American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
whom the heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, whereof God spake by the mouth of His holy prophets that have been from of old.
The {Greek: first.}former treatise I made, O Theophilus, concerning all that Jesus began both to do and to teach,
until the day in which he was received up, after that he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
to whom he also {Greek: presented.}showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing unto them by the space of forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God:
and, {Or, eating with them}being assembled together with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, said he, ye heard from me:
for John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized {Or, with}in the Holy Spirit not many days hence.
They therefore, when they were come together, asked him, saying, Lord, dost thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?
And he said unto them, It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath {Or, appointed by}set within His own authority.
But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
And while they were looking stedfastly into heaven as he went, behold two men stood by them in white apparel;
who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven.
Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is nigh unto Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey off.
And when they were come in, they went up into the upper chamber, where they were abiding; both Peter and John and {Or, Jacob}James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, {Or, Jacob}James the son of Alphæus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the {Or, brother See Jude 1.}son of {Or, Jacob}James.
These all with one accord continued stedfastly in prayer, {Or, with certain women}with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
And in these days Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren, and said (and there was a multitude of {Greek: names See Revelation 3:4.}persons gathered together, about a hundred and twenty),
Brethren, it was needful that the scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spake before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to them that took Jesus.
For he was numbered among us, and received his {Or, lot}portion in this ministry.
(Now this man obtained a field with the reward of his iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
And it became known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch that in their language that field was called Akeldama, that is, The field of blood.)
For it is written in the book of Psalms, {Psalm 69:25}Let his habitation be made desolate,And let no man dwell therein:and, {Psalm 109:8.}His {Greek: overseership.}office let another take.
Of the men therefore that have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out {Or, over}among us,
beginning from the baptism of John, unto the day that he was received up from us, of these must one become a witness with us of his resurrection.
And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show of these two the one whom thou hast chosen,
to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place.
And they gave lots {Or, unto}for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to {Or, deceive}lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou has not lied unto men, but unto God.
And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all that heard it.
And the {Greek: younger.}young men arose and wrapped him round, and they carried him out and buried him.
And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much.
But Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to try the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them that have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out.
And she fell down immediately at his feet, and gave up the ghost: and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.
And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all that heard these things.
And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's {Or, portico}porch.
But of the rest durst no man join himself to them: howbeit the people magnified them;
{Or, and there were the more added to them, believing on the Lord}and believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women;
insomuch that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and {Or, pallets}couches, that, as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some one of them.
And there also came together the multitudes from the cities round about Jerusalem, bringing sick folk, and them that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.
But the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy,
and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public ward.
But an angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them out, and said,
Go ye, and stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this Life.
And when they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison-house to have them brought.
But the officers that came found them not in the prison; and they returned, and told,
saying, The prison-house we found shut in all safety, and the keepers standing at the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplexed concerning them whereunto this would grow.
And there came one and told them, Behold, the men whom ye put in the prison are in the temple standing and teaching the people.
Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them, but without violence; for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned.
And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them,
saying, We strictly charged you not to teach in this name: and behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We must obey God rather than men.
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree.
Him did God exalt {Or, at}with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.
And we are witnesses {Some ancient authorities add in him.} of these {Greek: sayings.}things; {Some ancient authorities read and God hath given the Holy Spirit to them that obey him.}and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and minded to slay them.
But there stood up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in honor of all the people, and commanded to put the men forth a little while.
And he said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves as touching these men, what ye are about to do.
For before these days rose up Theudas, giving himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nought.
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the enrolment, and drew away some of the people after him: he also perished; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.
And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will be overthrown:
but if it is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them; lest haply ye be found even to be fighting against God.
And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles unto them, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.
And every day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to {Greek: bring good tidings of. See chapter 13:32; 14:15}preach Jesus as the Christ.
And Saul was consenting unto his death.And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judæa and Samaria, except the apostles.
And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him.
But Saul laid waste the church, entering into every house, and dragging men and women committed them to prison.
They therefore that were scattered abroad, went about {Compare marginal note on chapter 5:42.}preaching the word.
And Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed unto them the Christ.
And the multitudes gave heed with one accord unto the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard, and saw the signs which he did. {Or, For many of those that had unclean spirits that cried with a loud voice came forth}
For from many of those that had unclean spirits, they came out, crying with a loud voice: and many that were palsied, and that were lame, were healed.
And there was much joy in that city.
But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who beforetime in the city used sorcery, and amazed the {Greek: nation.}people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is that power of God which is called Great.
And they gave heed to him, because that of long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.
But when they believed Philip {Compare marginal note on chapter 5:42.}preaching good tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
And Simon also himself believed: and being baptized, he continued with Philip; and beholding signs and great {Greek: powers.}miracles wrought, he was amazed.
Now when the apostles that were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit:
for as yet it was fallen upon none of them: only they had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the {Some ancient authorities omit Holy.}Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.
But Peter said unto him, Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money.
Thou hast neither part nor lot in this {Greek: word.}matter: for thy heart is not right before God.
Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the thought of thy heart shall be forgiven thee.
