2 Corinthians 1:17

Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you,

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.

but I tell you, don’t swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God;

Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”

Don’t judge according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”

Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win.

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.

“You shall not misuse the name of Yahweh your God, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who misuses his name.

As soon as Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned again and played the prostitute following the Baals, and made Baal Berith their god.

for both prophet and priest are profane. Yes, in my house I have found their wickedness,” says Yahweh.

Her priests have done violence to my law, and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they caused men to discern between the unclean and the clean, and have hidden their eyes from my Sabbaths. So I am profaned among them.

If anyone listens to my sayings, and doesn’t believe, I don’t judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.

Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers with many words and strengthened them.

Now I don’t desire to have you unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you, and was hindered so far, that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.

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.

and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, those who were reputed to be pillars, gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision.

But you know the proof of him, that as a child serves a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the Good News.

whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things.

If you instruct the brothers of these things, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which you have followed.

But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

Through Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.

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

Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Outlaws joined up with Jephthah, and they went out with him.

Then David returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious the king of Israel was today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants’ maids, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”

Worthless men were gathered to him, wicked fellows who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender hearted, and could not withstand them.

Behold, you trust in lying words that can’t profit.

In the prophets of Jerusalem I have also seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one returns from his wickedness. They have all become to me as Sodom, and its inhabitants as Gomorrah.”

“I have heard what the prophets have said, who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’

Your prophets have seen false and foolish visions for you. They have not uncovered your iniquity, to reverse your captivity, but have seen for you false revelations and causes of banishment.

When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom, and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes, and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside.

For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

She said, “No one, Lord.” Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more.”

But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel.

strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into God’s Kingdom.

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.

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 know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.

If others partake of this right over you, don’t we yet more? Nevertheless we didn’t use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ.

It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

but to the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the uncircumcised, even as Peter with the Good News for the circumcised—

You are witnesses with God how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe.

The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same things to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be healthy, even as your soul prospers.

You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of Yahweh your God which I command you.

“Now therefore fear Yahweh, and serve him in sincerity and in truth. Put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, in Egypt; and serve Yahweh.

They went out into the field, harvested their vineyards, trod the grapes, celebrated, and went into the house of their god and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.

When all the men of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered into the stronghold of the house of Elberith.

I know also, my God, that you try the heart, and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. Now I have seen with joy your people, who are present here, offer willingly to you.

My foot has held fast to his steps. I have kept his way, and not turned away.

Yahweh administers judgment to the peoples. Judge me, Yahweh, according to my righteousness, and to my integrity that is in me.

Blessed is the man to whom Yahweh doesn’t impute iniquity, in whose spirit there is no deceit.

He who tills his land shall have plenty of bread, but he who chases fantasies is void of understanding.

A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but an aching heart breaks the spirit.

A righteous man walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him.

The days of visitation have come. The days of reckoning have come. Israel will consider the prophet to be a fool, and the man who is inspired to be insane, because of the abundance of your sins, and because your hostility is great.

Yahweh says concerning the prophets who lead my people astray; for those who feed their teeth, they proclaim, “Peace!” and whoever doesn’t provide for their mouths, they prepare war against him:

Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock! The sword will be on his arm, and on his right eye. His arm will be completely withered, and his right eye will be totally blinded!”

But you have turned away from the path. You have caused many to stumble in the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says Yahweh of Armies.

Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’ ”

But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.

the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the Kingdom; and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one.

I pray not that you would take them from the world, but that you would keep them from the evil one.

When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported everything that God had done with them.

All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them.

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.

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

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

Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them.

but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks,

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

I therefore run like that, not aimlessly. I fight like that, not beating the air,

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.

But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

But from those who were reputed to be important—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God doesn’t show partiality to man—they, I say, who were respected imparted nothing to me,

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

which has come to you, even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth,

Don’t lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings,

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

For this cause I also, when I couldn’t stand it any longer, sent that I might know your faith, for fear that by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor would have been in vain.

For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,

but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called “today”, lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things.

They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and reckless fellows who followed him.

Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams,” says Yahweh, “who tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting; yet I didn’t send them or command them. They don’t profit this people at all,” says Yahweh.

Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.

You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one.

who, when he had come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord.

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.

But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from those who desire an occasion, that in which they boast, they may be found even as we.

As we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any “good news” other than that which you received, let him be cursed.

to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood,

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.

because we wanted to come to you—indeed, I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us.

But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness,

But above all things, my brothers, don’t swear— not by heaven, or by the earth, or by any other oath; but let your “yes” be “yes”, and your “no”, “no”, so that you don’t fall into hypocrisy.