NIC Neighbor Invading Religion

I also walked contrary to them, and brought them into the land of their enemies: if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled, and they then accept the punishment of their iniquity;

For, behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrows on the strings, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

You will keep them, Yahweh. You will preserve them from this generation forever.

Show your marvelous loving kindness, you who save those who take refuge by your right hand from their enemies.

They have now surrounded us in our steps. They set their eyes to cast us down to the earth.

Why should the nations say, "Where is their God, now?"

For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain.

Then will they call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me;

But thus says Yahweh, "Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children.

Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and brought accusation against the Jews.

There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not respected you. They don't serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.

"But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, and commanded the prophets, saying, 'Don't prophesy!'

"Go to Bethel, and sin; to Gilgal, and sin more. Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days,

offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim free will offerings and brag about them: for this pleases you, you children of Israel," says the Lord Yahweh.

Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

"Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul," and, "By the prince of the demons he casts out the demons."

Most certainly I tell you, all sins of the descendants of man will be forgiven, including their blasphemies with which they may blaspheme;

He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others.

How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don't seek the glory that comes from the only God?

They said therefore to him, "What then do you do for a sign, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you do?

for they loved men's praise more than God's praise.

Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Don't let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.

If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you.

If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his lord.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also.

But all these things will they do to you for my name's sake, because they don't know him who sent me.

Most certainly I tell you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.

Behold, the time is coming, yes, and has now come, that you will be scattered, everyone to his own place, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world."

I have given them your word. The world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

The people shouted, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!"

Behold, you scoffers, and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work which you will in no way believe, if one declares it to you.'"

But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed.

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.

But the disbelieving Jews stirred up and embittered the souls of the Gentiles against the brothers.

When the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the language of Lycaonia, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!"

They called Barnabas "Jupiter," and Paul "Mercury," because he was the chief speaker.

Then the contention grew so sharp that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away to Cyprus,

But the unpersuaded Jews took along some wicked men from the marketplace, and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people.

When they didn't find them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers before the rulers of the city, crying, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here also,

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.

About that time there arose no small stir concerning the Way.

When they heard this they were filled with anger, and cried out, saying, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"

The whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel.

But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice for a time of about two hours cried out, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"

For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

All the city was moved, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple. Immediately the doors were shut.

and saw him saying to me, 'Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.'

Now therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near."

But they expected that he would have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly, but when they watched for a long time and saw nothing bad happen to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

But they didn't all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?"

pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;

This was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage;

and in nothing frightened by the adversaries, which is for them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Yet in the same way, these also in their dreaming defile the flesh, despise authority, and slander celestial beings.

to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him."

They said to you that "In the last time there will be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts."

These are they who cause divisions, and are sensual, not having the Spirit.