="1" /> In fact, it would be better for me to die than &#8211; no one will deprive me of my reason for boasting!<n id="2" />

Because of this I am writing these things while absent, so that when I arrive<n id="1" /> I may not have to deal harshly with you<n id="2" /> by using my authority &#8211; the Lord gave it to me for building up, not for tearing down!p>

<p class="bodytext">Finally, brothers and sisters,<n id="1" /> whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things.

But those who have believing masters must not show them less respect<n id="1" /> because they are brothers. Instead they are to serve all the more, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dearly loved.<n id="2" />p><t /><p class="bodytext">Teach them and exhort them about these things.<n id="3" />

Because of this, in fact, I suffer as I do.<n id="1" /> But I am not ashamed, because I know the one in whom my faith is set<n id="2" /> and I am convinced that he is able to protect what has been entrusted to me<n id="3" /> until that day.<n id="4" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">This saying<n id="1" /> is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on such truths,<n id="2" /> so that those who have placed their faith in God may be intent on engaging in good works. These things are good and beneficial for all people.

So in fact children<n id="1" /> were fathered by one man &#8211; and this one as good as dead &#8211; <i>like the number of stars in the sky and like the innumerable grains of sandi><n id="2" /> <i>on the seashorei>.<n id="3" />

The angel<n id="1" /> then<n id="2" /> threw him into the abyss and locked<n id="3" /> and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.)p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star!&#8221;<n id="1" />

When he had contemplated this, an<n id="1" /> angel of the Lord<n id="2" /> appeared to him in a dream and said, &#8220;Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Woe to you, experts in the law<n id="1" /> and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth<n id="2" /> of mint, dill, and cumin,<n id="3" /> yet you neglect what is more important in the law &#8211; justice, mercy, and faithfulness! You<n id="4" /> should have done these things without neglecting the others.

When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue.<n id="1" /> Many who heard him were astonished, saying, &#8220;Where did he get these ideas?<n id="2" /> And what is this wisdom that has been given to him? What are these miracles that are done through his hands?