2 Corinthians 6:5

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit,

even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.

For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

But we beg you, brothers, to know those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you,

Therefore don’t be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God,

Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood.

But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be judged by me there concerning these things?”

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you,

Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.

For a child is born to us. A son is given to us; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples

But I have told you these things, so that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you about them. I didn’t tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you.

which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

how I didn’t shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house,

As he stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix;

Watch! Stand firm in the faith! Be courageous! Be strong!

who desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth.

by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

and say, ‘The king says, “Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.” ’ ”

Your watchmen lift up their voice. Together they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when Yahweh returns to Zion.

I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen!’

Then he said to them, “The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out laborers into his harvest.

He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.

whom they set before the apostles. When they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was during the days of unleavened bread.

From there they sailed to Antioch, from where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled.

This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

Some shouted one thing, and some another, among the crowd. When he couldn’t find out the truth because of the noise, he commanded him to be brought into the barracks.

Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers;

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.

subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ.

Not that I speak because of lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it.

I know how to be humbled, and I also know how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need.

neither did we eat bread from anyone’s hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you,

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

But the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer.

He said to the people, “Be ready by the third day. Don’t have sexual relations with a woman.”

Whenever any controversy comes to you from your brothers who dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and ordinances, you must warn them, that they not be guilty toward Yahweh, and so wrath come on you and on your brothers. Do this, and you will not be guilty.

His watchmen are blind. They are all without knowledge. They are all mute dogs. They can’t bark— dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.

Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee.

For Herod himself had sent out and arrested John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for he had married her.

He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. This, my joy, therefore is made full.

They laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was now evening.

But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Beroea also, they came there likewise, agitating the multitudes.

He entered into the synagogue and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning God’s Kingdom.

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to himself the elders of the assembly.

Now, brothers, I entrust you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

On the next day, we who were Paul’s companions departed, and came to Caesarea. We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my relatives.

Tell Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it.”

and sent Timothy, our brother and God’s servant in the Good News of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith,

who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony in its own times,

so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, without sin, to those who are eagerly waiting for him for salvation.

Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,

And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.

We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world.

The multitude rose up together against them and the magistrates tore their clothes from them, then commanded them to be beaten with rods.

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.

in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.

He may sentence him to no more than forty stripes. He shall not give more, lest if he should give more and beat him more than that many stripes, then your brother will be degraded in your sight.

Say, ‘The king says, “Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.” ’ ”

Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in the prison; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time.

But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed.

Moreover Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah the second time, while he was still locked up in the court of the guard, saying,

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel. Therefore hear the word from my mouth, and warn them from me.

Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

For Herod had arrested John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.

and he sent and beheaded John in the prison.

But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.

He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing, except by prayer and fasting.”

and laid hands on the apostles, then put them in public custody.

As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.”

Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

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.

When they had appointed elders for them in every assembly, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed.

But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.

Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn’t cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears.

When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.

“I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace.

But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds.

Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these bonds.”

Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house and received all who were coming to him,

Even to this present hour we hunger, thirst, are naked, are beaten, and have no certain dwelling place.

Don’t deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and may be together again, that Satan doesn’t tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.

For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God.

For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we have set our trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.

Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy, and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.

Know that our brother Timothy has been freed, with whom, if he comes shortly, I will see you.

You have perseverance and have endured for my name’s sake, and have not grown weary.

Don’t be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have oppression for ten days. Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life.

“Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.