For I see that thou {Or, wilt become gall (or, a gall root) of bitterness and a bond of iniquity. Compare Deuteronomy 29:18; Hebrew 12:15.}art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.
And Simon answered and said, Pray ye for me to the Lord, that none of the things which ye have spoken come upon me.
They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and {Greek: brought good tidings. Compare chapter 5:22.}preached the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
But an angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go {Or, at noon Compare chapter 22:6}toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza: the same is desert.
And he arose and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship;
and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
And the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
And he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him.
Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, {Isaiah 53:7 f.}He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb,So he openeth not his mouth:
In his humiliation his judgment was taken away:His generation who shall declare?For his life is taken from the earth.
And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other?
And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, {See marginal note on chapter 5:42.}preached unto him Jesus.
And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? {Some ancient authorities insert, wholly or in part, version 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.}
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And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Cæsarea.
And he looked up, {Or, and saw them that…treasury, and they were rich.}and saw the rich men that were casting their gifts into the treasury.
And he saw a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than they all:
for all these did of their superfluity cast in unto the gifts; but she of her want did cast in all the living that she had.
And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and offerings, he said,
As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in which there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
And they asked him, saying, Teacher, when therefore shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when these things are about to come to pass?
And he said, Take heed that ye be not led astray: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; and, The time is at hand: go ye not after them.
And when ye shall hear of wars and tumults, be not terrified: for these things must needs come to pass first; but the end is not immediately.
Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom;
and there shall be great earthquakes, and in divers places famines and pestilences; and there shall be terrors and great signs from heaven.
But before all these things, they shall lay their hands on you, and shall persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, {Greek: you being brought.}bringing you before kings and governors for my name's sake.
It shall turn out unto you for a testimony.
Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate beforehand how to answer:
for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to withstand or to gainsay.
But ye shall be {Or, betrayed}delivered up even by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and some of you {Or, shall they put to death}shall they cause to be put to death.
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
And not a hair of your head shall perish.
In your {Or, stedfastness}patience ye shall win your {Or, lives}souls.
But when ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand.
Then let them that are in Judæa flee unto the mountains; and let them that are in the midst of her depart out; and let not them that are in the country enter therein.
For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
Woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! for there shall be great distress upon the {Or, earth}land, and wrath unto this people.
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all the nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
And there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the billows;
men {Or, expiring}fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on {Greek: inhabited earth.}the world: for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption draweth nigh.
And he spake to them a parable: Behold the fig tree, and all the trees:
when they now shoot forth, ye see it and know of your own selves that the summer is now nigh.
Even so ye also, when ye see these things coming to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh.
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all things be accomplished.
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare:
for so shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth.
But watch ye at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
And every day he was teaching in the temple; and every night he went out, and lodged in the mount that is called Olivet.
And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, to hear him.
Behold, a day of Jehovah cometh, when thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
Then shall Jehovah go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the mount of Olives shall be cleft in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
And {Or, as otherwise read, the valley of my mountains shall be stopped}ye shall flee {Or, to}by the valley of {Or, the}my mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azel; yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah; and Jehovah my God shall come, and all the holy ones with thee.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that {Or, the light shall not be bright nor dark}there shall not be light; the bright ones shall withdraw themselves:
but it shall be one day which is known unto Jehovah; not day, and not night; but it shall come to pass, that at evening time there shall be light.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
And Jehovah shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall Jehovah be one, and his name one.
All the land shall be made like the Arabah, from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; and she shall be lifted up, and shall dwell in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananel unto the king's wine-presses.
And men shall dwell therein, and there shall be no more {Or, ban Or, devoting to destruction}curse; but Jerusalem shall dwell safely.
And this shall be the plague wherewith Jehovah will smite all the peoples that have warred against Jerusalem: their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their sockets, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great {Or, discomfiture}tumult from Jehovah shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbor, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbor.
And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the nations round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.
And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in those camps, as that plague.
And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, Jehovah of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
And it shall be, that whoso of all the families of the earth goeth not up unto Jerusalem to worship the King, Jehovah of hosts, upon them there shall be no rain.
And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, neither shall it be upon them; there shall be the plague wherewith Jehovah will smite the nations that go not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
This shall be the {Or, sin}punishment of Egypt, and the {Or, sin}punishment of all the nations that go not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLY UNTO JEHOVAH; and the pots in Jehovah's house shall be like the bowls before the altar.
Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holy unto Jehovah of hosts; and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and boil therein: and in that day there shall be no more a Canaanite in the house of Jehovah of hosts.
For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
Paul, an apostle (not from men, neither through {Or, a man}man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead),
and all the brethren that are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:
Grace to you and peace {Some ancient authorities read from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.}from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil {Or, age}world, according to the will of {Or, God and our Father}our God and Father:
to whom be the glory {Greek: unto the ages of the ages.}for ever and ever. Amen.
I marvel that ye are so quickly removing from him that called you in the grace of Christ unto a different {Greek: good tidings. See marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel;
{Or, which is nothing else save that there &c.}which is not another gospel: only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the {Greek: good tidings. See marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel of Christ.
