American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
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 the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul: and not one of them said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
And with great power gave the apostles their witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus {Some ancient authorities add Christ.}: and great grace was upon them all.
For neither was there among them any that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
and laid them at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto each, according as any one had need.
And Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of {Or, consolation See Luke 2:25; chapter 9:31; 15:31; 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, in the Greek.}exhortation), a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race,
having a field, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.
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.
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days; for the child shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed.
Jehovah in the midst of her is righteous; he will not do iniquity; {Hebrew: morning by morning.}every morning doth he bring his justice to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.
Morning by morning will I destroy all the wicked of the land;To cut off all the workers of iniquity from the city of Jehovah.
Thy testimonies are very sure:Holiness becometh thy house,O Jehovah, for evermore.
For I am Jehovah that brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
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:
praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added {Greek: together.}to them day by day those that {Or, were being saved}were saved.
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
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.
So they, being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
A Psalm of the sons of Korah; a Song. {Or, His foundation in the holy mountains Jehovah loveth, even the gates &c.}His foundation is in the holy mountains.
Jehovah loveth the gates of ZionMore than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Glorious things are spoken of thee,O city of God. [Selah
I will make mention of {Or, Egypt}Rahab and Babylon as among them that know me:Behold, Philistia, and Tyre, with {Hebrew: Cush.}Ethiopia:This one was born there.
Yea, of Zion it shall be said, This one and that one was born in her;And the Most High himself will establish her.
Jehovah will count, when he writeth up the peoples,This one was born there. [Selah
They that sing as well as {Or, the players on instruments shall be there}they that dance shall say,All my fountains are in thee.
{Greek: Let your turn of mind be free.}Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for himself hath said, {Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:5}I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee.
So that with good courage we say, {Psalm 118:6.}The Lord is my helper; I will not fear:What shall man do unto me?
Through him {Some ancient authorities omit then.}then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his name.
But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
But I have all things, and abound: I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.
And he said unto him, {Or, My heart went not from me, when &c.}Went not my heart with thee, when the man turned from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards and vineyards, and sheep and oxen, and men-servants and maid-servants?
Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing unto a faithful Creator.
Keep thy heart {Or, above all that thou guardest}with all diligence;For out of it are the issues of life.
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts;And in the hidden part thou wilt make me to know wisdom.
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted thing; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the devoted thing: and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the children of Israel.
And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and spy out the land. And the men went up and spied out Ai.
And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; make not all the people to toil thither; for they are but few.
So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.
And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men; and they chased them from before the gate even unto {Or, the quarries}Shebarim, and smote them at the descent; and the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of Jehovah until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust upon their heads.
And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord Jehovah, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over the Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to cause us to perish? would that we had been content and dwelt beyond the Jordan!
Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after that Israel hath turned their backs before their enemies!
For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and will compass us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do for thy great name?
And Jehovah said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore art thou thus fallen upon thy face?
Israel hath sinned; yea, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: yea, they have even taken of the devoted thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also; and they have even put it among their own stuff.
Therefore the children of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, because they are become accursed: I will not be with you any more, except ye destroy the devoted thing from among you.
Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow: for thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, There is a devoted thing in the midst of thee, O Israel; thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the devoted thing from among you.
In the morning therefore ye shall be brought near by your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which Jehovah taketh shall come near by families; and the family which Jehovah shall take shall come near by households; and the household which Jehovah shall take shall come near man by man.
And it shall be, that he that is taken with the devoted thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath; because he hath transgressed the covenant of Jehovah, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.
So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel near by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
and he brought near the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zerahites: and he brought near the family of the Zerahites man by man; and Zabdi was taken:
and he brought near his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to Jehovah, the God of Israel, and {Or, give praise}make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Of a truth I have sinned against Jehovah, the God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
when I saw among the spoil a goodly {Hebrew: mantle of Shinar.}Babylonish mantle, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.
And they took them from the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel; and they laid them down before Jehovah.
And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the mantle, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them up unto the valley of Achor.
And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? Jehovah shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire, and stoned them with stones.
And they raised over him a great heap of stones, unto this day; and Jehovah turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of {That is, Troubling.}Achor, unto this day.
I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Verily I say unto you, What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
But them that are without God judgeth. Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.
Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them in the sight of {Many ancient authorities read God.}the Lord, that they strive not about words, to no profit, to the subverting of them that hear.
Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, {Or, holding a straight course in the word of truth Or, rightly dividing the word of truth}handling aright the word of truth.
But shun profane babblings: for they will proceed further in ungodliness,
and their word will {Or, spread}eat as doth a gangrene: of whom is Hymenæus and Philetus;
men who concerning the truth have {Greek: missed the mark. 1 Timothy 1:6.}erred, saying that {Some ancient authorities read a resurrection.}the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some.
Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, {Numbers 16:5?}The Lord knoweth them that are his: and, {Isaiah 26:13?}Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.
Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor.
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the master's use, prepared unto every good work.
But flee youthful lusts, and follow after righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away.
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul: and not one of them said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
And with great power gave the apostles their witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus {Some ancient authorities add Christ.}: and great grace was upon them all.
Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need.
Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.
It is actually reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one of you hath his father's wife.
And {Or, are ye puffed up?}ye are puffed up, and {Or, did ye not rather mourn…you?}did not rather mourn, that he that had done this deed might be taken away from among you.
For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already as though I were present judged him that hath so wrought this thing,
in the name of our Lord Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus,
to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord {Some ancient authorities omit Jesus.}Jesus.
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, even Christ:
wherefore let us {Greek: keep festival.}keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with fornicators;
{Or, not altogether with the fornicators &c.}not at all meaning with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world:
but {Or, now I write}as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat.
For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within?
But them that are without God judgeth. Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.
neither give place to the devil.
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need.
Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for {Greek: the building up of the need.}edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.
And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption.
For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done {Greek: though.}in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble;
each man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; {Or, and each man's work, of what sort it is, the fire shall prove it.}and the fire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is.
If any man's work shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward.
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire.
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life.
If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk.
whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
Therefore I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.
And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this {Or, age}world, nor in that which is to come.
but whosoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin:
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 grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption.
for our God is a consuming fire.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.
{Some ancient authorities read That which my Father hath given unto me}My Father, who hath given them unto me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch {Or, aught}them out of the Father's hand.
I and the Father are one.
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.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an {Or, Comforter John 14:16. Or, Helper Greek: Paraclete.}Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
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.
for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.
as children of obedience, not fashioning yourselves according to your former lusts in the time of your ignorance:
but {Or, like the Holy One who called you}like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living;
because it is written, {Leviticus 11:44 f.; 19:2; 20:7.}Ye shall be holy; for I am holy.
And if ye call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to each man's work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear:
knowing that ye were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers;
but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, even the blood of Christ: