CCC Religion Checking Religion

"'If they confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, in their trespass which they trespassed against me, and also that, because they walked contrary to me,

The land also will be left by them, and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them: and they will accept the punishment of their iniquity; because, even because they rejected my ordinances, and their soul abhorred my statutes.

Therefore we won't be afraid, though the earth changes, though the mountains are shaken into the heart of the seas;

Don't harden your heart, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness,

Not to us, Yahweh, not to us, but to your name give glory, for your loving kindness, and for your truth's sake.

Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so Yahweh, the God of Armies, will be with you, as you say.

"Woe to you who desire the day of Yahweh! Why do you long for the day of Yahweh? It is darkness, and not light.

He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath day to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?" But they were silent.

They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they didn't understand the things that were said.

There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John's disciples with some Jews about purification.

You worship that which you don't know. We worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews.

At this, his disciples came. They marveled that he was speaking with a woman; yet no one said, "What are you looking for?" or, "Why do you speak with her?"

Therefore many of his disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying! Who can listen to it?"

At this, many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

They, when they heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning from the oldest, even to the last. Jesus was left alone with the woman where she was, in the middle.

Some therefore of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, because he doesn't keep the Sabbath." Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" There was division among them.

His parents said these things because they feared the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if any man would confess him as Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.

They insulted him and said, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.

The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, "What are we doing? For this man does many signs.

"Don't be afraid, daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes, sitting on a donkey's colt."

The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him."

Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they didn't confess it, so that they wouldn't be put out of the synagogue,

They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. It was early, and they themselves didn't enter into the Praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.

When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be to you."

Jesus said to them, "Come and eat breakfast." None of the disciples dared inquire of him, "Who are you?" knowing that it was the Lord.

"Can any man forbid the water, that these who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we should not be baptized?"

Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the prophets:

Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, "It was necessary that God's word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their borders.

Even saying these things, they hardly stopped the multitudes from making a sacrifice to them.

Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas, and some others of them, to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.

When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News, and believe.

Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

"Therefore my judgment is that we don't trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God,

but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood.

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things:

that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell."

for he powerfully refuted the Jews, publicly showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

He said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism."

But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.

Many also of those who had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds.

Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted the price of them, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.

Not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be counted as nothing, and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships."

Paul went down, and fell upon him, and embracing him said, "Don't be troubled, for his life is in him."

Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood.

When he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The Lord's will be done."

They have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customs.

But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written our decision that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from strangled things, and from sexual immorality."

When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees part stood up, and contended, saying, "We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let's not fight against God!"

but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.

But we desire to hear from you what you think. For, as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against."

When they didn't agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had spoken one word, "The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah, the prophet, to our fathers,

For this people's heart has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, and I would heal them.'

When he had said these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.

For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other God but one.

For though there are things that are called "gods," whether in the heavens or on earth; as there are many "gods" and many "lords;"

But be careful that by no means does this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak.

For we don't desire to have you uninformed, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life.

Not that we have lordship over your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.

Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you?

not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;

But whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don't faint.

But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

For we don't preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake;

But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.

Therefore we don't faint, but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.

For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance, and not in heart.

Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

This was not as we had hoped, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God.

For this is not that others may be eased and you distressed,

We are avoiding this, that any man should blame us concerning this abundance which is administered by us.

I went up by revelation, and I laid before them the Good News which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately before those who were respected, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.

But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

to whom we gave no place in the way of subjection, not for an hour, that the truth of the Good News might continue with you.

That which was a temptation to you in my flesh, you didn't despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

So then, brothers, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the free woman.

What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice.

having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear is in me.

For from you the word of the Lord has been declared, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone out; so that we need not to say anything.

For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God,

I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking, and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you;

For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,

whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain's sake.

This testimony is true. For this cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

Therefore we ought to pay greater attention to the things that were heard, lest perhaps we drift away.

Or else wouldn't they have ceased to be offered, because the worshippers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins?

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

"I know your works, and your toil and perseverance, and that you can't tolerate evil men, and have tested those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and found them false.

Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I am coming to you swiftly, and will move your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent.

But this you have, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

But to you I say, to the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as don't have this teaching, who don't know what some call 'the deep things of Satan,' to you I say, I am not putting any other burden on you.