But though we, or an angel from heaven, should {See marginal note on Matthew 11:5.}preach {Some ancient authorities omit unto you.}unto you any gospel {Or, contrary to that}other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema.
As we have said before, so say I now again, If any man {See marginal note on Matthew 11:5.}preacheth unto you any gospel {Or, contrary to that}other than that which ye received, let him be anathema.
For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men? if I were still pleasing men, I should not be a {Greek: bondservant.}servant of Christ.
For I make known to you, brethren, as touching the {Greek: good tidings. See marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel which was {See marginal note on Matthew 11:5.}preached by me, that it is not after man.
For neither did I receive it from {Or, a man}man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.
For ye have heard of my manner of life in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and made havoc of it:
and I advanced in the Jews' religion beyond many of mine own age {Greek: in my race. Compare 2 Corinthians 11:26.}among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, even from my mother's womb, and called me through his grace,
to reveal his Son in me, that I might {See marginal note on Matthew 11:5.}preach him among the Gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood:
neither went I up to Jerusalem to them that were apostles before me: but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned unto Damascus.
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to {Or, become acquainted with}visit Cephas, and tarried with him fifteen days.
But other of the apostles saw I none, {Or, but only}save {Or, Jacob}James the Lord's brother.
Now touching the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
Then I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
And I was still unknown by face unto the churches of Judæa which were in Christ:
but they only heard say, He that once persecuted us now {See marginal note on Matthew 11:5.}preacheth the faith of which he once made havoc;
and they glorified God in me.
and when they perceived the grace that was given unto me, {Or, Jacob}James and Cephas and John, they who {Or, are}were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision;
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints that are {Some very ancient authorities omit at Ephesus.}at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be {Or, God and the Father See Romans 15:6 margin}the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ:
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before {Or, him: having in love foreordained us}him in love:
having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
to the praise of the glory of his grace, {Or, wherewith he endued us}which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved:
in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
{Or, wherewith he abounded}which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him
unto a dispensation of the fulness of the {Greek: seasons.}times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things {Greek: upon.}in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, I say,
in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will;
to the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who {Or, have}had before hoped in Christ:
in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the {Or, good tidings. See marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel of your salvation,— in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of God's own possession, unto the praise of his glory.
For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is {Or, in}among you, and {Many ancient authorities omit the love.}the love which ye show toward all the saints,
cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him;
having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
and what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might
which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this {Greek: age.}world, but also in that which is to come:
and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church,
which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy {Greek: the brother.}our brother,
{Or, to those that are at Colossae, holy and faithful brethren in Christ}to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ that are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints,
because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere; see marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel,
which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth;
even as ye learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on {Many ancient authorities read your.}our behalf,
who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
to walk worthily of the Lord {Or, unto all pleasing, in every good work, bearing fruit and increasing &c.}unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing {Or, by}in the knowledge of God;
{Greek: made powerful.}strengthened {Or, in}with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all {Or, stedfastness}patience and longsuffering with joy;
giving thanks unto the Father, who made {Some ancient authorities read you.}us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;
who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;
in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins:
who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;
for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him;
and he is before all things, and in him all things {That is, hold together.}consist.
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; {Or, that among all he might have &c.}that in all things he might have the preeminence.
{Or, For the whole fullness of God was pleased to dwell in him}For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fulness dwell;
and through him to reconcile all things {Or, into him}unto {Or, him}himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, I say, whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens.
And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works,
yet now {Some ancient authorities read ye have been reconciled.}hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him:
if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere; see marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church;
whereof I was made a minister, according to the {Or, stewardship See 1 Corinthians 9:17}dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God,
even the mystery which hath been hid for {Or, from all the ages &c. Greek: from the ages and from the generations.}ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints,
to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ;
whereunto I labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me {Or, in power}mightily.
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a {Greek: vessel of election.}chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel:
and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church,
which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
because we are members of his body.
In my Father's house are many {Or, abiding-places}mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in;
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that no wind should blow on the earth, or on the sea, or upon any tree.
And I saw another angel ascend from the sunrising, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a great voice to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we shall have sealed the {Or, bondservants}servants of our God on their foreheads.
And I heard the number of them that were sealed, a hundred and forty and four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel:
Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand:Of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand;Of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand;
Of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand;Of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand;Of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand;
Of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand;Of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand;Of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand;
Of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand;Of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand;Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
After these things I saw, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands;
and they cry with a great voice, saying,Salvation unto our God who sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb.
And all the angels were standing round about the throne, and about the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
saying,Amen: {Greek: The blessing, and the glory &c.}Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God {Greek: unto the ages of ages.}for ever and ever. Amen.
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, These that are arrayed in the white robes, who are they, and whence came they?
And I {Greek: have said.}say unto him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they that come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Therefore are they before the throne of God; and they serve him day and night in his {Or, sanctuary}temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall spread his tabernacle over them.
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun strike upon them, nor any heat:
for the Lamb that is in the midst {Or, before See chapter 4:6; compare 5:6.}of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them unto fountains of waters of life: and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.
I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich), and the {Or, reviling}blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.