1 Corinthians 15:31

For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me.

How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.

But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshipers.

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Yes, for your sake we are killed all day long. We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.

As many as walk by this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on God’s Israel.

But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.

but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.

Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

Samuel said, “Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying Yahweh’s voice? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, these twenty-three years, Yahweh’s word has come to me, and I have spoken to you, rising up early and speaking; but you have not listened.

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

But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;

But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

holding up the word of life, that I may have something to boast in the day of Christ, that I didn’t run in vain nor labor in vain.

But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and has followed me fully, him I will bring into the land into which he went. His offspring shall possess it.

and tore the kingdom away from David’s house, and gave it you; and yet you have not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in my eyes,

You will also be a crown of beauty in Yahweh‘s hand, and a royal diadem in your God’s hand.

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

Even as it is written, “For your sake we are killed all day long. We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Now thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift!

Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep.

Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all.

In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ,

to the end he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

persecutions, and sufferings: those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. The Lord delivered me out of them all.

You said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will see my face no more.’

Outside the sword will bereave, and in the rooms, terror on both young man and virgin, the nursing infant with the gray-haired man.

Yah has punished me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

If it happens, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

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

men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Then the commanding officer came near, arrested him, commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what he had done.

Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until today.”

who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But by the grace of God I am what I am. His grace which was given to me was not futile, but I worked more than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

I had no relief for my spirit, because I didn’t find Titus, my brother, but taking my leave of them, I went out into Macedonia.

For we are not as so many, peddling the word of God. But as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.

Do you look at things only as they appear in front of your face? If anyone trusts in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again with himself, that even as he is Christ’s, so we also are Christ’s.

Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.

Walk in love, even as Christ also loved us and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.

that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God,

that no one would be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed to this task.

so that we ourselves boast about you in the assemblies of God for your perseverance and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you endure.

By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

Beloved, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have boldness toward God;

Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your offspring, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

Then Samuel told the people the regulations of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Yahweh. Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

He said, “Good. I will make a treaty with you, but one thing I require of you. That is, you will not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.”

You have made us like sheep for food, and have scattered us among the nations.

Your oils have a pleasing fragrance. Your name is oil poured out, therefore the virgins love you.

You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down.

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 they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium.

When some of both the Gentiles and the Jews, with their rulers, made a violent attempt to mistreat and stone them,

When they had preached the Good News to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,

Having found disciples, we stayed there seven days. These said to Paul through the Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

But thanks be to God, that, whereas you were bondservants of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were delivered.

We also speak these things, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things.

For, I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last of all, like men sentenced to death. For we are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men.

But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s, at his coming.

who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

But thanks be to God, who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

For you are our glory and our joy.

May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, little children, remain in him, that when he appears, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

In this I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men.

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 what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Isn’t it even you, before our Lord Jesus at his coming?

Now therefore listen to their voice. However you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who will reign over them.”

My soul is continually in my hand, yet I won’t forget your law.

For I earnestly protested to your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even to this day, rising early and protesting, saying, “Obey my voice.”

He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

But some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there, and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.

except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me.

Why do we also stand in jeopardy every hour?

For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.

as also you acknowledged us in part, that we are your boasting, even as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.

Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every place.

For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh.

as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and not killed;

For even when we had come into Macedonia, our flesh had no relief, but we were afflicted on every side. Fightings were outside. Fear was inside.

Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself.) I am more so: in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, and in deaths often.

according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.

If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion,

For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh;

For what thanksgiving can we render again to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sakes before our God,

Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’

Yahweh’s angel protested to Joshua, saying,