So<n id="1" /> Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth<n id="2" /> in Galilee to Judea, to the city<n id="3" /> of David called Bethlehem,<n id="4" /> because he was of the house<n id="5" /> and family line<n id="6" /> of David.

Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this,<n id="1" /> he said to himself, &#8220;If this man were a prophet,<n id="2" /> he would know who and what kind of woman<n id="3" /> this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.&#8221;

Then<n id="1" /> his son said to him, &#8216;Father, I have sinned against heaven<n id="2" /> and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.&#8217;<n id="3" />

Andrew brought Simon<n id="1" /> to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, &#8220;You are Simon, the son of John.<n id="2" /> You will be called Cephas&#8221; (which is translated Peter).<n id="3" />p>

Then the Lord told him, &#8220;Get up and go to the street called &#8216;Straight,&#8217;<n id="1" /> and at Judas&#8217; house look for a man from Tarsus named Saul. For he is praying,

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch:<n id="1" /> Barnabas, Simeon called Niger,<n id="2" /> Lucius the Cyrenian,<n id="3" /> Manaen (a close friend of Herod<n id="4" /> the tetrarch<n id="5" /> from childhood<n id="6" />) and Saul.

<p class="bodytext">Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided<n id="1" /> to send men chosen from among them, Judas called Barsabbas and Silas,<n id="2" /> leaders among the brothers, to Antioch<n id="3" /> with Paul and Barnabas.

When Paul<n id="1" /> had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him,<n id="2" /> saying, &#8220;We have experienced a lengthy time<n id="3" /> of peace through your rule,<n id="4" /> and reforms<n id="5" /> are being made in this nation<n id="6" /> through your foresight.<n id="7" />

(as it is written, &#8220;<b><i>I have made you the father of many nationsi>b>&#8221;).<n id="1" /> He is our father<n id="2" /> in the presence of God whom he believed &#8211; the God who<n id="3" /> makes the dead alive and summons the things that do not yet exist as though they already do.<n id="4" />

even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God&#8217;s purpose in election<n id="1" /> would stand, not by works but by<n id="2" /> his calling)<n id="3" /> &#8211;

But if the unbeliever wants a divorce, let it take place. In these circumstances the brother or sister is not bound.<n id="1" /> God has called you in peace.

He is the one who saved us<n id="1" /> and called us with a holy calling, not based on<n id="2" /> our works but on his own purpose and grace, granted to us in Christ Jesus before time began,<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">And so he is the mediator<n id="1" /> of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance he has promised,<n id="2" /> since he died<n id="3" /> to set them free from the violations committed under the first covenant.

But you are <i>a chosen racei>, <i>a royal priesthoodi>, <i>a holy nationi>, <i>a people of his owni>, so that you may <i>proclaim the virtuesi><n id="1" /> of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

<p class="bodytext">(See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that<n id="1" /> we should be called God&#8217;s children &#8211; and indeed<n id="2" /> we are!<n id="3" /> For this reason<n id="4" /> the world does not know us: because it did not know him.<n id="5" />

<p class="bodytext">I, John, your brother and the one who shares<n id="1" /> with you in the persecution, kingdom, and endurance that<n id="2" /> are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony about Jesus.<n id="3" />

So<n id="1" /> that huge dragon &#8211; the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world &#8211; was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him.

<p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> the angel<n id="2" /> said to me, &#8220;Write the following: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!&#8221; He also said to me, &#8220;These are the true words of God.&#8221;

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> I saw heaven opened and here came<n id="2" /> a white horse! The<n id="3" /> one riding it was called &#8220;Faithful&#8221; and &#8220;True,&#8221; and with justice<n id="4" /> he judges and goes to war.

<p class="bodytext">He<n id="1" /> said also to the man<n id="2" /> who had invited him, &#8220;When you host a dinner or a banquet,<n id="3" /> don&#8217;t invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors so you can be invited by them in return and get repaid.